THE OFFICIAL 2023 DALLAS COWBOYS OFF-SEASON THREAD || Cowboys Gonna Cowboy

[essential1]

Thanks man. But I'm not putting too much work into it. I'm not a huge CFB fan so I only see the big name guys / big schools. So much of it is reading scouting reports of a few different places and coming up with quick condensed bullet points.

I partially do it because it makes the draft watchable for me. Because I have some info into guys.

 

[T0INE]

Nice writeup on the RBs E.

Repped.

 

[ecruteakcityboy]

I heard Greg Hardy questioning Coleman's work ethic is what started the altercation. I like that
and
If Gordon is there at 27 snatch him up. His acceleration is insane and he also seems like a chill dude off the field .

 

[ecruteakcityboy]

Just four days away guys. This draft is probably the most important one in years. Whatever happens dictates the next five years.

 

[essential1]

Half- way through DBs. Doing 1st 3 rounds. A lot of disagreement as to who goes where, and what type of ranks that a player is overall. See Jalen Collins & Byron Jones.

Going to try and get 1st - 3rd Round of DTs.

3rd - 4th Round of DE

3rd - 4th round of OT (although I may not)

 

[suavamente]

I heard Greg Hardy questioning Coleman's work ethic is what started the altercation. I like that
and
If Gordon is there at 27 snatch him up. His acceleration is insane and he also seems like a chill dude off the field .

have you been watching Draft Academy?

Gordon gonna be long gone so will Gurley. I really think they'll grab that johnson dude from wake forest

 

[ecruteakcityboy]

have you been watching Draft Academy?

Gordon gonna be long gone so will Gurley. I really think they'll grab that johnson dude from wake forest

funny you say that. Randomly flipped the channels and caught about 5 episodes back to back yesterday during a beautiful afternoon.
I think they'll be gone before 17 but by some miracle..

 

[airjordan jb23]

2nd half of the schedule doesn't look that bad.

looking forward to seeing how the draft ends up going.

 

[essential1]

NFLPA filed an appeal of Hardy's 10 game suspension.

This fight gone get good.

I'm assuming it gets knocked down to at the least 4, at the most 8.

 

[bigmike23]

NFLPA filed an appeal of Hardy's 10 game suspension.

This fight gone get good.

I'm assuming it gets knocked down to at the least 4, at the most 8.

I thought it cant be less then 6? or that's the new rule?

we have to get a pass rusher now either way.

 

[essential1]

NFL PA will try to argue he's served a suspension already as well as his incident happened before mandatory penalty and try to negotiate a lesser suspension.

 

[mpire]

I thought it cant be less then 6? or that's the new rule?

we have to get a pass rusher now either way.

It can be as low as nothing but I think the NFLPA will push 2 and they'll settle for 4.

 

[essential1]

Running Backs:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Melvin Gordon - Can accelerate quickly. Always potential to take it to the house because he gets from the backfield to secondary real quick. Great balance to bounce off tackles, and keep moving forward like Demarco does. No idea as to if he's a good receiver out of the backfield. Needs more power in his legs because of bulk in Upper body. Reggie Bush comparison

Todd Gurley - Very physical back. Tough to bring down. Will put his shoulder down and run over guys. Good read of the line. Quick in and out of cuts. Can catch out of the backfield. Willing to block in pass protection. ACL is a major concern. Torn in November. Timetable is Mid-August. Should be # 1 RB. But ACL tear, and refusing to let teams look at it. Makes him #1. Comparable - Marshawn Lynch.

Tevin Coleman - Uses strength to plow through the line, open up holes, and run over defenders. Very fast and aggressive. Good hands. Good in pass protection. Very durable. Will play through any aches and pains. Hard worker, high character guy. Lacks ideal body type for position, and is what he is physically. Only a 1 cut back. Sometimes is rigid with his stride. Needs to hold onto ball better. Indecisive reading the line. Comparable - DeMarco Murray

Ameer Abdullah - Tough. Hard worker. Good locker room presence. Runs low to the ground, and has explosive jump cuts without losing speed. "Chess player" - Sees holes quickly, and is 2 moves ahead. Reliable pass catcher. And will do everything to pass protect, even if he stinks at it. Needs to put on more muscles. Limited blocker, and lack of size hurts him in picking up pass rusher. Gets knocked back easy in pass protection. Comparable - Ahmad Bradshaw

Jay Ajayi - Good lateral quickness to make guys miss in the hole and in space. Good accelaration that allows him to turn the corner and go up field. Good vision / patience. Physical won't shield from hits. Good pass catcher. Fumbles a lot. Runs too upright, which leaves for big hits, hence the fumbles. Forgets to switch the ball to outside arm at times. Bad locker room presence

David Johnson - Big body. Falls forward for yards. Can still outrun DBs. Good pass catcher, mismatch for LBs. Needs to shorten his stride to get more power absorbing hits. Has trouble making cuts without almost completely stopping. Needs to dev. Vision. Use his body to his strength to drag tacklers. Instead goes down too easy.

T.J. Yeldon - Deceptive speed & agility. Which makes Def guess wrong, and miss tackles. Effortless lateral cuts. And makes people miss in space. Quick to the holes, and good vision to see cutback lanes. Can plant and explode to turn corner. Needs to run lower to the ground. Sets himself up for big hits. Below average pass blocker. If the hole isn't there, he becomes indecisive, and will wait too long.

Jeremy Langford - Stays low. Improved as a SR (vision, balance, finishing). Workhorse. Will take hits and give them. Does not tire at all. Superb pass protection, screen passes. Not much cutting. Slows considerable when cutting. Takes a bit to turn on jets when he turns it down to cut. Lacks patience. Often runs into blockers. Concern of workload at Michigan St.

