Thoughts on the Draft / Mock

[masomenos]

Dallas wants Branden Albert to fall to them at 22, that's what they're hoping for and I think there's probably a 50/50 chance that it happens. If he's not there then I think we trade this pick to a team in the late first or early second. If Jonathan Stewart is on the board at 22 then it's conceivable that a team could try to trade up for him. Also a team like the Falcons or Rams could want to trade up for an OT if one of the top 4 guys is still there. Of course there's the possibility of trading up for Brian Brohm, but I think it's be too early for that. We either take Branden Albert at 22 or we're trading down.

At 28 I think it's CB Brandon Flowers. It's a pick a lot of people won't like and I realize guys the Antoine Cason would also be options, but I've just got a hunch that our first round CB will be Flowers.

We will draft a WR this year but it won't be until the 3rd or 4th round. This is the player to replace Miles Austin on the roster. We don't have a lot of quick receivers on the team so whoever this is will be a more elusive guy. So I'm ruling out Marcus Monk as the WR, even though I like him. Jerry said they had been noticing one players receptions against Tennessee. I think he's talking about Keenan Burton. He's a player that would most likely be there at the end of the third or possibly in the fourth and in the past two years he's had 4 TDs against the Vols. The WR we draft is Keenan Burton.

Since Burton would replace Austin but wouldn't really offer any experience in the return game I think the RB we go after will need to have that ability. That rules out a guy I like in Matt Forte. We won't go after a one trick pony at RB so I'm going to rule out Steve Slaton and probably Felix Jones and Chris Johnson. The RB will most likely be taken with our second round pick, or one of them if another is acquired in a trade down. So depending on who's available we'll draft Ray Rice or Jammal Charles as our RB.

Assuming Branden Albert is gone at 22 and we trade down I think we'll still look for an OG fairly early. This would most likely be with one of our second round picks but I'm thinking Chilo Rachal. His stock would have been a lot higher if he had stayed in school but he came out to make money so he could pay for a family members medical treatment (if I understand correctly). He probably wouldn't be the instant impact player that Albert would be but he'd be a great developmental guy for H.H. to work with. Also, and this sounds ridiculous, but I had a dream that we drafted him, so Chilo Rachal will be one of our picks.

If we end up with an extra third out of the trade down, along with our extra second, then we'll us it on defense. I don't think it will be CB and I don't think it will be a safety. I'm thinking LB. I don't know if it would be an ILB like Beau Bell or an outside pass rusher, I could see a case being made for both. We use a pick in the first 4 rounds to draft another LB.

A lot of people will be upset that we wait so long to take another CB, but I don't think we'll take another one until about the 5th round. I think the team is happy with Ball being the #4 guy and we'll either take a late round CB or trade the pick for PacMan Jones.

So the way I'm seeing the draft play out is something like this (first 5 rounds):

1a. traded
1b. Brandon Flowers CB - Va Tech

2a. Ray Rice RB - Rutgers or Jammal Charles RB - Texas
2b. Chilo Rachal OG - USC

3a. A LB, I'm not sure who
3b. Keenan Burton WR - Kentucky

4. ?

5. Used on a CB

I'm sure it's a draft a lot of people would hate, but most people end up complaining about the draft anyways so maybe it's not too far off.

 

[Chief]

Good stuff, but I think Branden Albert is now being considered a top 10 guy. He's going as high as No. 5 to Kansas City in some mocks.

 

[tomson75]

Good stuff, but I think Branden Albert is now being considered a top 10 guy. He's going as high as No. 5 to Kansas City in some mocks.

********. See Troy Williamson.

 

[Chief]

********. See Troy Williamson.

:laugh2:

I knew you were going to jump in.

 

[tomson75]

:laugh2:

I knew you were going to jump in.

I can't help it. the wait for the draft is making me act funny. I've even started using emoticons in like every other post. I'm going crazy...

 

[Chocolate Lab]

So we would get Albert to replace Kosier?

Our O-line was good. Why do we need an O-lineman with our first pick?

I really like the Burton pick. BTW, we could still get Forte because Burton is a very good KO returner... Though Charles is pretty intriguing.

 

[masomenos]

Good stuff, but I think Branden Albert is now being considered a top 10 guy. He's going as high as No. 5 to Kansas City in some mocks.

But he's as low as 23 in others. Like I said in a post the other day there's been 1 OG taken in the top 10 since 1986, I don't see Branden Albert breaking the trend. Now some would say he's projected to go top 10 as an OT, but guys like Otah, Williams and Cherilus are rated pretty close to Albert and are true OTs. I think a team would be more likely to take one of them. Will Albert be there at 22? Probably not, I could see him going in the mid-late teens. I just don't see him going as high as other people do.

