Woods nearly a top-five FS, numbers show

[Hawkeye0202]

Just came across this......confirms what I said in another thread that once ET deal fell through, Woods became our 2019 starting FS. Didn't realize he started 10 games last year and actually played pretty damn good. Just my take but it also confirms maybe they weren't as high on Thornhill as we were led to believe.

BTW.....I'm guessing Richard saw more instinct ( critical for FS) in Woods with 10 starts than Byron Jones showed over three years.
Xavier Woods nearly a top five NFL free safety, numbers show
ByPATRIK WALKER Dec 3, 2018

https://247sports.com/nfl/dallas-co...-five-NFL-free-safety-numbers-show-125814766/
Pour some hot chocolate, pull up a chair and let's talk about Xavier Woods.

Arguably one of the most overlooked young players on the Dallas Cowboys' roster, the majority of the football world shoved him into a closet this past offseason as talks of a potential move for All-Pro safety Earl Thomas dominated the headlines -- for months on end -- all the way up to Sept. 30, when he broke his leg against the Arizona Cardinals. That ended Thomas' season and any further speculation of a trade, which was exceedingly unlikely to occur anyway, because the Seattle Seahawks proved they weren't going to send him home to North Texas when they stiff-armed a third-round pick offer and then one for a second-rounder -- with reports having surfaced things were being finalized to send him to the Kansas City Chiefs for the latter.


https://thelandryhat.com/2019/03/27/dallas-cowboys-xavier-woods-star-2019/

 

[Hawkeye0202]

It appears Richard and Marinelli decided let's give this kid a chance (full season ), he's earned it.

 

[Hawkeye19]

The issue isn’t really with Woods at FS. It’s with Heath at SS.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

The issue isn’t really with Woods at FS. It’s with Heath at SS.

I agree but many fans trying to understand why FO passed over Thornhill who's clearly a FS. But I agree it was Heath they were looking to replace.

 

[CCBoy]

There is talent in the Dallas secondary. It may still get pretty good as a group, now.

 

[America's Cowboy]

I agree but many fans trying to understand why FO passed over Thornhill who's clearly a FS. But I agree it was Heath they were looking to replace.

Or they like Heath at SS and just wanted to keep the status quo at SS and FS? Looks like Marinelli persuaded them drafting DT was more important, which no one argues a talented DT is good to get. Just hope their decision on priorities pans out.

 

[blueblood70]

The issue isn’t really with Woods at FS. It’s with Heath at SS.

and we picked up Iolka and have frazier etc if heath bombing we have some options..the skys not falling because we didnt draft a safety..

 

[Hawkeye19]

I agree but many fans trying to understand why FO passed over Thornhill who's clearly a FS. But I agree it was Heath they were looking to replace.

It’s not a mystery why they passed on Thornhill... Rod believes a truly disruptive 3T is a more impactful as a position than SS

 

[cnuball21]

Just came across this......confirms what I said in another thread that once ET deal fell through, Woods became our 2019 starting FS. Didn't realize he started 10 games last year and actually played pretty damn good. Just my take but it also confirms maybe they weren't as high on Thornhill as we were led to believe.

BTW.....I'm guessing Richard saw more instinct ( critical for FS) in Woods with 10 starts than Byron Jones showed over three years.
Xavier Woods nearly a top five NFL free safety, numbers show
ByPATRIK WALKER Dec 3, 2018

https://247sports.com/nfl/dallas-co...-five-NFL-free-safety-numbers-show-125814766/
Pour some hot chocolate, pull up a chair and let's talk about Xavier Woods.

Arguably one of the most overlooked young players on the Dallas Cowboys' roster, the majority of the football world shoved him into a closet this past offseason as talks of a potential move for All-Pro safety Earl Thomas dominated the headlines -- for months on end -- all the way up to Sept. 30, when he broke his leg against the Arizona Cardinals. That ended Thomas' season and any further speculation of a trade, which was exceedingly unlikely to occur anyway, because the Seattle Seahawks proved they weren't going to send him home to North Texas when they stiff-armed a third-round pick offer and then one for a second-rounder -- with reports having surfaced things were being finalized to send him to the Kansas City Chiefs for the latter.


https://thelandryhat.com/2019/03/27/dallas-cowboys-xavier-woods-star-2019/

So are you basing it off of the 1 stat provided which was passer rating against?

If so, you realize most of his success was as a slot CB and not a FS right?

 

[Hawkeye0202]

So are you basing it off of the 1 stat provided which was passer rating against?

If so, you realize most of his success was as a slot CB and not a FS right?

Not at all.........more like on stats AND Richards post-draft comments


Straight from McClay himself:

You eventually drafted a safety, Donovan Wilson in the sixth round. What did you like about him?