Duke Johnson - Athletic. Can switch gear effortlessly. Patient runner, takes his time then goes upfield. Tough to bring down despite being small. Lack of size makes him vulnerable. Probably needs a 2 back system. Size hurts in pass protection. Comparable - Justin Forsett

Javorius Allen - Well built back, muscle wise. Aggressive, but is controlled / shows good judgement in where he is aggressive with the ball. Good combination of power and acceleration. Hit the def. jar loose and keep moving. Legs churn for extra yards. Soft hands, and can adjust to make tough grabs. Most of his 6 feet is in his legs, so make it easy to get him if you go low. If tripped up will flail his arms, and go down easy. No breakaway speed. At best 2 down back

Mike Davis - Compact frame. Keeps feet moving. And bounces off defenders like pinball. Great spin move. In red zone, adept at grinding out yards. Capable as receiver. Capable pass protection due to strong frame. Hip tightness restricts lateral movement. Won't fool defenders with jukes. Ducks his head too often and makes him blind to potential holes in the line and second level. Wore down in 2013. Nagging injuries in 2014. Conditioning questions.

Defensive Backs:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Trae Waynes - Loves to compete in Man to Man. Ask to cover without help over the top and did so successfully. 2 TDs in last 2 season. Bump & Run specialist. Fastest 40 time for corners. Good recover speed. Pins Wideouts on Sidelines. Smothers in Deep Coverage. If you shy away from hits as a WR, he will punish you. Good wrap up tackler. If he has to play zone, he'll have trouble transitioning. Tends to grab receivers causing Pass Interference, rather than trusting skills. Hips and feet get tied up when transitioning in coverage. Allows brief separation in Quick routes, presumably to sneak in for pick. Plays too upright, so if he needs to plant his feet and then drive, he loses balance. If he has to switch man with other corner during play he gets fooled too frequently. Comparable - Antonio Cromartie

Kevin Johnson - Great balance. Exp. In man coverage. Has discipline to stick to complex routes. Press coverage is good. Can bump, disrupt, and alter WRs. Can transition laterally, and breaks on throws well to break them up. Crowds on Deep Routes to lessen target area. Strong. Enough speed and athleticism to make up for if he's beat. Needs to strengthen legs, because it can get him off balanced on run attack. Bites on head fakes too easily, gets fooled, and turned around. Flag machine. Respects speed too much, so if WR slams on brakes in the deep route, there will be too much separation. All about him getting more weight in terms of lower body muscle for him to improve. Comparable - Sam Shields.

Byron Jones - Tall, athletic. Muscular. Easy change of direction, quick acceleration to match WR. Press coverage at UCONN, probably same in NFL. Good vision, soft hands make him a big INT guy. Good tackler. Team Captain. Left shoulder surgery, still limited in recovery. Not seen as a physical player before surgery, so there is fear he'll shy away even more with shoulder concern. Can move well laterally, and down field, but comebacks to QB, he has trouble with his footing. Comparable - Prince Amukamara.

Jalen Collins - Has height, body and speed. Can change direction easily and uses it to make a play on passes. Arm length to let WR get over the top and trail and still break up pass. Arm length kills slants if he's close. Solid awareness to play zone. Can chase down RB/WR across the field. Not a good vertical, but size allows him to contest 50/50 balls well. Only has 10 starts, so questions as to whether he's real deal. Relies on talent/athleticism over technique at times. Needs more patience in pass coverage. Too often shows his hand to QB. Has speed, but it takes him a bit to get there, isn't instantaneous. Needs to develop his tracking/trajectory reads of ball. Not aggressive / physical. More finesse than anything. Needs dev. Won't start right away Comparable - Terrance Newman. There's a lot of disagreement among him in terms of potential versus. Production. Some rank him as first rounder, some rank him all the way down to the 3rd round. If you buy his potential then late 1st / early 2nd makes sense.

Eric Rowe - NFL ready frame. From height to strength. Uses length (arm & hand) and physicality at the LOS and down the field. Disrupts in press with superb jamming skills. Good hand-eye to disrupt pass at catch point. Enough strength to rip the ball out of a WR hands. Aggressive in run support. Can spoil blocks of WRs & OL. Physical tackler who can drive through to make a tackle. Some project him as more of a Safety than Corner. His big size leaves him vulnerable to double moves as it takes slightly longer to transition with WR. Often extends his hands too much, which will lead to penalties. Giants hands of stone, that led to a lot of dropped INTs.

P.J. Williams - Good mix of ht, wt & speed. Loves press coverage, bump & run specialist. Will jam receivers at the line with length / strength. Can stick on inside & outside routes. Can stay on top of vertical routes and smother. Outstanding timing and feel to knock ball away. Good instincts to make plays out of his area. Sure tackler in open field to stop run. May be too physical because of NFL's hands off receivers in every situation rules. Over strides down field, which makes easy comeback completions. Loses interest when in zone coverage. Motor comes into question at times. If he's clearly better than who he is covering, he puts it into cruise control. Some project him as more of a safety because of tackling ability and instinct. But has talent to start at DB or Safety.

