The Cowboys Drafts

There are definitely strengths for the team in drafting, and some weaknesses, but Dallas has become a good drafting team since an emphasis was placed on the draft by the Joneses after Parcells was hired.

Drafting is not the problem with this team. Sure, it has its misses, just like any other team, but the only reason they sting as much as they do is the de-emphasis on top-quality free agency.
 
There’s been plenty of good players in here over the years. No one questions that.

Drafting All-Pros is nice, but they often end up with a top-heavy roster, and leave certain positions neglected, which is ripe to exploit.

Then end up outcoached, unprepared or both when it matters most.
 
thunderpimp91 said:
In comparison to the rest of the league the Cowboys probably are pretty good in the 2nd round. I don't think people realize how big of a bust rate 2nd round guys have. Over time you're going to miss more than you hit on after round 1.
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What’s crazy to me is we find good players and contributors in the late rounds but consistently miss in the 2nd more often than not
 
thunderpimp91 said:
In comparison to the rest of the league the Cowboys probably are pretty good in the 2nd round. I don't think people realize how big of a bust rate 2nd round guys have. Over time you're going to miss more than you hit on after round 1.
Click to expand...
In 2021, I used the 2009-2019 drafts and found that only about 10% of second round picks made at least one Pro Bowl in their career. Not All-Pro, just a simple Pro Bowl.

However there are plenty of useful players that fall into the nine who don’t make a PB. If nothing else, it provides depth. A total bust hurts.
 
gimmesix said:
There are definitely strengths for the team in drafting, and some weaknesses, but Dallas has become a good drafting team since an emphasis was placed on the draft by the Joneses after Parcells was hired.

Drafting is not the problem with this team. Sure, it has its misses, just like any other team, but the only reason they sting as much as they do is the de-emphasis on top-quality free agency.
Click to expand...
A great, nuanced comment. Thanks
 
fivetwos said:
In 2021, I used the 2009-2019 drafts and found that only about 10% of second round picks made at least one Pro Bowl in their career. Not All-Pro, just a simple Pro Bowl.

However there are plenty of useful players that fall into the nine who don’t make a PB. If nothing else, it provides depth. A total bust hurts.
Click to expand...
Is that across the league? Around here, it seems like all-pro 2nd rounders is 50% for every team but the Cowboys.
 
The problem with our rosters not being good enough to win playoff games is not so much having bad drafts. It’s a combo of all these things:
  • A great roster requires a clear long term plan and knowing what you have to build with and what you need to add to truly compete for a championship. I don’t think our GM gets that. Evidence is overwhelming our GM is competing for TV ratings, Forbes trophies and attention.

  • A great roster requires a combo of good drafts PLUS adding some key FAs that aren’t bottom of the barrel cheap. Don’t have to throw the bank at every FA - just a good one once in a while. We literally publicly say we won’t do that.

  • A great roster requires a very strong and nuanced understanding of how to MANAGE the salary cap. We are not good at it. We overpay our “star” players and neglect to pay some of the better FAs (unless of course we drafted them)

  • A great roster requires a willingness admit failures and to cut losses with players who you just missed on. Better to cut them early and cut your losses and move on. We won’t do that. “We like our guys” is one of the truest things this FO has ever said and it kills us. A great GM must be ruthless about talent and players. Jerry loves his players. Even the ones that suck.

  • Jerry runs this team like his own personal family restaurant instead of a professional football team focused 100% on winning a championship. He hires and keeps his kids in executive positions regardless of qualifications or performance. He won’t hire great HCs because he’s threatened by them and fears losing his “credit” and power.

  • If Jerry Jones wanted to win a championship more than anything else, he would have stepped down a looooong time ago. Does he want to win? Sure. Win at all costs? No way. It’s HIS WAY or no way.
So yeah, we’ve had some good drafts. But with all the other “stuff” surrounding this team, it’s not enough.
 
thunderpimp91 said:
In comparison to the rest of the league the Cowboys probably are pretty good in the 2nd round. I don't think people realize how big of a bust rate 2nd round guys have. Over time you're going to miss more than you hit on after round 1.
Click to expand...


All the more reason the cowboys “we build through the draft and solely through the draft” is a horrible strategy.

Year after year after year the front office does very little or nothing in FA and then tries to sell 2nd, 3rd, 4th and higher round picks as the long term answers at various positions.

