What round do you pull the trigger on Lattimore?

[DFWJC]

If we could drop back just a few slots in the 3rd to pick up an extra 5th, I would feel fine using it there. Depends on the board, of course.

 

[rkell87]

UDFA. please no more drafting players with long injury histories or major injuries.

cause that hasn't worked out for us in 2 of the last three drafts with three players and there is no way we could continue to capitalize on other teams unwillingness to draft an awesome player who has been injured? Every year people on this board about how we won't draft a player who is awesome but has character concerns like jenkins last year and mathieu this year, or burfict, or spikes or whoever but we can't even take a chance on a first round talent who got injured?

 

[jobberone]

Exactly. Depends on the players abilities and how well he's doing rehabbing which in this case is extraordinary. I'm not going to be blown away if he goes in the first although 2nd even 3rd sounds more likely.

 

[HanD]

Let's say he does return to 100 percent and is back to his old self.. We lose out on his first year.. We need a back-up runningback badly.. and we need all of our picks badly..

The average RB probably lasts about 4 years.. Let's give him 4. Him missing next year takes away 25 % of his career already. Give me Bell, Ellington, etc.

There are teams in position to get guys who can't play for a year but we are not one of those teams.. Esp. at RB. We need a guy who can step in now..

is that 4 years based on starters and productive players or does that include bench players who are cut and don't have a long nfl career due to lack of talent as opposed to wear and tear on the body? there is a big difference IMO.

also, i'd rather take a chance on a good kid with injury history than a kid like honey badger who has squandered lots of opportunities and shown he takes things for granted and will do what he wants to.

 

[speedkilz88]

Remarkably Lattimore had no nerve damage with his injury and he has progressed very rapidly. There is no reason for him not to go higher but many clubs will be put off by it. It doesn't scare me one iota.

But they are saying he's going to have to be redshirted. Cowboys can't really use a pick (only 6) to wait on him. They need a backup this year. He's likely to not get drafted or someone who has a lot of picks will take him late.

 

[dart]

UDFA. please no more drafting players with long injury histories or major injuries.

THIS SAYS IT ALL AND ESP RBS

 

[Rack]

Remarkably Lattimore had no nerve damage with his injury and he has progressed very rapidly. There is no reason for him not to go higher but many clubs will be put off by it. It doesn't scare me one iota.

If it were just that one gruesome injury I'd say 4th round. But he now has a pattern of knee injuries developing so I wouldn't touch him before the 7th. RB's are a dime a dozen these days, no need to draft a prospect like that any sooner than the 7th.

 

[xwalker]

I think I would pull the trigger on him if he is still sitting there in the 5th round. Maybe even the 4th.

Thoughts?

It is really impossible to answer because we don't have the feedback from the team Doctors.

There is a high probability that a team ()49ers) with extra draft picks takes him at a spot that is earlier than where the Cowboys would consider picking him.

 

[tm1119]

It is really impossible to answer because we don't have the feedback from the team Doctors.

There is a high probability that a team ()49ers) with extra draft picks takes him at a spot that is earlier than where the Cowboys would consider picking him.

This. There are teams that can afford to make luxury picks and wait with him, unfortunately we aren't one of them. I'd love to give the kid a shot, but we need a backup RB badly this year and with only 6 picks to begin with we can't afford to take the risk.

 

[Mountaineerfan]

It is really impossible to answer because we don't have the feedback from the team Doctors.

There is a high probability that a team ()49ers) with extra draft picks takes him at a spot that is earlier than where the Cowboys would consider picking him.

That is my guess as well. This kid is a stud he is not a dime a dozen RB. If not for the injuries you'd be talking about a top 10-15 pick.

 

[Picksix]

That is my guess as well. This kid is a stud he is not a dime a dozen RB. If not for the injuries you'd be talking about a top 10-15 pick.

But those are two very significant injuries. I don't feel we have enough picks to give one on him. If we're able to trade for another pick or two in the mid/late rounds, then I could see it.

 

[Idgit]

UDFA. please no more drafting players with long injury histories or major injuries.

THIS SAYS IT ALL AND ESP RBS

I see this all the time and always wonder 'why in the world not?' It's not like it didn't work out well with Lee and Carter. If you factor in you lose a year of playing time on the player when you decide how far he should slip before becoming an appropriate gamble, it's an effective way of adding talent to your roster inexpensively.