Quinten Rollins - Good build and length for position. Good footwork. Above average ball skills & reflexes. Impressive tackler. Likes to be physical. Very confident in himself. Short term memory on mistakes. Can break blocks of WR to get to Ball Carrier. Big work ethic. Wants to consistently improve. Weakness is inexperience. 1 year of football since HS, and only 1 year at DB. Raw in the technical side of DB. Needs to polish his reading of QB and routes. All his problems are being inexperienced. Comparable - Byron Maxwell

Ronald Darby - World Class speed. Changes directions easily. Can play press. Can let hips allow quick change of direction and hit top speed quickly. Good instincts. Field general. Sees combo routes well and helps others line up. Good recognition to make early breaks on ball. Good tracking to time ball at high point, and make contest on it. QBs avoided him a lot that's why his production isn't too high. Good hand use in press, constricts throwing windows in zone with speed & instincts. A little grabby as he goes downfield. Needs to improve when his back is to the ball. Tries to stay on top of WR route, susceptible to comeback routes. Will lose his man too much in broken plays. Toughness is questioned. Tackles with his helmet (Roy Williams syndrome). Loses INTs with below average hands.

Marcus Peters - Prototype size. Hip fluidity to flip and run from being square to foot race on deep route. Loves press, and intimidate receivers with physicality. Can stuff WRs who are not world class speed / strength. Great tracking ability, can track ball stayed glued to WR. Best at contesting catches & wins 50/50 ball at a high rate. Can track multiple routes, and QBs eyes at same time. Confident / tough, but very emotional and gets him in trouble. Dismissed from team because of multiple problems with coaches. Can open up in press to early hoping for a vertical route, if at that time WR cuts inside for a quick route, easy completion. Will probably have a lot of contact after 5 yards penalties because he grabs WR if he misses on press at the line. Does not take to coaching well. Comparable - Aqib Talib.

Charles Gaines - Good anticipation on receiver breaks. And undercuts routes to make a play. Good ball skills. Good timing on 50/50 balls despite small frame. Special Teams guy. Weakness- Former WR, and can forgets he's a DB. Not physical. Small frame. Lacks muscle.

Senquez Golston - Quick feet. Smooth hips to transition to going vertical. Explosive closing ability to drive toward the ball. Very good timing, read and react skills on point. Can make impressive interceptions look easy. High in confidence, competitiveness and aggressiveness. Can navigate around targets without contact to make play on the ball. Despite small size, can do well in run support, uses strong hands to break down blocks. Drives through on tackles. Highly productive in SEC. 31 pass defended, 16 INTs. Weakness- undersized. Bigger targets will run roughshod on him. Turns hips too quick to try and beat the Go route. Improved technique, but still relies too much on freakish athleticism to get the job done. Struggles with jamming in press. Roams too much in Zone Cov. Ignoring his job. Questions about his dedication to getting better, and fear he may leave to play baseball. Would move him up due to having potential + freakish athleticism + production in tough conference, but the questions of dedication hurt him a lot.

D'Joun Smith - Very quick. Athletic. Has good control over his footwork. Patient in the press, but willing to go toe-to-toe and get in WR face off the line. Good at turning to locate the ball and aggressive when he goes for it. Shows good timing. Needs to improve when to turn his head to expect the ball. Lacks size, build, and strength for the position. Extremely small hands, which will lead to drop INTs. Physical WRs can beat him in press by getting him pushed back and off balance. Needs to improve his tackling ability.

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu - Competitive. Good frame. Great help in run support. All around has enough skills that should warrant him to be picked higher. Skills that will help him be a quality at both press and off man coverage because he quickly diagnoses plays. Great reaction time to make a play on the ball. Wish he was a bit taller, would get hurt by mismatches of height. Relies on smarts / instincts to make plays rather than having athletic ability to do it. Seen as a Nickel CB in NFL. Severe knee injury has dropped him a lot. Gives space to bait QB to throw his way. Misses big on tackles.

Alex Carter - Good sized athlete. Can match up with bigger targets. Good vision to aggressively track balls in the air and make plays. Uses hands too much, and sometimes gets over physical. But that physicality helps in run support.

Defensive Tackles

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Malcolm Brown - Good frame. Can still move well with bigger weight. Range to make plays away from LOS. Very quick off the ball, and good penetration to get behind the LOS. Locates ball quickly. Head and eyes always up. Gets hands up in passing lanes (6 batted passes in 3 years). Still has a lot of potential. Very mature. While he has good body strength, needs more strength in hands to be able to get away from blockers and drag down runners. Technique needs some work, relies on agility to get past defenders. A lot of effort to get to the ball, but lacks many pass rush moves.

Eddie Goldman - A behemoth. Quick of the snap. Hands go right into blockers chest, and enough upper body strength to extend his arms and move guy in the direction he wants. Rarely gets pushed back because of good job anchoring. Great balance. Could be moved to Defensive end because he's big enough and strong enough to contain the edge. Leg drive / bull rush bullies Guards deep into the pocket. Good in rushing game. Can play many schemes & positions. A lot of potential. His pass rushing is questionable from DT. He's so big, has trouble squeezing through gaps. Quickness is only available in really short bursts of small distance. Has to improve in recognition of the finer details. He was around a lot of good players and was part of rotation at FSU. 3-4 likely a NT. The pass rushing problems is what should drive Dallas away.

Grady Jarrett - Lacks ideal size, but uses leverage, effort and quickness to make up for it. Uses foot quickness to shoot the gaps and disrupt the run. As pass rusher has many hand moves. Relentless motor. Should be a starter early in career, and can play pass & run. Frame is good, but the size is an issue. Relies on initial burst off snap to generate pass rush. Hard play wears him down by the 4th. Concerns that he won't be able to develop a better physique on his frame. Seen as a 1 gap in 4-3 at the nose. Teams will use size to beat him, but he will be a good football player.

Michael Bennett - Good burst off the snap. Stays low, and looking to disrupt the play. Very active hands, tries to intimidate weaker guards. Good technique. Shoulder turn allows him to get small and shoot the gaps. Can change angles post-snap making it tough for lineman to get a clean block on him. Better at Double Team than most DTs are. Normally controls the battle. Is a team leader. Weakness - inconsistent motor, easily fatigued. Drops his head too often and loses sight. Gets frustrated if pass rush stalls and gives weak effort. Many wasted motions that burn gas, specifically in the 3 tech. Needs more moves in pass rush. Relies on hands and winning battle early. Needs more power in legs.

