The Reconstruction Continues... Mock Draft

[Ceasaleo88]

Cowboys Free Agents:
UNRESTRICTED
Alan Ball, CB, Martellus Bennett, TE, Keith Brooking, LB, Derrick Dockery, LG, Abram Elam, S, Montrae Holland, LG , Jon Kitna, QB, Daniel Loper, LG, Mat McBriar, P, Sammy Morris,RB, Laurent Robinson, WR, Anthony Spencer, LB, Frank Walker, CB, Bradie James, LB

RESTRICTED
Kevin Ogletree, WR, Tony Fiammetta, FB, Chauncey Washington, RB

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS
Clifton Geathers, DE, Jeremy Parnell, OT, Jesse Holley, WR

You can probably add TNew and Kosier in the mix, because I see them getting cut before the free agency period begins. Out of those names, I only see 2 clear locks that I would bring back, Laurent Robinson and Tony Fiammetta. The 3 Exclusive Rights free agents can be signed and brought into training camp, but none are true factors. Ogletree can take his maybe 3rd or 4th round tender or leave. Let Spencer and Elam test the market, and if it's a good number for us bring them back as an insurance policy.

In free agency, I make Calais Campbell the top priority. If he hasn't resigned with the Cards, I would be at his door at 12:01 opening day. Then I wait and pick up Aubrayo Franklin to plug in the middle, he hasn't had much impact with the Saints in a 4 man front, but I still think he can be an asset as an NT, and slide Ratliff over to the DE slot. Sign Shaun Hill to back up Romo.

Going into the draft that leaves the team with priority holes at OLB and CB, with secondary holes at SS, and OG. Back ups at ILB, and TE are needed. A shifty WR would be nice and you'd like to see a young QB get drafted at sometime. You have solidified the DLine with a starting trio of Campbell, Franklin, and Ratliff, and a backup rotation of Hatcher, Lissemore, Spears, and Price. I actually like the interior lineman we have coming back and think that a year in the offseason program will do them well. I can definitely see Arkin and Nagy being viable options for one of the guard spots next year. I'd let Kowalski and Costa fight it out for the center position, and if neither shows enough development, go out and sign a vet like Birk or Saturday. That said I go defense heavy with the first couple of picks in this year's draft:

1) OLB -- Melvin Ingram / Courtney Upshaw... Whichever one is available and/or the best proven through workouts. At this point I don't know enough to choose a personal favorite, but I do know both are an improvement over Spencer. ** If Dre Kirkpatrick somehow slips, he's a lock at #14 **
2) CB -- Coryell Judie / Jamell Fleming... One of these guys or someone similar gets snatched up. It's supposed to be a good crop of CB's this year so we won't be getting far from 1st round talent in the 2nd.
3) OG -- Kevin Zeitler / Lucas Nix... One of these nasty, athletic guards in the 3rd would be healthy competition for Nagy, Arkin, and Kowalski. The 2 winners take their spots with the Yuglies.
4) CB -- Casey Heyward / Omar Bolden... One more quality CB, we're going to need a 4th with Ball gone(Thank the Lord)
5) ILB -- Jerry Franklin / Chris Galippo... Need someone to backup Carter and Lee. Lemon is a start, one of these two would be a nice finish.
6) TE -- George Bryan... Need someone to take over the blocking assignments for Marty B.

In round 7, I would probably look for some combination of: a developmental QB, shifty WR, or Strong Safety project.

Follow this plan and you have a contender next year and a solid team for years.

 

[JoeCorrado]

I like the Ingram/Upshaw choice. One will be there. My preference is Ingram ... for now.

I go after a starting CB in FA and use the 6 million from Newman to pay him. Then I use the 2nd round pick for a solid prospect at OG. This class is stocked at the position.

 

[chuch]

Beautiful, this is exactly what I was thinking. However I think we would look to FA for ILB depth to cover our bases from an experience standpoint. The Jamell Flemming and Omar Bolden picks would be excellent value and Bolden has fantastic speed that can be used in the return game.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Uh... No.

No I do not know if Ingram or Upshaw are an improvement over Spencer. I don't think either one is a dozen-sacks-a-season kind of strong-side OLB.

If DeCastro was there or one of the plum corners, and either Ingram or Upshaw were picked, I'd be very disappointed.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

Uh... No.