It’s totally unrealistic.
 
You'd be hard-pressed to comvince an outsider coming to this board that it's actually a fan board and not play on names
 
Bobhaze said:
The problem with our rosters not being good enough to win playoff games is not so much having bad drafts. It’s a combo of all these things:
  • A great roster requires a clear long term plan and knowing what you have to build with and what you need to add to truly compete for a championship. I don’t think our GM gets that. Evidence is overwhelming our GM is competing for TV ratings, Forbes trophies and attention.

  • A great roster requires a combo of good drafts PLUS adding some key FAs that aren’t bottom of the barrel cheap. Don’t have to throw the bank at every FA - just a good one once in a while. We literally publicly say we won’t do that.

  • A great roster requires a very strong and nuanced understanding of how to MANAGE the salary cap. We are not good at it. We overpay our “star” players and neglect to pay some of the better FAs (unless of course we drafted them)

  • A great roster requires a willingness admit failures and to cut losses with players who you just missed on. Better to cut them early and cut your losses and move on. We won’t do that. “We like our guys” is one of the truest things this FO has ever said and it kills us. A great GM must be ruthless about talent and players. Jerry loves his players. Even the ones that suck.

  • Jerry runs this team like his own personal family restaurant instead of a professional football team focused 100% on winning a championship. He hires and keeps his kids in executive positions regardless of qualifications or performance. He won’t hire great HCs because he’s threatened by them and fears losing his “credit” and power.

  • If Jerry Jones wanted to win a championship more than anything else, he would have stepped down a looooong time ago. Does he want to win? Sure. Win at all costs? No way. It’s HIS WAY or no way.
So yeah, we’ve had some good drafts. But with all the other “stuff” surrounding this team, it’s not enough.
Click to expand...
I think to go along with this the team needs a clear cut philosophy. Are we running. a smash-mouth offense ? or finesse ? run heavy vs pass heavy etc. This is one area I give teams like the Steelers respect. They consistently know what type of team they are and theres not much mystery come draft time and they're not flipping coaches and philosophies every couple of years either.
 
Hawkeye0202 said:
Drafting isn't their problem; it's signing quality free agents to close the gap between bottom feeders. This is what separates them from the Eagles and other top teams.
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Yep.

We are a great drafting team compared to the rest of the NFL.

If you disagree I think you’re just too focused on Dallas and ignore how terrible the NFLnis at drafting.

The Cowboys problem is overpaying their own and completely ignoring Free Agency.

With that said I can’t complain about this offseason and I’d say job well done.
 
Turns out drafting well does not result in a Super Bowl appearance. The Cowboys’ problems lie elsewhere.
 
Big D said:
I think to go along with this the team needs a clear cut philosophy. Are we running. a smash-mouth offense ? or finesse ? run heavy vs pass heavy etc. This is one area I give teams like the Steelers respect. They consistently know what type of team they are and theres not much mystery come draft time and they're not flipping coaches and philosophies every couple of years either.
Click to expand...
I’ve been asking that question for years - “What kind of team are we trying to be?”

We know Schotty says we are going to be a team with a strong emphasis on running the football. And maybe we will be. But we have a bottom of the league RB room. We have invested in the OL for sure.

But a good running game is best complemented by an excellent defense that can impose its physical will on people, especially stopping the run. Don’t see that on this roster yet. Hopefully we improve.
 
fivetwos said:
In 2021, I used the 2009-2019 drafts and found that only about 10% of second round picks made at least one Pro Bowl in their career. Not All-Pro, just a simple Pro Bowl.

However there are plenty of useful players that fall into the nine who don’t make a PB. If nothing else, it provides depth. A total bust hurts.
Click to expand...
I don't doubt that one bit. I think people significantly underestimate how many players are completely out of the league and never get 2nd contracts.
 
Havic said:
What’s crazy to me is we find good players and contributors in the late rounds but consistently miss in the 2nd more often than not
Click to expand...
Yeah but you're also probably lumping in 4th-7th round picks and comparing that to just 1 round of the 2nd. You also likely have much higher expectations for that 2nd rounder. Schoon for example is considered a bust by many. Had he been a 5th round pick we would probably look at him in a more positive light and list him as a nice late round snag as a contributor.
 
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