Tyeler Davidson - Extremely strong. Long arms and big hands. Likes the fight inside on the line. Has many moves to beat defender (club, rip, push/pull tech.) Enough power to get loose on blocks. Can recognize double team and braces himself for battle. Length covers up lack of height. Quickness and ability to beat the block makes him a good pass rusher. Very tough on point of attack, and tries to punish Centers. Durable. High character. Wrestled in High School. Weakness - Only can play in 4 man front. Wasn't his best against better competition. Struggles to change direction in small spaces, and misses tackles because of it. May need to add more weight. Scouts believe he didn't give effort when asked to be DE. Sometimes too battle ready, and that's his singular focus, and loses sight of ball sometimes. Could be a great pro, but needs to bring it against better competition to do so.

Carl Davis - Powerful player. Can hold his ground even versus double team. Hand work drastically improved. Can beat OL with hands. Fires off the ball with good punch to get arms extended and shed block. Effective club move pass rush. Spin move to break contact. Has many moves that he can cycle through easily even mid-play. Good Football IQ. Needs to get some more speed in his steps. While seen as a good pass rusher, lack of results from that. Can be lazy on pursuit. Gets fatigued easy. Rarely wins against blocker quickly. Needs a primary then secondary move to get through.

Gabe Wright - Good explosion into first step. Stays low and keeps leverage in contact. Can fight against double teams, and not get bullied. Can get into gaps and hurt run game. Has counter moves in pass rush and decent spin moves. Shows he can read and react and simply penetrate. Needs more consistent power behind him. Needs to improve getting loose from block and finding running back. Inconsistent motor when needed to pursue beyond LOS. Can run himself out of plays. Played more in 2014, production down from 2013. Compares to - Terrell McClain. Fits in a penetrating scheme. But needs improvement in pass rush and running game.

Jordan Phillips - Surprisingly athletic, good initial quickness, lateral agility and straight line speed. Occasionally is quicker than everybody off the ball and can ruin a play before it can even get going. Quick hands to slap away OL from getting in his pads. Effective swim move. Good effort to get hands in passing lane. Can knock Centers on their heels with initial hit and good strength to engage then push to the side. Anchors well due to size and strength. Appears to have a lot of potential.Stands up at the snap too much hurting his power. While quick, ballcarriers are often able to avoid him. Sometimes latches onto blockers and just waits rather than penetrating. Had back issues for a few years, and then had surgery. 1 year of playing exp. in college.

Xavier Cooper - Former tight end. Outstanding foot quickness and pursues in space. Quick lateral footwork for good penetration. Active hands to create separation from blockers against run and gain adv. As pass rusher. Constantly moving makes it tough to give a solid block on him. Times snap well, and fires off the ball. Syncs quickness, hands and feet for early wins. Not fooled by play action was both DE & DT in college. Lacks pure power. Has to win with hands or gets pushed back. Seems to pop up when penetrating which makes it easier to knock off balance. Lack of length hurts ability to tackle. Has to play in penetrating defensive front to minimize size problems. Needs to muscle up, but with ability to win with hands could make him a good rotational DT and possibly a starter.

Bobby Richardson - Athletic big man, has above average agility. Good coordination of hands and feet. Long arms. Fights to shed blocker early on run. Doesn't give blockers an easy target to hit. Was 3-4 DE in Indiana. Gets upfield with good burst, and plays lineman's edge on pass rush. Relentless motor. Can find an chase down Running Backs and QBs even if they are across the field. Good spin move to free himself. Was team captain. Lacks height for end of 3-4, and mass in 4-3 DT. Isn't a clean fit which hurts his number on draft boards. Misses too many tackle opportunities. Needs better game plan as rusher rather than just use athleticism. Too gap happy, and hurts leverage on run. Although he doesn't have mass for 4-3 DT, has enough strength and room to add bulk to become the inside of a 4-3.

Rakeem Nunez-Roches - Fires out off the snap. Quick recog. Of direction of play and looks for the gaps. Above average agility, and balance. Stays low to gain leverage on single blocks. If you dob't get him off the snap hard to control. Can get to corner and keeps working the pocket. Always plays hard, and gives you good effort. Weakness - Undersized, arms on the short side. Can lose sight when penetrating. Has trouble adjusting going in different direction, and when play is behind him. Falls for play action too much. Needs to improve his hand strength. Down blocks & double teams will quiet him. Needs to be in a one gap upfield defense. Looks like a good career backup.

Christian Covington - Shoots out of stance quickly and into blockers with good body position and forward movement. Natural power. Two gap DT. Gets good arm extension. Can keep OL away, and still focus on backfield. Athletic in space. Can cave pocket with initial attack and bull rush. Weakness - Needs to anchor his feet through battle with OL because it causes him control and balance issues. On the ground too often. Needs to shed blocker slightly sooner. Needs to put together his pass-rush movement and improve skill with hands. Dislocated knee and missed all of 2014. Stock dropped considerably because of this. May slip to end of Day 3. Rotational DT.

Offensive Tackles

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Ty Sambrailo - Good initial quickness of snap. Enough athleticism to get defenders on the edge. Can get upfield very well to take out defenders. Consistent technique. High Football IQ on recog. & using angles. Plays 100% every play. Fights through the whistle. Head is on a swivel, looking for someone to block. Assertive leader. Professional. His light lower body hurts him against hard charging rushers - easily knocked off balance. Strength is mediocre, and does not have strength in upper body to control rushers. Sometimes pops up leaving chest open for attack. Sometimes too aggressive, lunges and misses blocks. Shoulder surgery and torn labrum in back to back years. Apparently got into a fight on campus and beat up 4 freshman students.

