USA Today: Is Lewis Neal this year’s Cowboys undrafted stud?

[Nirvana]

Neal, an undrafted free agent from LSU, is a 6-foot-1, 270 pound interior defensive lineman who uses his lack of height to his advantage. Though there’s no comparison to Aaron Donald for any player new to the league, winning as a smaller more compact entity is reminiscent to one of Donald’s skills.

With David Irving and Damontre Moore headed for a suspension and Stephen Paea, Tyrone Crawford and Cedric Thornton all dealing with some sort of injury, Neal has had a chance to play with the first-team defense.

[Read: Latest 53-man roster projection includes surprise Neal, Jones]

The numbers alone suggest Neal has a chance to make the roster, even if it is just for a few weeks until reinforcements arrive later in the season. Nonetheless, that would mean Neal had jumped ahead of two draft picks from this year that play on the defensive line.

Joey Ivie looked to be a favorite as a dark horse to make the roster after he was drafted but he has been taken over by the more disruptive Neal.

http://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2017/08/18/dallas-cowboyslewis-neal-lsu-udfa/

 

[Sydla]

Love me some deep SEC DL from LSU or Bama or Florida.

 

[Virginia-Dave]

We can only hope, Lord know we could use some help on the D-line

 

[Ranching]

@LocimusPrime is gonna love this! He's looked good so far, in Rod we trust.

 

[Knotamus]

I was telling someone about him a couple weeks back when we was talking ab 'pet cats'. I'm not an LSU fan, but I've watched him destroy offensive lines despite his size limitations. He's the kind of guy Marenilli loves to talk about. I hope he makes the team bc I can see after a year in the weight room, he will be even harder to handle up front. #leverage

 

[gimmesix]

I think the suspensions put Neal in a great position to make the roster, especially as an interior lineman.

As is, with Crawford set to start at left end (possibly thanks to Irving's suspension), Dallas has three interior linemen for the rotation: Collins, Thornton and Paea. Neal is contending for the fourth spot against the likes of Ivie, Carrell, Baron and Ash.

I could see Ivie being kept, but he isn't outplaying Neal, so if he's kept it will be because Dallas decided to carry five DTs. That's possibly because of the suspensions for Irving and Moore.

Right now, I'd say four DEs are locks: Lawrence, Crawford, Mayowa, Charlton, with Tapper likely to also make the team. Lenny Jones is also a possibility. So four to five DTs is certainly not out of the question. I originally had us carrying 10 total.

 

[LocimusPrime]

@LocimusPrime is gonna love this! He's looked good so far, in Rod we trust.

Yes sir coach. That's my pet.

Also TGIF to all the boys!

 

[LocimusPrime]

SEC foozzzz

 

[chicago JK]

He was a guy who popped out when I saw he was one of the undrafted guys. I was not familiar with him before but entering his senior year he had some buzz but didn't put up the stats he did as a junior. I believe he was a real good character guy too. At his size, he is not the ideal build at that position so it is probably why he wasn't given a pass and picked with his production earlier. If he could withstand going up against bigger players and makes plays with quickness he could be interesting.


Every year there are guys who succeed despite not having the right measurables. There are not a ton who do it but there are some that are darn good. We will see if Lewis can stick.

Parcells had a real interesting comment about these players a few years ago. He did not want to pick a guy who was an exception to his prototype because before long you have a team full of exceptions. Although you limit yourself and miss out on Zach Thomas, London Fletcher, Drew Brees, etc. I am not saying either way is right but he made an interesting counter argument. I always preferred looking for guys who fell through the cracks.

 

[Cowboys22]

He was my initial pick for UDFA to make the team. I saw an article mentioning him on a list potential LSU 1st round picks heading into his senior year. I figured it would be an uphill battle and a numbers game but I couldn't believe he wasn't drafted. With the DL suspensions and his potential, I think he will make the team and stick even when the suspensions are up.

