We should definitely listen to Gil Brandt

[dcfanatic]

At the combine we saw Maryland's Bruce Campbell looking like Superman. He's a monster of a kid who has quick feet, long arms and looks like he has great agility as well. All of these things are supposed to be major assets for anyone looking to become a great NFL Left Tackle.

So the Cowboys should definitely draft him if he's on the board at #27 right?

Not so fast folks. If you are a Cowboys fan you should know who Gil Brandt is and how his wisdom has been gracing the game for so many years now he's a legend in the NFL world.

Brandt threw out an interesting tid bit recently about Bruce Campbell. If he was a good, not even great, Offensive Tackle then surely he would have gotten some recognition from the media who covers the Atlantic Coast Conference where he played football for the last few seasons. Taking a look at the honors given out after the 2009 season you will not see Campbell's name.

He's not even on the honorable mention list, read here.

Jason Fox and Anthony Castonzo. Those are the first teamers. Fox played Left Tackle and is in this draft. He's getting a high of a second round grade right now, but could slide into the third round easily. Castonzo isn't coming out until 2011 and he only started playing Left Tackle in 2009. So he was in his first full season after making the switch to Left Tackle.

Campbell wasn't even mentioned in the same breath with these guys because they were voted #1 and #2 while Campbell didn't even receive any first place votes from the committee.

Let's move to second team. Ed Wang played Left Tackle and is coming out this season. He's getting a high grade of the 3rd round. There is talk he may slip into the 2nd round, but I saw him at the Senior Bowl and I wasn't impressed at all. I think he's a Right Tackle in the NFL. Chris Hairston plays Left Tackle and is coming out in 2011. Right now he's the 26th ranked OT for that class by NFLDraftScout.com so he's not wowing anyone with his game.

Keep in mind these honors are from the ACC Sports Media Association. These are guys who cover just this division of college football.

Not even any honorable mention votes for Campbell?

Sorry, no can do. We don't even need to get into the guys getting the honorable mention votes because Bruce Campbell had to be above the four guys we already talked about if any team is looking to spend the 27th pick in the NFL Draft on him.

Let some other team draft this guy and find out that when the pads come on that he's really not all that good.

 

[speedkilz88]

If the scouts are worth anything they can determine if he can play or not. I don't want them relying on awards determined by the media.

 

[Dodger]

I've been hearing things here and there about Campbell, and most of it suggests that he's a very good athlete, but he's not a polished football player.

I think one of the draft analysts on NFLN said that all you have to do is look at his slow feet to know that he isn't ready to play in the NFL. Whichever team takes him should know that he's going to be a project.

 

[bbgun]

Some team ahead of us will grab him and spare us the dilemma.

 

[AdamJT13]

If the scouts are worth anything they can determine if he can play or not. I don't want them relying on awards determined by the media.

This point doesn't even need to be debated.

This isn't the 1950s. You draft people based on your own scouts, not on the opinion of media members who probably don't even pay attention to the offensive line.

 

[tomson75]

This has been pointed out often in the last few weeks. I doubt it escapes anyone's attention. It will be considered, and the scouts will do what they're paid for....

I'd be shocked if a team is desperate enough to draft him in the top 25. IMO, his stock is going to come back down to earth as his combine performance gets further behind us. I wouldn't take him in the top 40....but what do I know...

 

[KJJ]

Gil Brandt had his day but the game has changed and so has the requirements for what players of today have to do to be effective NFL players. Offensive and defensive schemes have changed dramatically from the time Brandt was scouting players for the Cowboys. We have hybrid DE/LB's. Brandt's drafting record wasn't good the last 9 years he was apart of the Cowboys. He's still living off his reputation from 40-plus years ago when he use to discover excellent players from small schools. I put alot more stock into guys like Mike Mayock. He was onto Ware a few years ago before anyone else was. He nailed his projection of the type of impact player he would be in the NFL.

 

[Doomsday101]

We should listen to him here is what he said yesterday

Terrell, New orleans12:57 PM ET
Who do you see Cowboys drafting with the 27th pick? i like Iupati, Earl thomas or mays...

Gil Brandt, NFL.com
Terrell, Iupati is a possibility, but I would think Earl Thomas is more of a reality. He's not quite as tall as you'd like a safety to be, but he's real good.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Gil Brandt had his day but the game has changed and so has the requirements for what players of today have to do to be effective NFL players. Offensive and defensive schemes have changed dramatically from the time Brandt scouting players for the Cowboys. We have hybrid DE/LB's. Brandt's drafting record wasn't good the last 10 years he was apart of the Cowboys. He's still living off his reputation from 40-plus years ago when he use to discover excellent players from small schools. I put alot more stock into guys like Mike Mayock. He was onto Ware a few years ago before anyone else was. He nailed his projection of the type of impact player he would be in the NFL.

