Was Taco Charlton the smartest move the Cowboys made this off-season?

[bodi]

http://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/201...ox-chidobe-awuzie-jourdan-lewis-xavier-woods/

The cap-crunched Dallas Cowboys didn’t have the financial flexibility to do much during free agency. Their little wiggle room against the cap led to the departures of several key defenders, including defensive backs Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox.

That stung, but the Cowboys’ draft priority still lay up front with their 13th-ranked pass rush. Which is why defensive end Taco Charlton’s name was called with the 28th overall pick.

Charlton is fresh off a season with 10 sacks and 13.5 tackles for a loss during his final year with the Michigan Wolverines. That production was fueled by his quick burst off the line of scrimmage and daunting length at 6’6″ and 277 pounds allowing him to turn the corner.”

Drafting Charlton was definitely a safe move by the Cowboys, but perhaps not their smartest.

 

[bodi]

I would have taken either Reuben Foster or Ryan Ramczyk in the first

or even Tyus Bowser with a trade back

then Tarell Basham

 

[DakotaReign]

We should have traded up to get the pass rusher we really wanted.

 

[Proof]

The pass rusher they really wanted was Charles Harris. The cost would have been laughable, and even worse with the luxury of hindsight. I can understand some of the luke warm reaction towards Taco given what we all want from an end, but he's a player regardless and what we were able to do with the following picks should have fans doing back flips.

 

[big dog cowboy]

No.

The smartest move was to let the JAG secondary players go and not overpay them.

 

[JoeKing]

"In Will we trust"... well said.

 

[Texas_Pete]

I would have taken either Reuben Foster or Ryan Ramczyk in the first

or even Tyus Bowser with a trade back

then Tarell Basham

I think passing on Foster was an endorsement of faith in Jaylon. A healthy Jaylon > Foster.

 

[CF74]

Might take 2-3 full seasons to find out, stay tuned...

 

[Deep_Freeze]

No.

The smartest move was to let the JAG secondary players go and not overpay them.

Yeah, I hate need based drafts, but under these circumstances I can agree with what they did.

The overhaul of the secondary in a DB heavy draft was by far their smartest move at the moment, just hope they work out.

Giving up proven vets for rookies is a risk, so hopefully we picked the right guys.

 

[Pants]

to me, of the guys that should get legit PT in Dallas, Charlton is the only real unknown...expectations in first round have a certain level to them, and dallas has done really well in the first round of late..so, I will give them the benefit of the doubt...I wanted Awuzie on this team and was stating a mini-trade-back in the first and then take him in the beginning of the second; so to get him at hte end of round two, I was a bit giddy...the other DB's should get PT right out of the shute and of course, we have a shifty little WR/KR combo that some expect to be all-pro, so we will see (I am not one of them, but am hopeful for his KR abilities the most)

I am pretty happy with this draft...now, let's just get tapper and Jaylon healthy and then UNLEASH all of the 2nd tier DL that we have!

 

[The Quest for Six]

We should have traded up to get the pass rusher we really wanted.

This team wasn't one player away from a Superbowl, they lost 7 players on defense, they needed the picks especially in a year in a deep draft.....

 

[Jarv]

How can you go wrong with a Taco?

 

[Nova]

I don't know if there was a smartest move, per se.

If they really wanted Charles Harris, I think it was smart to just stand pat and let the draft come to them and pick up Taco.

The defensive ranks have been filled by risks and gimmicks over the last few years.

I'm glad they've learned they just need to stack as many guys with pedigree as possible.

So it's good they didn't lose any opportunity by trading away picks in a deep draft.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

As opposed to what is the question?

I think if Charlton turns into an annual 7-9 sack guy per season I'll be happy. I don't expect game changers at 28; it can happen, but it's not my expectation going in.

I don't look at Taco as the answer to our defensive line, but rather part of the solution that's going to continue to be addressed.

 

[okstateCowboy]

The fact that we have hit on 6 out of our last 7 first round picks gives me comfort

 

[bodi]

I think if Charlton turns into an annual 7-9 sack guy per season I'll be happy. I don't expect game changers at 28; it can happen, but it's not my expectation going in.

you mean a greg ellis type player

 

[jazzcat22]

So they rue is starting on Taco now...give me a break....I am very glad they got Taco over Harris.
Now Harris may have some success as the Falcons have Beasley and a few others that need to be contended with too. We don't have any huge playmakers to pair Taco with...yet.
Now if Jaylon, teamed with Lee, and if DLaw or another can step up to be an impact, like they should, then we will see that type of effect.
Heck maybe outright, Taco will be better than Harris.

Taco may not be as quick or as fast as Harris, but he has the strength and size and that allows him to have different types of pass rush skills. Like just a good old fashioned over power the OL bull rush. Something that Harris can't do. He had 2 sacks in college using a bull rush, and that was probably against inferior talent. He is not going to get that same type of inferior talent in the NFL.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

you mean a greg ellis type player

I'd take that at 28.

 

[jazzcat22]

you mean a greg ellis type player

Well, better he be Ellis (84 sacks) than Pittman (18) or even Ekuban (36.5) or Carver (11.5)

 

[OUCowboy]

I would have taken either Reuben Foster or Ryan Ramczyk in the first

or even Tyus Bowser with a trade back

then Tarell Basham

When word started circulating that Tyus Bowser was possibly on Dallas' radar, I watched what was supposed to be a highlight film on him. What I saw was a player who always seemed to be out of position to make a play. Either that, or the play went right by him. Either way, he seemed to have little affect on what the offense was trying to do. All in all, even without Taco Charlton having played a single down in the NFL, I'm glad we went with him instead of Bowser.