Daryl Williams - Can anchor himself to the ground. Quick off the ball. Can seal off defenders with proper technique without relying on size and strength. Uses hands well. Is a drive blocker, and keeps legs moving. Comfort sliding to his right in pass protection. Keeps balance well. Impressive agility. Weakness is speedy edge rushers who take advantage of week foot speed. Tries to set himself up to avoid speed rush, but smart rushers will counter by going inside to his over compensation. Some project him moving to guard, but has never played there before.

Tyrus Thompson - most of his leg strength is in his legs. Good initial quickness, agility and balance. Improved with strength and bending at the knees in Sr year. Long arms makes him effective in run game, and decent in pass. Played against elite pass rushers in Big 12. Upper body strength still needs improvement, DEs can easily bully him after initial contact. RT in NFL, but speed questions. Too many mental mistakes.

Corey Robinson - Extends left leg behind him to get leverage against edge rushers, makes him more effective against speed rush than he'd appear to be. Long arms and good upper body strength to keep guys in front of him. Good lateral quickness. Nice ability to release block and go to the second level, and can adjust to moving targets. Doesn't have the short burst to recover if beaten off snap. Hands get outside the numbers too frequently. Over extends in pass protection, allows for counters back to inside. Questions if having mobile QBs during career had made him look better than he appeared.

Rob Havenstein - Built like a tank. Strength to absorb contact and hold his ground. Physical mauler. Good length to protect edges. Has a wide radius that forces rushers to take an extra split second to get around. Flashes ability with quickness to be a run blocker by getting to the second level in a timely fashion. No injury concers. Height + limited athleticism may hurt him with speed rushers. Tends to bend at waist and not knees. Often lets hands shoot out too far, allows dip move and balance concerns.

 

[T0INE]

Nice work E.

But who the **** is Greg Escobar? 

 

[essential1]

Nice work E.

But who the **** is Greg Escobar? 

Pablo's half cousin?


Fixed it.

 

[essential1]

DRAFT DAY IS UPON US

Once again...

Running Backs:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Melvin Gordon - Can accelerate quickly. Always potential to take it to the house because he gets from the backfield to secondary real quick. Great balance to bounce off tackles, and keep moving forward like Demarco does. No idea as to if he's a good receiver out of the backfield. Needs more power in his legs because of bulk in Upper body. Reggie Bush comparison

Todd Gurley - Very physical back. Tough to bring down. Will put his shoulder down and run over guys. Good read of the line. Quick in and out of cuts. Can catch out of the backfield. Willing to block in pass protection. ACL is a major concern. Torn in November. Timetable is Mid-August. Should be # 1 RB. But ACL tear, and refusing to let teams look at it. Makes him #1. Comparable - Marshawn Lynch.

Tevin Coleman - Uses strength to plow through the line, open up holes, and run over defenders. Very fast and aggressive. Good hands. Good in pass protection. Very durable. Will play through any aches and pains. Hard worker, high character guy. Lacks ideal body type for position, and is what he is physically. Only a 1 cut back. Sometimes is rigid with his stride. Needs to hold onto ball better. Indecisive reading the line. Comparable - DeMarco Murray

Ameer Abdullah - Tough. Hard worker. Good locker room presence. Runs low to the ground, and has explosive jump cuts without losing speed. "Chess player" - Sees holes quickly, and is 2 moves ahead. Reliable pass catcher. And will do everything to pass protect, even if he stinks at it. Needs to put on more muscles. Limited blocker, and lack of size hurts him in picking up pass rusher. Gets knocked back easy in pass protection. Comparable - Ahmad Bradshaw

Jay Ajayi - Good lateral quickness to make guys miss in the hole and in space. Good accelaration that allows him to turn the corner and go up field. Good vision / patience. Physical won't shield from hits. Good pass catcher. Fumbles a lot. Runs too upright, which leaves for big hits, hence the fumbles. Forgets to switch the ball to outside arm at times. Bad locker room presence

David Johnson - Big body. Falls forward for yards. Can still outrun DBs. Good pass catcher, mismatch for LBs. Needs to shorten his stride to get more power absorbing hits. Has trouble making cuts without almost completely stopping. Needs to dev. Vision. Use his body to his strength to drag tacklers. Instead goes down too easy.

T.J. Yeldon - Deceptive speed & agility. Which makes Def guess wrong, and miss tackles. Effortless lateral cuts. And makes people miss in space. Quick to the holes, and good vision to see cutback lanes. Can plant and explode to turn corner. Needs to run lower to the ground. Sets himself up for big hits. Below average pass blocker. If the hole isn't there, he becomes indecisive, and will wait too long.

Jeremy Langford - Stays low. Improved as a SR (vision, balance, finishing). Workhorse. Will take hits and give them. Does not tire at all. Superb pass protection, screen passes. Not much cutting. Slows considerable when cutting. Takes a bit to turn on jets when he turns it down to cut. Lacks patience. Often runs into blockers. Concern of workload at Michigan St.