No I do not know if Ingram or Upshaw are an improvement over Spencer. I don't think either one is a dozen-sacks-a-season kind of strong-side OLB.

If DeCastro was there or one of the plum corners, and either Ingram or Upshaw were picked, I'd be very disappointed.

Really we don't know everything about them til they workout.

Noone wanted Ware til he worked out, all we can do is wait and see how it goes.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Really we don't know everything about them til they workout.

Noone wanted Ware til he worked out, all we can do is wait and see how it goes.

Agreed.

But I don't see either one of these guys being some kind of sack machine.

Ware clocked a 4.56 at the combine. We'll see where these guys end up.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

Agreed.

But I don't see either one of these guys being some kind of sack machine.

Ware clocked a 4.56 at the combine. We'll see where these guys end up.

I don't see them running that fast, they are both alot bigger than Ware was at the time. The point is, there just isn't enough information to make a decision like that especially when we haven't even been through free agency yet.

One of them could come in with Aldon Smith numbers though, and both are bigger than him too. Point being, all these prospects will rise or fall after those workouts, and its too hard to make some massive decision about them right now.

 

[burmafrd]

there is not a OLB in this draft that you can really point at and be reasonably sure he will be a decided upgrade to Spencer.

Robert Mathis or Calais Campbell in FA to replace Spencer.

Decastro if he is there for the HUGE hole at Guard.

The only ones I think we can count on in the O line now are Killa, maybe, and Arkin, possibly.

We need to give Romo better protection; he was just about killed this year. We cannot wait and HOPE that our current scrubs get better without taking serious action.

CB- we need at LEAST one very good one in either the draft or FA.

Brooker of LSU interests me as a possible seymour at DE.

But we have to stop this BS of always thinking we can go 4th rd and lower and keep restocking the O line. Of all the picks we have had only Free has developed as a starter. One out of almost a dozen in the last 5-6 years. One definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect different results.

 

[jnday]

I don't see them running that fast, they are both alot bigger than Ware was at the time. The point is, there just isn't enough information to make a decision like that especially when we haven't even been through free agency yet.

One of them could come in with Aldon Smith numbers though, and both are bigger than him too. Point being, all these prospects will rise or fall after those workouts, and its too hard to make some massive decision about them right now.

I will gve you credit , you are loyal to the cause .

 

[MichaelWinicki]

there is not a OLB in this draft that you can really point at and be reasonably sure he will be a decided upgrade to Spencer.

That's the one right there.

And if you're spending the 14th overall, then you had better be sure.

Spencer ran a 4.70 at the combine.

His senior numbers were 26.5 TFL (which was second in the country) and 10 1/2 sacks.

I don't see Ingram or Upshaw being an improvement either.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

I will gve you credit , you are loyal to the cause .

I try.....

As for the players here, I know everyone has their favorites, and will lean that way with every post. I don't really care who we draft or what direction we go, I just want what is best for the team in general with the BPA to help us improve.

I figure what we do or don't do in free agency will have alot more effect on this team than anything we do in the draft anyway.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

That's the one right there.

And if you're spending the 14th overall, then you had better be sure.

Spencer ran a 4.70 at the combine.

His senior numbers were 26.5 TFL (which was second in the country) and 10 1/2 sacks.

I don't see Ingram or Upshaw being an improvement either.

So since Spencer was a disappointment, we should just give up on upgrading his position at all.

Guess we should list all the OLs or CBs we have failed on and give up there too.

Any prospect, no matter how sure anyone is on him, can still fail. All we can do is keep trying to find good prospects, and hope they perform up to their potential.

 

[burmafrd]

That's the one right there.

And if you're spending the 14th overall, then you had better be sure.

Spencer ran a 4.70 at the combine.

His senior numbers were 26.5 TFL (which was second in the country) and 10 1/2 sacks.

I don't see Ingram or Upshaw being an improvement either.

there were some back when Spencer was drafted that worried that he just did not have the necessary speed and quickness to be a top rusher in the NFL. This is a case when raw numbers told the story; half a step makes such a huge difference in the NFL vs College.

 

[burmafrd]

So since Spencer was a disappointment, we should just give up on upgrading his position at all.

Guess we should list all the OLs or CBs we have failed on and give up there too.

