TheCount's "Let Them Eat Cake" Mock

[TheCount]

Pick 9: Tyron Smith, LT
The people want Smith, so let's give them what they want. There is one caveat. If we take Smith, he has to play LT. This means moving Free (a proven commodity) to RT and relying on a rookie to guard Romo's blindside. If you're taking a guy at #9, he should be ready to start, right? Smith is a prototypical LT prospect, and a franchise LT, I'm fine with at #9.

Pick 40: Marcus Cannon, OG
We need a road grader type guy at guard to improve our run blocking, which was even worse than our pass blocking last year. Cannon moves well for his size but could probably stand to lose some weight to improve his conditioning if nothing else.

Pick 71: Ras-I Dowling, CB
Former 1st round prospect that just couldn't stay healthy this year. Was productive when healthy, but has some technique issues that need to be worked out.

Pick 110: Kenrick Ellis, DE/NT
My pet cat that I pimp entirely too much, but word on the street is the Cowboys liked what they saw from him in his workout. Glad to know there's a chance we might actually go after him. I love his versatility.

Pick 143: Deunta Williams, FS/SS
I'm not sure how quickly Williams will be able to contribute but the guy went from a borderline 1st round pick all the way to the mid round range, mostly because of his injury. A steal at this point in the draft.

Pick 176: Henry Hynoski, FB
An absolute beast out of the backfield. I like Gronk, but our run blocking needs a lot of help and having a dominant FB is part of that. If you're paying attention that's 3 moves to help our running game. Free to RT (instead of Smith), Cannon at LG and now Hynoski in the backfield.

Pick 219: Alex Wujciak, ILB
Sean Lee is the heir apparent at ILB, but every good 3-4 ILB has a guy playing next to him that does a lot of the dirty work. For years we've gotten away with average guys next to Bradie because he is that guy that takes on guards and isn't afraid to stick his nose in a pile. However, Bradie's contract is up very soon and he'll be over 30, it's time to bring in a replacement. Wujciak didn't get a combine invite, but his numbers are as follows: 2008: 133 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks. 2009: 131 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 1 sack, 2 INT.

Pick 251: Allen Bradford, RB
Another guy that suffered from injuries but was productive when on the field, Bradford is a battering ram and makes Barber completely expendable.

Comments welcome, of course.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I'm good with that. Especially the top 5 picks. Though I think I would rather go Watkins or Stefen Wisniewski in the second. I'm not comfortable with Cannon's weight. Could be an issue down the road.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Hey Count,

I love the Ellis pick and I really like it if we can get him in that spot. He's got a considerable amount of talent. He could be a monster for us.

 

[Gaede]

Very nice, not a great big fan of Smith at 9 but I can handle it since you picked one of my favs. Cannon at 40.

 

[Idgit]

No problem with Smith at #9, but don't care much for the caveat. If you take him, take him and then play the OTs in whichever spots benefit the team most. You don't make a guy a LT just to justify his draft position in your own mind after the fact.

Re: Cannon. Can he block into the second level in the NFL? I know he's supposed to be nimble for his size at OT, but I don't want anybody playing OG for us who ole's the way Davis does right now. That just kills me. Almost as much as watching him blow simple stunts and twists.

 

[UnoDallas]

Always enjoy your mocks

I think the talk of Newman leaving is gone IMO

I like two O line right away any of them in the 2nd - not a big fan of Road grader Cannon - I prefer some one lighter

and Kenrick Ellis again when you can get a fat guy in the 7 rd

kid

PFFFFTT give me Terry Griffen 6-3 #340Elizabeth City State Universite in the 7 rd

then in the 3 round I go with #72 Kelvin Sheppard, ISLB

nice tho I could live with it

 

[TheCount]

Hey Count,

I love the Ellis pick and I really like it if we can get him in that spot. He's got a considerable amount of talent. He could be a monster for us.

Thanks man, and yeah, I think he could be a great addition to our D, especially under Ryan.

No problem with Smith at #9, but don't care much for the caveat. If you take him, take him and then play the OTs in whichever spots benefit the team most. You don't make a guy a LT just to justify his draft position in your own mind after the fact.

It's not about justifying anything. Everything about Smith screams LT and Free graded out as one of the best run blocking tackles in the NFL last year.