Duke Johnson - Athletic. Can switch gear effortlessly. Patient runner, takes his time then goes upfield. Tough to bring down despite being small. Lack of size makes him vulnerable. Probably needs a 2 back system. Size hurts in pass protection. Comparable - Justin Forsett

Javorius Allen - Well built back, muscle wise. Aggressive, but is controlled / shows good judgement in where he is aggressive with the ball. Good combination of power and acceleration. Hit the def. jar loose and keep moving. Legs churn for extra yards. Soft hands, and can adjust to make tough grabs. Most of his 6 feet is in his legs, so make it easy to get him if you go low. If tripped up will flail his arms, and go down easy. No breakaway speed. At best 2 down back

Mike Davis - Compact frame. Keeps feet moving. And bounces off defenders like pinball. Great spin move. In red zone, adept at grinding out yards. Capable as receiver. Capable pass protection due to strong frame. Hip tightness restricts lateral movement. Won't fool defenders with jukes. Ducks his head too often and makes him blind to potential holes in the line and second level. Wore down in 2013. Nagging injuries in 2014. Conditioning questions.

Defensive Backs:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Trae Waynes - Loves to compete in Man to Man. Ask to cover without help over the top and did so successfully. 2 TDs in last 2 season. Bump & Run specialist. Fastest 40 time for corners. Good recover speed. Pins Wideouts on Sidelines. Smothers in Deep Coverage. If you shy away from hits as a WR, he will punish you. Good wrap up tackler. If he has to play zone, he'll have trouble transitioning. Tends to grab receivers causing Pass Interference, rather than trusting skills. Hips and feet get tied up when transitioning in coverage. Allows brief separation in Quick routes, presumably to sneak in for pick. Plays too upright, so if he needs to plant his feet and then drive, he loses balance. If he has to switch man with other corner during play he gets fooled too frequently. Comparable - Antonio Cromartie

Kevin Johnson - Great balance. Exp. In man coverage. Has discipline to stick to complex routes. Press coverage is good. Can bump, disrupt, and alter WRs. Can transition laterally, and breaks on throws well to break them up. Crowds on Deep Routes to lessen target area. Strong. Enough speed and athleticism to make up for if he's beat. Needs to strengthen legs, because it can get him off balanced on run attack. Bites on head fakes too easily, gets fooled, and turned around. Flag machine. Respects speed too much, so if WR slams on brakes in the deep route, there will be too much separation. All about him getting more weight in terms of lower body muscle for him to improve. Comparable - Sam Shields.

Byron Jones - Tall, athletic. Muscular. Easy change of direction, quick acceleration to match WR. Press coverage at UCONN, probably same in NFL. Good vision, soft hands make him a big INT guy. Good tackler. Team Captain. Left shoulder surgery, still limited in recovery. Not seen as a physical player before surgery, so there is fear he'll shy away even more with shoulder concern. Can move well laterally, and down field, but comebacks to QB, he has trouble with his footing. Comparable - Prince Amukamara.

Jalen Collins - Has height, body and speed. Can change direction easily and uses it to make a play on passes. Arm length to let WR get over the top and trail and still break up pass. Arm length kills slants if he's close. Solid awareness to play zone. Can chase down RB/WR across the field. Not a good vertical, but size allows him to contest 50/50 balls well. Only has 10 starts, so questions as to whether he's real deal. Relies on talent/athleticism over technique at times. Needs more patience in pass coverage. Too often shows his hand to QB. Has speed, but it takes him a bit to get there, isn't instantaneous. Needs to develop his tracking/trajectory reads of ball. Not aggressive / physical. More finesse than anything. Needs dev. Won't start right away Comparable - Terrance Newman. There's a lot of disagreement among him in terms of potential versus. Production. Some rank him as first rounder, some rank him all the way down to the 3rd round. If you buy his potential then late 1st / early 2nd makes sense.

Eric Rowe - NFL ready frame. From height to strength. Uses length (arm & hand) and physicality at the LOS and down the field. Disrupts in press with superb jamming skills. Good hand-eye to disrupt pass at catch point. Enough strength to rip the ball out of a WR hands. Aggressive in run support. Can spoil blocks of WRs & OL. Physical tackler who can drive through to make a tackle. Some project him as more of a Safety than Corner. His big size leaves him vulnerable to double moves as it takes slightly longer to transition with WR. Often extends his hands too much, which will lead to penalties. Giants hands of stone, that led to a lot of dropped INTs.

P.J. Williams - Good mix of ht, wt & speed. Loves press coverage, bump & run specialist. Will jam receivers at the line with length / strength. Can stick on inside & outside routes. Can stay on top of vertical routes and smother. Outstanding timing and feel to knock ball away. Good instincts to make plays out of his area. Sure tackler in open field to stop run. May be too physical because of NFL's hands off receivers in every situation rules. Over strides down field, which makes easy comeback completions. Loses interest when in zone coverage. Motor comes into question at times. If he's clearly better than who he is covering, he puts it into cruise control. Some project him as more of a safety because of tackling ability and instinct. But has talent to start at DB or Safety.

Quinten Rollins - Good build and length for position. Good footwork. Above average ball skills & reflexes. Impressive tackler. Likes to be physical. Very confident in himself. Short term memory on mistakes. Can break blocks of WR to get to Ball Carrier. Big work ethic. Wants to consistently improve. Weakness is inexperience. 1 year of football since HS, and only 1 year at DB. Raw in the technical side of DB. Needs to polish his reading of QB and routes. All his problems are being inexperienced. Comparable - Byron Maxwell

Ronald Darby - World Class speed. Changes directions easily. Can play press. Can let hips allow quick change of direction and hit top speed quickly. Good instincts. Field general. Sees combo routes well and helps others line up. Good recognition to make early breaks on ball. Good tracking to time ball at high point, and make contest on it. QBs avoided him a lot that's why his production isn't too high. Good hand use in press, constricts throwing windows in zone with speed & instincts. A little grabby as he goes downfield. Needs to improve when his back is to the ball. Tries to stay on top of WR route, susceptible to comeback routes. Will lose his man too much in broken plays. Toughness is questioned. Tackles with his helmet (Roy Williams syndrome). Loses INTs with below average hands.

