Three Years Later, Sports Illustrated Upgrades Grade For 2013 Cowboys Draft From C+ to B+

morasp

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Widely ridiculed for picking Travis Frederick at the time, the 2013 Cowboys draft looks much better three years later.

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Three years ago, in grades published immediately after the 2013 draft, Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated panned the Cowboys draft:

The Travis Frederick selection was a reach. A major reach. Fellow C Brian Schwenke was taken 76 picks later and it's hard to say Frederick is noticeably better. It got better from there, with TE Gavin Escobar, WR Terrance Williams and S J.J. Wilcox, for starters. The Cowboys, though, still need help at RT, possibly a backup RB, another pass rusher and some linebacker help. They didn't address many needs in this draft


By SI.com standards, the C+ cumulative grade for the Cowboys was pretty bad. 22 teams received a better grade, only six received a worse grade. That ranked the Cowboys draft between 23rd and 26th.

Brian Schwenke, who was picked by the Titans, missed time in his rookie season with a high-ankle sprain that needed offseason surgery. In 2014, he tore his MCL and finished the year on IR before then dislocating his ankle this past season and again was sent to injured reserve. Schwenke has made just 25-of-48 starts and really hasn't even been good when on the field, and the Titans signed center Ben Jones from Houston to a $17.5 million dollar contract to shore up the position.

Travis Frederick meanwhile has been to two Pro Bowls, has made second-team All Pro twice, and the Cowboys just picked up his fifth-year option a year ago.

But SI.com was not the only outlet panning the Cowboys draft. Here's Pro Football Talk's take on Travis Frederick at the time.

On Mike Mayock’s list of the top 100 prospects in the draft, Frederick checked in at No. 92 — 50 spots lower than the next-lowest player selected in the first round. On the ESPN.com draft board, Frederick was listed as a third-round pick.

But that’s just members of the media. What did NFL teams think? Ed Werder of ESPN surveyed five NFL teams and asked for their grades on Frederick. One team rated him a fourth-round pick, two had him as a fifth-round pick, one had him as a sixth-round pick and one had him as a borderline sixth- or seventh-round pick.




You can google more 2013 draft grades, and you'll find some hilarious takes from self-styled experts who are anything but. In fact, I encourage you to do it; see which doofuses you can unearth.

The 2013 Cowboys draft class is a good example of why it usually takes three full seasons before you can properly evaluate a draft class - and even then, injuries, coaching changes and other factors may make such an assessment a tricky proposition.

Fully aware of that three-year waiting period, SI.com's Greg Bedard re-graded the 2013 draft today, and gave the Cowboys a B+ for their draft haul.

Despite having the penultimate pick in the first round, the Cowboys got a franchise center in Frederick, and got contributors in WR Terrance Williams, DB J.J. Wilcox and even RB Joseph Randle (before he collapsed off the field).

This time around, the 2013 Cowboys draft class ranks sixth overall, quite a jump up from where they were ranked immediately after the draft. Of particular note, three teams aced the 2013 draft in the 2013 article with straight "As": The 49ers, Jaguars, and Rams. Re-graded three years later, those three teams are textbook examples for the folly of instant draft grades. The 49ers get an "F", the Rams a "C", and the Jaguars a "C+" three years later.

But that doesn't automatically mean that bad initial grades will morph into a good grade three years later, or vice versa. In 2013, the Cleveland Browns received the worst draft grade of all teams with a "D+". Three years later, they are down to a straight "F".

Draft "grades" right after the draft are one of silliest rituals NFL has produced. Complaining about those draft grades is probably even sillier.




http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2016...s-illustrated-upgrades-grade-for-2013-cowboys
 

RandyOh

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And yet, every year after the draft, folks are still debating draft grades. hopefully 3 years from now we are an A+ with two pro bowlers in Zeke/Smith and major contributors in Collins, Tapper, Brown.

after watching Collins 2014 highlights, i wouldnt be surprised if we pull 3 pro bowlers in Zeke, Smith, and Collins. also wouldnt be surprised if we pull 3 eventual starters at RE,CB, and SS in Tapper, Brown, and Frazier. getting anything from Prescott, Jackson, and Rico is just a bonus.
 

Cowboys22

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Dallas was ahead of the curve with recognizing the value of the 5th year option when drafting at the back of the 1st round. Everyone said they could have traded down and still got him but they wanted that 5th year option. The fact that all teams are now considering this on draft day came directly from Dallas taking Frederick and it working out for them.
 

CCBoy

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And yet, every year after the draft, folks are still debating draft grades. hopefully 3 years from now we are an A+ with two pro bowlers in Zeke/Smith and major contributors in Collins, Tapper, Brown.