 

[masomenos]

So we would get Albert to replace Kosier?

Our O-line was good. Why do we need an O-lineman with our first pick?

I really like the Burton pick. BTW, we could still get Forte because Burton is a very good KO returner... Though Charles is pretty intriguing.

Yeah I think we're looking for an upgrade for Kosier. He is a solid player but I think that if you can get better at a position then you should. For some reason I just see Dallas liking Albert enough to spend their first on him. And if he's not there then like I said I can see us taking a guy like Rachal in order to push Kosier this year and maybe take over for him next. I'd be pretty comfortable having a young OL of Marten, Free, McQuistan and Rachal.

You know, I completely overlooked Burton's return ability. I guess targeting him wouldn't preclude the drafting of a guy like Forte. I would still think Charles and Rice would be more liekly targets though.

 

[Skinsmaniac]

But he's as low as 23 in others. Like I said in a post the other day there's been 1 OG taken in the top 10 since 1986, I don't see Branden Albert breaking the trend. Now some would say he's projected to go top 10 as an OT, but guys like Otah, Williams and Cherilus are rated pretty close to Albert and are true OTs. I think a team would be more likely to take one of them. Will Albert be there at 22? Probably not, I could see him going in the mid-late teens. I just don't see him going as high as other people do.

I can't imagine the Skins passing up Albert at 21. Joe Bugel loves him. But frankly, I don't see him being there for the Skins either, I would be shocked if he didn't go in the top 15. So that leaves trading down. I think there are lots of teams looking at trading down, the Skins being one of them, so there's really no guarantee that you will be able to - although in the past for whatever reason the Cowboys have always been in the right place at the right time to trade down.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Jerry's never gone OL in the first round and he's not about to start now, imo.

Doesn't make sense to invest that much $$ in an OL when you have all your starters returning and at least 3 young OL on the bench that you've invested the last couple of years developing.

Drafting OL in the first round makes no sense.

 

[Sarge]

Dallas wants Branden Albert to fall to them at 22, that's what they're hoping for and I think there's probably a 50/50 chance that it happens. If he's not there then I think we trade this pick to a team in the late first or early second. If Jonathan Stewart is on the board at 22 then it's conceivable that a team could try to trade up for him. Also a team like the Falcons or Rams could want to trade up for an OT if one of the top 4 guys is still there. Of course there's the possibility of trading up for Brian Brohm, but I think it's be too early for that. We either take Branden Albert at 22 or we're trading down.

At 28 I think it's CB Brandon Flowers. It's a pick a lot of people won't like and I realize guys the Antoine Cason would also be options, but I've just got a hunch that our first round CB will be Flowers.

We will draft a WR this year but it won't be until the 3rd or 4th round. This is the player to replace Miles Austin on the roster. We don't have a lot of quick receivers on the team so whoever this is will be a more elusive guy. So I'm ruling out Marcus Monk as the WR, even though I like him. Jerry said they had been noticing one players receptions against Tennessee. I think he's talking about Keenan Burton. He's a player that would most likely be there at the end of the third or possibly in the fourth and in the past two years he's had 4 TDs against the Vols. The WR we draft is Keenan Burton.

Since Burton would replace Austin but wouldn't really offer any experience in the return game I think the RB we go after will need to have that ability. That rules out a guy I like in Matt Forte. We won't go after a one trick pony at RB so I'm going to rule out Steve Slaton and probably Felix Jones and Chris Johnson. The RB will most likely be taken with our second round pick, or one of them if another is acquired in a trade down. So depending on who's available we'll draft Ray Rice or Jammal Charles as our RB.

Assuming Branden Albert is gone at 22 and we trade down I think we'll still look for an OG fairly early. This would most likely be with one of our second round picks but I'm thinking Chilo Rachal. His stock would have been a lot higher if he had stayed in school but he came out to make money so he could pay for a family members medical treatment (if I understand correctly). He probably wouldn't be the instant impact player that Albert would be but he'd be a great developmental guy for H.H. to work with. Also, and this sounds ridiculous, but I had a dream that we drafted him, so Chilo Rachal will be one of our picks.

If we end up with an extra third out of the trade down, along with our extra second, then we'll us it on defense. I don't think it will be CB and I don't think it will be a safety. I'm thinking LB. I don't know if it would be an ILB like Beau Bell or an outside pass rusher, I could see a case being made for both. We use a pick in the first 4 rounds to draft another LB.