Marcus Peters - Prototype size. Hip fluidity to flip and run from being square to foot race on deep route. Loves press, and intimidate receivers with physicality. Can stuff WRs who are not world class speed / strength. Great tracking ability, can track ball stayed glued to WR. Best at contesting catches & wins 50/50 ball at a high rate. Can track multiple routes, and QBs eyes at same time. Confident / tough, but very emotional and gets him in trouble. Dismissed from team because of multiple problems with coaches. Can open up in press to early hoping for a vertical route, if at that time WR cuts inside for a quick route, easy completion. Will probably have a lot of contact after 5 yards penalties because he grabs WR if he misses on press at the line. Does not take to coaching well. Comparable - Aqib Talib.

Charles Gaines - Good anticipation on receiver breaks. And undercuts routes to make a play. Good ball skills. Good timing on 50/50 balls despite small frame. Special Teams guy. Weakness- Former WR, and can forgets he's a DB. Not physical. Small frame. Lacks muscle.

Senquez Golston - Quick feet. Smooth hips to transition to going vertical. Explosive closing ability to drive toward the ball. Very good timing, read and react skills on point. Can make impressive interceptions look easy. High in confidence, competitiveness and aggressiveness. Can navigate around targets without contact to make play on the ball. Despite small size, can do well in run support, uses strong hands to break down blocks. Drives through on tackles. Highly productive in SEC. 31 pass defended, 16 INTs. Weakness- undersized. Bigger targets will run roughshod on him. Turns hips too quick to try and beat the Go route. Improved technique, but still relies too much on freakish athleticism to get the job done. Struggles with jamming in press. Roams too much in Zone Cov. Ignoring his job. Questions about his dedication to getting better, and fear he may leave to play baseball. Would move him up due to having potential + freakish athleticism + production in tough conference, but the questions of dedication hurt him a lot.

D'Joun Smith - Very quick. Athletic. Has good control over his footwork. Patient in the press, but willing to go toe-to-toe and get in WR face off the line. Good at turning to locate the ball and aggressive when he goes for it. Shows good timing. Needs to improve when to turn his head to expect the ball. Lacks size, build, and strength for the position. Extremely small hands, which will lead to drop INTs. Physical WRs can beat him in press by getting him pushed back and off balance. Needs to improve his tackling ability.

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu - Competitive. Good frame. Great help in run support. All around has enough skills that should warrant him to be picked higher. Skills that will help him be a quality at both press and off man coverage because he quickly diagnoses plays. Great reaction time to make a play on the ball. Wish he was a bit taller, would get hurt by mismatches of height. Relies on smarts / instincts to make plays rather than having athletic ability to do it. Seen as a Nickel CB in NFL. Severe knee injury has dropped him a lot. Gives space to bait QB to throw his way. Misses big on tackles.

Alex Carter - Good sized athlete. Can match up with bigger targets. Good vision to aggressively track balls in the air and make plays. Uses hands too much, and sometimes gets over physical. But that physicality helps in run support.

Defensive Tackles

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Malcolm Brown - Good frame. Can still move well with bigger weight. Range to make plays away from LOS. Very quick off the ball, and good penetration to get behind the LOS. Locates ball quickly. Head and eyes always up. Gets hands up in passing lanes (6 batted passes in 3 years). Still has a lot of potential. Very mature. While he has good body strength, needs more strength in hands to be able to get away from blockers and drag down runners. Technique needs some work, relies on agility to get past defenders. A lot of effort to get to the ball, but lacks many pass rush moves.

Eddie Goldman - A behemoth. Quick of the snap. Hands go right into blockers chest, and enough upper body strength to extend his arms and move guy in the direction he wants. Rarely gets pushed back because of good job anchoring. Great balance. Could be moved to Defensive end because he's big enough and strong enough to contain the edge. Leg drive / bull rush bullies Guards deep into the pocket. Good in rushing game. Can play many schemes & positions. A lot of potential. His pass rushing is questionable from DT. He's so big, has trouble squeezing through gaps. Quickness is only available in really short bursts of small distance. Has to improve in recognition of the finer details. He was around a lot of good players and was part of rotation at FSU. 3-4 likely a NT. The pass rushing problems is what should drive Dallas away.

Grady Jarrett - Lacks ideal size, but uses leverage, effort and quickness to make up for it. Uses foot quickness to shoot the gaps and disrupt the run. As pass rusher has many hand moves. Relentless motor. Should be a starter early in career, and can play pass & run. Frame is good, but the size is an issue. Relies on initial burst off snap to generate pass rush. Hard play wears him down by the 4th. Concerns that he won't be able to develop a better physique on his frame. Seen as a 1 gap in 4-3 at the nose. Teams will use size to beat him, but he will be a good football player.

Michael Bennett - Good burst off the snap. Stays low, and looking to disrupt the play. Very active hands, tries to intimidate weaker guards. Good technique. Shoulder turn allows him to get small and shoot the gaps. Can change angles post-snap making it tough for lineman to get a clean block on him. Better at Double Team than most DTs are. Normally controls the battle. Is a team leader. Weakness - inconsistent motor, easily fatigued. Drops his head too often and loses sight. Gets frustrated if pass rush stalls and gives weak effort. Many wasted motions that burn gas, specifically in the 3 tech. Needs more moves in pass rush. Relies on hands and winning battle early. Needs more power in legs.