I'm very interested in the developments with all three, Collins, Tapper, and Brown.
 

Risen Star

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And yet, every year after the draft, folks are still debating draft grades. hopefully 3 years from now we are an A+ with two pro bowlers in Zeke/Smith and major contributors in Collins, Tapper, Brown.

Even if that happened, 2 pro bowlers and 3 more contributors, if Goff, Wentz or Lynch become a franchise QB and the Cowboys go through lean years without one, this draft is a coat hanger abortion. Those players don't matter then. They were at 4 with teams 1 and 2 ready to move out. The mission was to identify a franchise QB and go get that guy. They didn't do that. So, to me, the success of this draft hangs on not only the success of the players they picked but of the three they didn't.
 

dstew60105

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Even if that happened, 2 pro bowlers and 3 more contributors, if Goff, Wentz or Lynch become a franchise QB and the Cowboys go through lean years without one, this draft is a coat hanger abortion. Those players don't matter then. They were at 4 with teams 1 and 2 ready to move out. The mission was to identify a franchise QB and go get that guy. They didn't do that. So, to me, the success of this draft hangs on not only the success of the players they picked but of the three they didn't.

Yeah because franchise QB's are only drafted in the first round. Good grief.
 

waving monkey

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Even if that happened, 2 pro bowlers and 3 more contributors, if Goff, Wentz or Lynch become a franchise QB and the Cowboys go through lean years without one, this draft is a coat hanger abortion. Those players don't matter then. They were at 4 with teams 1 and 2 ready to move out. The mission was to identify a franchise QB and go get that guy. They didn't do that. So, to me, the success of this draft hangs on not only the success of the players they picked but of the three they didn't.

OK, You say IF Goff and Wentz work out and even if we, get three Pro Bowlers it's an abortion RS
I'm sorry your telescope is pointed in the wrong side. Drafts are coming toward us in the future and
nobody saw Wentz looming over the horizon as he has. There are more and we may pay the prize,
It is not the abyss we have a couple of years. I'll take three Pro Bowlers and a bag of chips ,thank you
 

Shinaoi

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2013 in general was a weak draft for the whole league if you go back look at it. It wouldn't be so crazy to say Fredrick might even be a top 10 pick in a redo.
 

Macnalty

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Even if that happened, 2 pro bowlers and 3 more contributors, if Goff, Wentz or Lynch become a franchise QB and the Cowboys go through lean years without one, this draft is a coat hanger abortion. Those players don't matter then. They were at 4 with teams 1 and 2 ready to move out. The mission was to identify a franchise QB and go get that guy. They didn't do that. So, to me, the success of this draft hangs on not only the success of the players they picked but of the three they didn't.

I disagree with you, if Valley Ranch had identified a franchise QB in Lynch there is no way Elliot is the first pick. I happen to agree with the Valley Ranch opinion, but I also agree with your premise if the talent is close you barter everything. You have created but one context of the way this draft plays out in three years, IMO Goff, Wentz, and Lynch may more likely contain two backups and one starter and I could not identify the starter at this time.
Just because you need a QB does not mean you pick one no matter what the talent pool provides in the first round, I do so agree it would of worked out great if that would of happened. We did not win the lottery with the fourth pick in a down year for QB talent.
 

SHAMSzy

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Even if that happened, 2 pro bowlers and 3 more contributors, if Goff, Wentz or Lynch become a franchise QB and the Cowboys go through lean years without one, this draft is a coat hanger abortion. Those players don't matter then. They were at 4 with teams 1 and 2 ready to move out. The mission was to identify a franchise QB and go get that guy. They didn't do that. So, to me, the success of this draft hangs on not only the success of the players they picked but of the three they didn't.

:facepalm:
 

Manwiththeplan

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Well looking at your lists it basically looks like Rang and Brugler's with OL bumped up and DBs bumped down so this is little surprise. Patting your back is cute. though in light of the silence when you are wrong.

lol, DBs definitely start off with anywhere between -5 and -10 on his board.
 

Hoofbite

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Lots of heavy lifting on Frederick's part for the grade.
 

DallasBlockersClub

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Shield yourself from the truth. Think happy thoughts. Remain in your safe space.
Your typical Cowboys fan considering the team after Romo.

article-2525602-1A2B2A3600000578-553_634x408.jpg
 

Risen Star

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Lol your position is laughable

Yeah, it's laughable to think if we end up QB-less and look back at franchise QBs we passed on that we would regret it.

It's also laughable to think we can't win anything without a QB. Regardless of the spare parts we added in the process.

Good stuff. Go Cowboys.
 
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