If you don't feel his position needs to justify the pick, then what difference should it make to you where he plays?

and Kenrick Ellis again when you can get a fat guy in the 7 rd

Okay, I deserved that. :laugh2:

There are quite a few ILB prospects I like in this draft actually, wouldn't be upset with Sheppard at all.

 

[Idgit]

It's not about justifying anything. Everything about Smith screams LT and Free graded out as one of the best run blocking tackles in the NFL last year.

If you don't feel his position needs to justify the pick, then what difference should it make to you where he plays?

Well, that should be obvious. You play the tackles in their best positions, without regard to where you selected them. I don't agree that Free is better suited to RT at all, and, at least as a rookie, Smith is a much safer play at RT if you're going to be relying on him as a starter early.

 

[TheCount]

Well, that should be obvious. You play the tackles in their best positions, without regard to where you selected them. I don't agree that Free is better suited to RT at all, and, at least as a rookie, Smith is a much safer play at RT if you're going to be relying on him as a starter early.

So you want to start Tyron Smith at RT to hide him, not because you think he's a better RT than LT?

Smith is the prototypical new-age blindside protector. He's not going to do much for us in terms of run blocking, especially since we don't zone block like he's used to.

Of course, in all likelihood we will start him at RT because we have a need and because he's nowhere near as ready as people want to believe he is. But the goal should be LT.

 

[Idgit]

So you want to start Tyron Smith at RT to hide him, not because you think he's a better RT than LT?

Smith is the prototypical new-age blindside protector. He's not going to do much for us in terms of run blocking, especially since we don't zone block like he's used to.

Of course, in all likelihood we will start him at RT because we have a need and because he's nowhere near as ready as people want to believe he is. But the goal should be LT.

That's not at all what I'm saying. I'm saying start the OTs in the postions the pair can be most effective in. It doesn't matter if it's LT or RT, and it's not a consideration when you hand in your draft card. I do think that likely means Free at LT and Smith at RT next season, but it doesn't matter to me which way it works out.

You're wrong about Smith and run blocking. We're going to have a pair of mobile tackles and be able to run to either side with our OTs out in space. Pitchouts to Felix from either side of the formation are going to kill defensive game plans. If those plays are blocked correctly in space, Felix can bend around one tackle and go goaline. It's going to be great.

 

[diehard2294]

I'm good with that. Especially the top 5 picks. Though I think I would rather go Watkins or Stefen Wisniewski in the second. I'm not comfortable with Cannon's weight. Could be an issue down the road.

this... and Free is the teams left tackle and will stay there whether we draft Smith or Carimi

 

[TheCount]

That's not at all what I'm saying. I'm saying start the OTs in the postions the pair can be most effective in. It doesn't matter if it's LT or RT, and it's not a consideration when you hand in your draft card. I do think that likely means Free at LT and Smith at RT next season, but it doesn't matter to me which way it works out.

You're wrong about Smith and run blocking. We're going to have a pair of mobile tackles and be able to run to either side with our OTs out in space. Pitchouts to Felix from either side of the formation are going to kill defensive game plans. If those plays are blocked correctly in space, Felix can bend around one tackle and go goaline. It's going to be great.

I'll wait till I see it. Seems like every draft we get that "one" player that's going to put us over the top, except it never happens.

I hope you're right though.

I'm not impressed with Smith's run blocking at all. You may think I'm wrong, but what I've seen has been average at best. It's not going to help him that we don't zone block either.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

Let them eat cake is being taken out of contex here.

Tyron Smith is 100 percent pure BEEF.

 

[AbeBeta]

so a guy who never started at LT in college. who most scouts think needs some time to develop (or will have growing pains his first year) should play LT right out of the box?

why screw up two positions? If we want to put Smith on the field immediately, he'll need some help. Don't make him change sides as well.

 

[basstapp]

I would be thrilled with this draft.

 

[TheCount]

so a guy who never started at LT in college. who most scouts think needs some time to develop (or will have growing pains his first year) should play LT right out of the box?

why screw up two positions? If we want to put Smith on the field immediately, he'll need some help. Don't make him change sides as well.

The entire premise here is that if he's the pick, you believe he can do it.

But regardless, how would that screw up two positions? Free can play.