When you talk about how we play football and what our style is, defensively we’re a one-gap football team, which means you have to have eight down in the box and you have to trust your free safety. Which we do with Xavier Woods, who is going to be a really good player, that’s developing. You’re looking for a box safety, most of the guys that were in the draft, there were more box safeties than free safeties. We felt like the physical presence that Donovan brings can give us some competition at that spot and a chancellor-like presence in a single one-gap football defense.
Click to expand...
"We're a one-gap football team, which means you have eight down in the box and have to trust your free safety. Which we do with Xavier Woods."

"You're looking for a box safety,"

 

[AbeBeta]

It’s not a mystery why they passed on Thornhill... Rod believes a truly disruptive 3T is a more impactful as a position than SS

Most teams would value a disruptive DT over a FS.

 

[Sydla]

I like Woods. And think he can improve beyond where he is at right now.

But this is kind of a homer article. For example, he's missing some names on that list of FS he's using to try to justify why Woods is nearly a Top 5 FS. What about Harrison Smith? He's the FS in Minnesota. Smith is a better FS than Woods at this point. Was he disregarded because of his age?

Where is Eddie Jackson?

 

[Bigdog]

Well his feelings won’t get hurt by this article then but he should not be thinking of a big contract when it comes time since we don’t value safeties. Stephen Jones has already implied that in another thread.

 

[visionary]

It appears Richard and Marinelli decided let's give this kid a chance (full season ), he's earned it.

Yep, who cares about the rest of the team and trying to upgrade talent to actually win

No

That's crazy

Let's give this kid a chance

 

[cnuball21]

Not at all.........more like on stats AND Richards post-draft comments


Straight from McClay himself:

You eventually drafted a safety, Donovan Wilson in the sixth round. What did you like about him?

When you talk about how we play football and what our style is, defensively we’re a one-gap football team, which means you have to have eight down in the box and you have to trust your free safety. Which we do with Xavier Woods, who is going to be a really good player, that’s developing. You’re looking for a box safety, most of the guys that were in the draft, there were more box safeties than free safeties. We felt like the physical presence that Donovan brings can give us some competition at that spot and a chancellor-like presence in a single one-gap football defense.
Click to expand...
"We're a one-gap football team, which means you have eight down in the box and have to trust your free safety. Which we do with Xavier Woods."

"You're looking for a box safety,"

So what stats are you basing it off of?

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

The issue isn’t really with Woods at FS. It’s with Heath at SS.

THIS!

 

[TheSkaven]

The issue isn’t really with Woods at FS. It’s with Heath at SS.

Both played good enough, this was a top 10 defense (#7) last year. What these stats don't show is the lack of turnovers, which is what this defense needs to climb to be a top 3 defense. Your free safety needs to intercept more than two balls. Look at the top defenses and they find ways to create turnovers from the FS spot.

But regardless, I like the way this team is approaching the situation. You make your safeties better when you create more pressure on the quarterback and force bad decisions. They're focusing on the defensive line, which is the key to building a championship team. Pressure creates turnovers and turnovers create short fields to score points.

 

[Sydla]

Both played good enough, this was a top 10 defense (#7) last year. What these stats don't show is the lack of turnovers, which is what this defense needs to climb to be a top 3 defense. Your free safety needs to intercept more than two balls. Look at the top defenses and they find ways to create turnovers from the FS spot.

But regardless, I like the way this team is approaching the situation. You make your safeties better when you create more pressure on the quarterback and force bad decisions. They're focusing on the defensive line, which is the key to building a championship team. Pressure creates turnovers and turnovers create short fields to score points.

I really don't like using the overall defensive ranking to justify why Heath is fine.

He's not fine. He's not a very good SS.

 

[jazzcat22]

This team, and some fans considered Woods a steal in the 6th round. As many teams including Dallas had him on their board as a 4th rounder.
Some redraft lists and mocks had him going as thigh as the 3rd round, but most in the 4th.

Why Dallas and other teams kept passing on him, who knows, the way the draft fell and who was left on their boards probably.
I was thrilled they got him in the 6th. But I also questioned why he dropped to the 6th. I even questioned him in TC and said he was a PS guy, needed a year to 2.
Well maybe this year it comes together even more. Remains to be seen, but sure am pulling for him, since he is the guy for now.

 

[jazzcat22]

I really don't like using the overall defensive ranking to justify why Heath is fine.

He's not fine. He's not a very good SS.

He misses tackles, and takes poor angles a good part of the time. But when he hits, he hits hard, and some fans like that. so therefore think he is better than he is.
He also benefits of being at the right place at the right time. Getting deflected interceptions, and a few times fumbles. Which is great, he was there. But as for picks from just a great play, no one seems to do that very often.

I don't mind Heath, just not as a starter.