A lot of people will be upset that we wait so long to take another CB, but I don't think we'll take another one until about the 5th round. I think the team is happy with Ball being the #4 guy and we'll either take a late round CB or trade the pick for PacMan Jones.

So the way I'm seeing the draft play out is something like this (first 5 rounds):

1a. traded
1b. Brandon Flowers CB - Va Tech

2a. Ray Rice RB - Rutgers or Jammal Charles RB - Texas
2b. Chilo Rachal OG - USC

3a. A LB, I'm not sure who
3b. Keenan Burton WR - Kentucky

4. ?

5. Used on a CB

I'm sure it's a draft a lot of people would hate, but most people end up complaining about the draft anyways so maybe it's not too far off.

Excellent post- good read........I can see Albert being there at 22.

 

[Thick 'N Hearty]

Jerry's never gone OL in the first round and he's not about to start now, imo.

Doesn't make sense to invest that much $$ in an OL when you have all your starters returning and at least 3 young OL on the bench that you've invested the last couple of years developing.

Drafting OL in the first round makes no sense.

I agree 100%. Even though we could get an upgrade over Kosier, how much better would a rookie learning a new system be than a guy who's been in it? I would rather draft OL in the 3rd or 4th and let Hudson work his magic.

 

[Verdict]

I think Albert will be gone by #22 as well.

 

[cobra]

Wow, I would be really, really disappointed in that draft.

The value and need are at RB/CB/WR. Albert is not needed, and won't be there anyway. I doubt he is a target.

Flowers is at best the 6th CB and is not a first rounder.

 

[ZeroClub]

Nice post, masomenos85.

One thought:

Is Miles Austin toast? It seems premature to me.

I'm curious about others' opinions on this.

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

He will not play guard in the NFL.

 

[masomenos]

Jerry's never gone OL in the first round and he's not about to start now, imo.

Doesn't make sense to invest that much $$ in an OL when you have all your starters returning and at least 3 young OL on the bench that you've invested the last couple of years developing.

Drafting OL in the first round makes no sense.

Jerry sounded pretty high on an impact OL in the pre-draft press conference. Was it simply a smoke screen? Maybe. But personally I think it makes sense. Kosier certainly isn't an all world player and is probably the easiest position to upgrade on the offense other than FB. In fact, I'm certain LG is the easiest position to upgrade on the offense. A player like Albert could come in and make a positive impact more than any other offensive player we could draft. RB? He'd split carries. WR? He'd be the 3rd guy at best. A guy like Albert could be an everydown starter. If you can take a shot at a player who you think can improve the offense then I think you go for it. We don't have a lot of depth at guard and one of the players there is a steady but unremarkable performer.

That's why drafting an OL in the first round could make sense, he could make the team better every offensive down.

 

[masomenos]

Wow, I would be really, really disappointed in that draft.

The value and need are at RB/CB/WR. Albert is not needed, and won't be there anyway. I doubt he is a target.

Flowers is at best the 6th CB and is not a first rounder.

I think there are two players Dallas would stand and take at 22. Branden Albert and Mike Jenkins. I doubt either of them will be there though, so it doesn't matter.

As far as the value needs:
The RB class is so deep that it's a position that can be taken care of in the second round and in the situation I've outlined it happens in the early second round. So I think that's covered.

At WR there's no player in this draft that would come in and unseat one of our starters, assuming Glenn is healthy. Even if Glenn isn't healthy then I don't know anyone could beat out Crayton for playing time on a consistent basis. If Keenan Burton had been healthy this season I think he'd be lock for the second round. I see no drop in value at all if we can take him in the third.

At CB, I'm kind of underwhelmed by a lot of the class. I don't like Jenkins, I don't like McKelvin and I don't like Porter. For me Flowers is at least in the top 4. I think he'd be a terrific value at 28 honestly and would be a better and more consistent performer than some of the DBs taken before him. The only thing he lacks is pure deep speed but he has terrific burst and agility, was a very productive player in college, has great instincts and is a strong tackler. I think thats more than you can say for guys like Jenkins, Porter and McKelvin.

 

[masomenos]

Nice post, masomenos85.

One thought:

Is Miles Austin toast? It seems premature to me.

I'm curious about others' opinions on this.

I just think that if we draft another WR that he'll be the one to go. I'd keep Hurd over him, personally.

 

[Silver Surfer]

The reason given for KC sniffing around Albert at 5 is that they are said to believe he is capable of being converted into a left tackle - thereby justifying the premium position in the draft.