Any prospect, no matter how sure anyone is on him, can still fail. All we can do is keep trying to find good prospects, and hope they perform up to their potential.

or one could look at their times coming out of the combine on the 10 yd part of the 40, and a couple of other measurements and be reasonably certain they will be Spencer part Deux. If they do not clearly have better measureables then Spencer then we should pass on them. Spencer had all the nice stats in college as regards sacks and TFL; but that half a step he did not have is what is hurting us now

 

[MichaelWinicki]

So since Spencer was a disappointment, we should just give up on upgrading his position at all.

Not at all.

I just don't think that Spencer performed worse than Newman or the inside offensive lineman.

Those positions are in much greater need of help.

And that's where the focus should be in the first round if at all possible.

 

[jnday]

So since Spencer was a disappointment, we should just give up on upgrading his position at all.

Guess we should list all the OLs or CBs we have failed on and give up there too.

Any prospect, no matter how sure anyone is on him, can still fail. All we can do is keep trying to find good prospects, and hope they perform up to their potential.

I think the point you are missing is that this draft class does not have an elite pass rushing prospect . You refer to combine workouts as the deciding factor , but these guys have a couple of college seasons on tape that shows how they play . Drafting a workout warrior that doesn't have game production to support him , is a sure way to fail .
One pass rusher will not put us over the hump . This is going to be a two or three year process . The smart thing to is draft to the strengths of the draft . This year it just happens to be OG and CB . Next year it could be safeties and DL . If so , that should be the areas that are addressed early .

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think the point you are missing is that this draft class does not have an elite pass rushing prospect . You refer to combine workouts as the deciding factor , but these guys have a couple of college seasons on tape that shows how they play . Drafting a workout warrior that doesn't have game production to support him , is a sure way to fail .
One pass rusher will not put us over the hump . This is going to be a two or three year process . The smart thing to is draft to the strengths of the draft . This year it just happens to be OG and CB . Next year it could be safeties and DL . If so , that should be the areas that are addressed early .

You shouldn't post.

You make too much sense.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

or one could look at their times coming out of the combine on the 10 yd part of the 40, and a couple of other measurements and be reasonably certain they will be Spencer part Deux. If they do not clearly have better measureables then Spencer then we should pass on them. Spencer had all the nice stats in college as regards sacks and TFL; but that half a step he did not have is what is hurting us now

Well we could compare Aldon Smith or Ryan Kerrigan to Spencer's numbers and see they were quite similar. Yet they both are better than Spencer, even as rookies. Spencer part Deux could be any player cause the draft is a crap shoot.

Spencer had the athletic talent, but not the mental talent. Until we get over the fact that Spencer was a disappointment cause of more than athletic talent and move on, then how can we possibly ever draft someone else without the question of Spencer.

People still don't wanna draft a safety high cause of Roy Williams. Get over it and move on.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

Not at all.

I just don't think that Spencer performed worse than Newman or the inside offensive lineman.

Those positions are in much greater need of help.

And that's where the focus should be in the first round if at all possible.

The difference is Spencer requires alot of money to keep him and a long term commitment. TNew is gone anyway (and yes the position needs alot of help), and the OL is a bunch of cheap young guys who basically won't get a chance to develop if we get a FA G AND draft a G.

I think the point you are missing is that this draft class does not have an elite pass rushing prospect . You refer to combine workouts as the deciding factor , but these guys have a couple of college seasons on tape that shows how they play . Drafting a workout warrior that doesn't have game production to support him , is a sure way to fail .
One pass rusher will not put us over the hump . This is going to be a two or three year process . The smart thing to is draft to the strengths of the draft . This year it just happens to be OG and CB . Next year it could be safeties and DL . If so , that should be the areas that are addressed early .

I still don't think we know enough about them to say none are an elite prospect. We just don't have enough information yet to know that. As for a workout warrior, I'm not looking for that, most of these guys have enough tape to be first rounders in our range already. The workouts could put them over the top for our pick, and that is the point.

 

[jnday]

Well we could compare Aldon Smith or Ryan Kerrigan to Spencer's numbers and see they were quite similar. Yet they both are better than Spencer, even as rookies. Spencer part Deux could be any player cause the draft is a crap shoot.

Spencer had the athletic talent, but not the mental talent. Until we get over the fact that Spencer was a disappointment cause of more than athletic talent and move on, then how can we possibly ever draft someone else without the question of Spencer.

People still don't wanna draft a safety high cause of Roy Williams. Get over it and move on.

Nah , I stayed a a Holiday Inn Express last night .