 

[Rack]

That is my guess as well. This kid is a stud he is not a dime a dozen RB. If not for the injuries you'd be talking about a top 10-15 pick.

Yes, he is a Dime or Dozen RB. His injury history makes it that way. Saying "if not for the injuries" is a waste of time cuz he HAS had the injuries.

 

[reddyuta]

I see this all the time and always wonder 'why in the world not?' It's not like it didn't work out well with Lee and Carter. If you factor in you lose a year of playing time on the player when you decide how far he should slip before becoming an appropriate gamble, it's an effective way of adding talent to your roster inexpensively.

Lee and Carter are good players but the jury is still out on them having good careers.they has season ending injuries in college and they cant seem to escape that in the NFL.we already tried it again with Matt Johnson and he couldnt even be healthy enough to practice.we dont have the luxury of drafting injured players and hoping they will shake it off in the NFL.

 

[Idgit]

Lee and Carter are good players but the jury is still out on them having good careers.they has season ending injuries in college and they cant seem to escape that in the NFL.we already tried it again with Matt Johnson and he couldnt even be healthy enough to practice.we dont have the luxury of drafting injured players and hoping they will shake it off in the NFL.

I'd say Lee and Carter are two of the brightest spots we've got on defense right now. Matt Johnson wasn't drafted injured.

For a backup RB position, I think rolling the dice on Lattimore isn't a horrible idea. There are safer bets out there, but the important thing is to acquire speed and talent where you can. If we get a sufficient discount on a player because he's coming off injury, or a huge discount on a player if he basically redshirts a year, it's well worth it as long as we do our homework properly the way we did with Sean Lee. I'd do that every single draft if I had the opportunity.

 

[jobberone]

But they are saying he's going to have to be redshirted. Cowboys can't really use a pick (only 6) to wait on him. They need a backup this year. He's likely to not get drafted or someone who has a lot of picks will take him late.

Not saying that's not true as I've been getting my info thru back channels. I'll look at what the media is reporting though. If he isn't going to play at all this year then I'd be hesitant to draft the guy as we need someone now.

My impression has been he will play early in the year although I suspect he will not do much in camp and maybe preseason.

 

[jobberone]

If it were just that one gruesome injury I'd say 4th round. But he now has a pattern of knee injuries developing so I wouldn't touch him before the 7th. RB's are a dime a dozen these days, no need to draft a prospect like that any sooner than the 7th.

I'm not worried about his past injuries. They are not predictors of future injury. Any further knee injuries he might get will be from the usual mechanisms of injury.

I think he will be a very good NFL every down RB but I don't think he's elite. Close but not quite. There are a few RBs who may turn out to be workhorses as well in this draft so I wouldn't extend myself for him.

 

[Rack]

I'm not worried about his past injuries. They are not predictors of future injury. Any further knee injuries he might get will be from the usual mechanisms of injury.

I think he will be a very good NFL every down RB but I don't think he's elite. Close but not quite. There are a few RBs who may turn out to be workhorses as well in this draft so I wouldn't extend myself for him.

Wait... you aren't serious, are you?

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I'd say Lee and Carter are two of the brightest spots we've got on defense right now. Matt Johnson wasn't drafted injured.

For a backup RB position, I think rolling the dice on Lattimore isn't a horrible idea. There are safer bets out there, but the important thing is to acquire speed and talent where you can. If we get a sufficient discount on a player because he's coming off injury, or a huge discount on a player if he basically redshirts a year, it's well worth it as long as we do our homework properly the way we did with Sean Lee. I'd do that every single draft if I had the opportunity.

Lee and Carter being injured is a big reason we were so bad. They have missed time every season they have played. RB is the most injury-risk intensive position on the field.

 

[jobberone]

Wait... you aren't serious, are you?

I'm completely serious. His knee will be as new or better. There is no increased frequency for knee injuries (ligamentous) because you already had one. It takes certain mechanisms of injury to get a PCL yada. Unless those forces are applied in certain ways he won't have another injury.

I think people are still stuck in an era when knee injuries were career threatening. Well, they still can be but generally you just have to rehab to get back to the place they were before (apologies to the Eagles). Orthopedic techniques and materials evolve rapidly.

They are very good with ligaments even ones that are shredded to the point there is no more ligament (you'd have to see one). But they are still having problems with cartilaginous injuries and dysfunction. But that's improving as well.