No, schemes haven't changed that much.

And Mayock > Gil Brandt? Facepalm.

 

[tomson75]

Gil Brandt had his day but the game has changed and so has the requirements for what players of today have to do to be effective NFL players. Offensive and defensive schemes have changed dramatically from the time Brandt was scouting players for the Cowboys. We have hybrid DE/LB's. Brandt's drafting record wasn't good the last 9 years he was apart of the Cowboys. He's still living off his reputation from 40-plus years ago when he use to discover excellent players from small schools. I put alot more stock into guys like Mike Mayock. He was onto Ware a few years ago before anyone else was. He nailed his projection of the type of impact player he would be in the NFL.

FWIW, its difficult to compare Ware and Campbell. While its true that both were relatively unknown prior to the draft (laymen)....Ware was quite productive at Troy. Campbell's production is the main question mark here, in Ware's case it was his ability to adapt to a much higher level of play while switching positions.

 

[Doomsday101]

Gil Brandt had his day but the game has changed and so has the requirements for what players of today have to do to be effective NFL players. Offensive and defensive schemes have changed dramatically from the time Brandt was scouting players for the Cowboys. We have hybrid DE/LB's. Brandt's drafting record wasn't good the last 9 years he was apart of the Cowboys. He's still living off his reputation from 40-plus years ago when he use to discover excellent players from small schools. I put alot more stock into guys like Mike Mayock. He was onto Ware a few years ago before anyone else was. He nailed his projection of the type of impact player he would be in the NFL.

Brandt never drafted a player he was head of scouting and gave the information to Landry and Tex.

Also what does the game change mean? Please the game has changed some not allot and the things scouts look at in players is no different today than years back.

 

[cowboy4life]

I was watching combine coverage and I heard Mike Mayock make the same comments about Campbell that Gil Brandt made. Seems to be a workout warrior to me, if he was available in the 3rd round, yeah I'd draft him. Not in the first.

 

[SLATEmosphere]

Just more credibility points for me.

I've said all along that Campbell will be a bust and we better not pick him at 27. The dude just isn't a good football player.

The more and more I think about it, we are trading down. I don't believe there will be anyone left with a first round grade when we pick.

Maurkice Pouncy or Nate Allen will be our first selection IMO.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

I don't want this year's version of Gholston. Ask the Jets how that went.

A one-year wonder workout warrrior.

No thanks.

 

[Doomsday101]

Just more credibility points for me.

I've said all along that Campbell will be a bust and we better not pick him at 27. The dude just isn't a good football player.

The more and more I think about it, we are trading down. I don't believe there will be anyone left with a first round grade when we pick.

Maurkice Pouncy or Nate Allen will be our first selection IMO.

depends I don't want to get stuck with some late 2nd rd pick and end up missing on top players as we did last year. Sometime all that moving cost you yes you get more picks but you miss on many quality players. Dallas should be able to stay at 27 and get a top player and it does not need to be any particular position it needs to be quality be it ILB, WR,OL, S

 

[mmillman]

I would rather they spent that 1st rounder on Gaither.

 

[KJJ]

Brandt never drafted a player he was head of scouting and gave the information to Landry and Tex.

Also what does the game change mean? Please the game has changed some not allot and the things scouts look at in players is no different today than years back.

He never drafted a player but he found players and alot of those players he found were drafted. With the game changing the requirements for playing certain positions and schemes have changed. There's more of a focus on a QB's mobility now than there was 30-40 years ago because of the speed of the defensive players. You have LB's running 4.4's which was unheard of during Brandt's tenure with the Cowboys. Offenses have changed with wildcat formations. DB's are handcuffed now not being able to make contact with receivers after 5 yards. It's made covering these big, fast physical receivers even more difficult. Most of the rule changes are to promote scoring. The game has changed ALOT since Brandt was involved with the Cowboys. There's been changes on defense to counter attack what offenses are doing and the speed of the game has been the biggest difference. You need sideline to sideline defensive players who have size and speed. Players like Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan couldn't play in modern day defenses. The size/speed ratio of the players of today is remarkable compared to the players in the 70's. Players are bigger, faster and stronger than they were years ago and the requirements to play certain positions have changed compared to 30-40 years ago.