 

[LocimusPrime]

I'm telling you now. This cat has a good head in his shoulders. He's gonna be somebody

 

[Nirvana]

UDFAs who could make team include DT Lewis Neal, QB Cooper Rush, CB Duke Thomas, DE Lenny Jones and maybe even TE Blake Jarwin if somebody got hurt. This UDFA group this year is outstanding. Thanks Will McClay.

 

[Nova]

Love me some deep SEC DL from LSU or Bama or Florida.

Absolutely.

In this particular era, it should be mandatory to take a flyer on DL bodies from the SEC.

 

[Nova]

He was my initial pick for UDFA to make the team. I saw an article mentioning him on a list potential LSU 1st round picks heading into his senior year. I figured it would be an uphill battle and a numbers game but I couldn't believe he wasn't drafted. With the DL suspensions and his potential, I think he will make the team and stick even when the suspensions are up.

I think he lacked the size and that scared some away. But he looks difficult to block because of that lack of size-- just compacted powers and quickness.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

I like the kid, and think he will be a decent player.
I don't see him as a star player.
ACC is better than the SEC right now.

 

[gimmesix]

He was a guy who popped out when I saw he was one of the undrafted guys. I was not familiar with him before but entering his senior year he had some buzz but didn't put up the stats he did as a junior. I believe he was a real good character guy too. At his size, he is not the ideal build at that position so it is probably why he wasn't given a pass and picked with his production earlier. If he could withstand going up against bigger players and makes plays with quickness he could be interesting.


Every year there are guys who succeed despite not having the right measurables. There are not a ton who do it but there are some that are darn good. We will see if Lewis can stick.

Parcells had a real interesting comment about these players a few years ago. He did not want to pick a guy who was an exception to his prototype because before long you have a team full of exceptions. Although you limit yourself and miss out on Zach Thomas, London Fletcher, Drew Brees, etc. I am not saying either way is right but he made an interesting counter argument. I always preferred looking for guys who fell through the cracks.

LSU switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 his senior year and played him as a down lineman. He still had three sacks, but that was a clear drop-off from his junior year.

 

[gimmesix]

I think he lacked the size and that scared some away. But he looks difficult to block because of that lack of size-- just compacted powers and quickness.

I didn't think he'd be able to play inside for us, especially at the nose, but his thickness at that height is one of the things that stood out about him when watching highlights. It's hard for him to lose the leverage battle because he can come off the ball quickly and get into the lineman's chest.

I guess in some ways I should have figured that he might be a better fit inside. Usually the tackles have a better chance of extending their arms and keeping ends away from their bodies, which is why most ends are longer players; it's a hand fight. Inside, you usually have a squattier bodies. ... I just didn't think he had the size to hold up inside.

 

[gimmesix]

Yes sir coach. That's my pet.

Also TGIF to all the boys!

One of the reason that I'm happy Neal is doing so well is that it validates my "scouting" skills. It's nice to see a player you picked out to succeed showing off exactly what you saw.

 

[CooterBrown]

I keep hearing about his "size limitations" and I scratch my head and wonder what "limitations?" Using DC roster figures, he is one inch shorter and two pounds lighter than Steven Paea, but nobody talks about Paea having size "limitations." Does one inch make that much difference to a DT? I don't think so. I think Neal makes the team, and I'm not sure Cedric Thornton does.

 

[gimmesix]

I keep hearing about his "size limitations" and I scratch my head and wonder what "limitations?" Using DC roster figures, he is one inch shorter and two pounds lighter than Steven Paea, but nobody talks about Paea having size "limitations." Does one inch make that much difference to a DT? I don't think so. I think Neal makes the team, and I'm not sure Cedric Thornton does.

Coming out of college, he wasn't 298 pounds (and I don't know if he is now). I believe if I remember correctly that he was around 280. So either he beefed up when they moved him inside or that number is wrong.

Correction: nfldraftscout.com had him at 261.