 

[HanD]

At the combine we saw Maryland's Bruce Campbell looking like Superman. He's a monster of a kid who has quick feet, long arms and looks like he has great agility as well. All of these things are supposed to be major assets for anyone looking to become a great NFL Left Tackle.

So the Cowboys should definitely draft him if he's on the board at #27 right?

Not so fast folks. If you are a Cowboys fan you should know who Gil Brandt is and how his wisdom has been gracing the game for so many years now he's a legend in the NFL world.

Brandt threw out an interesting tid bit recently about Bruce Campbell. If he was a good, not even great, Offensive Tackle then surely he would have gotten some recognition from the media who covers the Atlantic Coast Conference where he played football for the last few seasons. Taking a look at the honors given out after the 2009 season you will not see Campbell's name.

He's not even on the honorable mention list, read here.

Jason Fox and Anthony Castonzo. Those are the first teamers. Fox played Left Tackle and is in this draft. He's getting a high of a second round grade right now, but could slide into the third round easily. Castonzo isn't coming out until 2011 and he only started playing Left Tackle in 2009. So he was in his first full season after making the switch to Left Tackle.

Campbell wasn't even mentioned in the same breath with these guys because they were voted #1 and #2 while Campbell didn't even receive any first place votes from the committee.

Let's move to second team. Ed Wang played Left Tackle and is coming out this season. He's getting a high grade of the 3rd round. There is talk he may slip into the 2nd round, but I saw him at the Senior Bowl and I wasn't impressed at all. I think he's a Right Tackle in the NFL. Chris Hairston plays Left Tackle and is coming out in 2011. Right now he's the 26th ranked OT for that class by NFLDraftScout.com so he's not wowing anyone with his game.

Campbell could not even get some 'he's a Senior so let's at least vote for him over Hairston' votes from the voters? Keep in mind these honors are from the ACC Sports Media Association. These are guys who cover just this division of college football.

Not even any honorable mention votes for Campbell?

Sorry, no can do. We don't even need to get into the guys getting the honorable mention votes because Bruce Campbell had to be above the four guys we already talked about if any team is looking to spend the 27th pick in the NFL Draft on him.

Let some other team draft this guy and find out that when the pads come on that he's really not all that good.

first off, and please don't take this as i'm a campbell advocate. personally i'd prefer gaither between the two, who also came from maryland. maryland was terrible this year. 2 wins. individual awards can...not always go hand in hand with team success. second, campbell is a jr. so why would he get sympathy senior votes? third, he was injured the first game and had nagging injuries all season. and lastly, player projections aren't based solely on college accomplishment. doing well in college isn't always a correlation. just throwing those points out there....

 

[Doomsday101]

He never drafted a player but he found players and alot of those players he found were drafted. With the game changing the requirements for playing certain positions and schemes have changed. There's more of a focus on a QB's mobility now than there was 30-40 years ago because of the speed of the defensive players. You have LB's running 4.4's which was unheard of during Brandt's tenure with the Cowboys. Offenses have changed with wildcat formations. DB's are handcuffed now not being able to make contact with receivers after 5 yards. It's made covering these big, fast physical receivers even more difficult. Most of the rule changes are to promote scoring. The game has changed ALOT since Brandt was involved with the Cowboys. There's been changes on defense to counter attack what offenses are doing and the speed of the game has been the biggest difference. You need sideline to sideline defensive players who have size and speed. Players like Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan couldn't play in modern day defenses. The size/speed ratio of the players of today is remarkable compared to the players in the 70's. Players are bigger, faster and stronger than they were years ago and the requirements to play certain positions have changed compared to the 30-40 years ago.

Jim Garrett is in his 80's and is the one who drew Dallas attention to Miles Austin the people in and around this game understand it. They don't have to play the game and age has nothing to do with scouting, age has something to do with playing. Outside of that the game still is won and lost at the line of scrimmage as it always has been it is still a game of running, catching and throwing that has not changed. Some rules have changed and yes players have become bigger and faster but what you look for in players has not changed you are still judgeing them off their peers in college.

 

[KJJ]

FWIW, its difficult to compare Ware and Campbell. While its true that both were relatively unknown prior to the draft (laymen)....Ware was quite productive at Troy. Campbell's production is the main question mark here, in Ware's case it was his ability to adapt to a much higher level of play while switching positions.

Ware was productive at "Troy" but there's a big difference being productive at a small school and being productive in the NFL. This is where the evaluation process comes in and projecting players especially those from small schools who haven't played against top talent is a crapshoot.