Tyeler Davidson - Extremely strong. Long arms and big hands. Likes the fight inside on the line. Has many moves to beat defender (club, rip, push/pull tech.) Enough power to get loose on blocks. Can recognize double team and braces himself for battle. Length covers up lack of height. Quickness and ability to beat the block makes him a good pass rusher. Very tough on point of attack, and tries to punish Centers. Durable. High character. Wrestled in High School. Weakness - Only can play in 4 man front. Wasn't his best against better competition. Struggles to change direction in small spaces, and misses tackles because of it. May need to add more weight. Scouts believe he didn't give effort when asked to be DE. Sometimes too battle ready, and that's his singular focus, and loses sight of ball sometimes. Could be a great pro, but needs to bring it against better competition to do so.

Carl Davis - Powerful player. Can hold his ground even versus double team. Hand work drastically improved. Can beat OL with hands. Fires off the ball with good punch to get arms extended and shed block. Effective club move pass rush. Spin move to break contact. Has many moves that he can cycle through easily even mid-play. Good Football IQ. Needs to get some more speed in his steps. While seen as a good pass rusher, lack of results from that. Can be lazy on pursuit. Gets fatigued easy. Rarely wins against blocker quickly. Needs a primary then secondary move to get through.

Gabe Wright - Good explosion into first step. Stays low and keeps leverage in contact. Can fight against double teams, and not get bullied. Can get into gaps and hurt run game. Has counter moves in pass rush and decent spin moves. Shows he can read and react and simply penetrate. Needs more consistent power behind him. Needs to improve getting loose from block and finding running back. Inconsistent motor when needed to pursue beyond LOS. Can run himself out of plays. Played more in 2014, production down from 2013. Compares to - Terrell McClain. Fits in a penetrating scheme. But needs improvement in pass rush and running game.

Jordan Phillips - Surprisingly athletic, good initial quickness, lateral agility and straight line speed. Occasionally is quicker than everybody off the ball and can ruin a play before it can even get going. Quick hands to slap away OL from getting in his pads. Effective swim move. Good effort to get hands in passing lane. Can knock Centers on their heels with initial hit and good strength to engage then push to the side. Anchors well due to size and strength. Appears to have a lot of potential.Stands up at the snap too much hurting his power. While quick, ballcarriers are often able to avoid him. Sometimes latches onto blockers and just waits rather than penetrating. Had back issues for a few years, and then had surgery. 1 year of playing exp. in college.

Xavier Cooper - Former tight end. Outstanding foot quickness and pursues in space. Quick lateral footwork for good penetration. Active hands to create separation from blockers against run and gain adv. As pass rusher. Constantly moving makes it tough to give a solid block on him. Times snap well, and fires off the ball. Syncs quickness, hands and feet for early wins. Not fooled by play action was both DE & DT in college. Lacks pure power. Has to win with hands or gets pushed back. Seems to pop up when penetrating which makes it easier to knock off balance. Lack of length hurts ability to tackle. Has to play in penetrating defensive front to minimize size problems. Needs to muscle up, but with ability to win with hands could make him a good rotational DT and possibly a starter.

Bobby Richardson - Athletic big man, has above average agility. Good coordination of hands and feet. Long arms. Fights to shed blocker early on run. Doesn't give blockers an easy target to hit. Was 3-4 DE in Indiana. Gets upfield with good burst, and plays lineman's edge on pass rush. Relentless motor. Can find an chase down Running Backs and QBs even if they are across the field. Good spin move to free himself. Was team captain. Lacks height for end of 3-4, and mass in 4-3 DT. Isn't a clean fit which hurts his number on draft boards. Misses too many tackle opportunities. Needs better game plan as rusher rather than just use athleticism. Too gap happy, and hurts leverage on run. Although he doesn't have mass for 4-3 DT, has enough strength and room to add bulk to become the inside of a 4-3.

Rakeem Nunez-Roches - Fires out off the snap. Quick recog. Of direction of play and looks for the gaps. Above average agility, and balance. Stays low to gain leverage on single blocks. If you dob't get him off the snap hard to control. Can get to corner and keeps working the pocket. Always plays hard, and gives you good effort. Weakness - Undersized, arms on the short side. Can lose sight when penetrating. Has trouble adjusting going in different direction, and when play is behind him. Falls for play action too much. Needs to improve his hand strength. Down blocks & double teams will quiet him. Needs to be in a one gap upfield defense. Looks like a good career backup.

Christian Covington - Shoots out of stance quickly and into blockers with good body position and forward movement. Natural power. Two gap DT. Gets good arm extension. Can keep OL away, and still focus on backfield. Athletic in space. Can cave pocket with initial attack and bull rush. Weakness - Needs to anchor his feet through battle with OL because it causes him control and balance issues. On the ground too often. Needs to shed blocker slightly sooner. Needs to put together his pass-rush movement and improve skill with hands. Dislocated knee and missed all of 2014. Stock dropped considerably because of this. May slip to end of Day 3. Rotational DT.

Offensive Tackles

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Ty Sambrailo - Good initial quickness of snap. Enough athleticism to get defenders on the edge. Can get upfield very well to take out defenders. Consistent technique. High Football IQ on recog. & using angles. Plays 100% every play. Fights through the whistle. Head is on a swivel, looking for someone to block. Assertive leader. Professional. His light lower body hurts him against hard charging rushers - easily knocked off balance. Strength is mediocre, and does not have strength in upper body to control rushers. Sometimes pops up leaving chest open for attack. Sometimes too aggressive, lunges and misses blocks. Shoulder surgery and torn labrum in back to back years. Apparently got into a fight on campus and beat up 4 freshman students.

Daryl Williams - Can anchor himself to the ground. Quick off the ball. Can seal off defenders with proper technique without relying on size and strength. Uses hands well. Is a drive blocker, and keeps legs moving. Comfort sliding to his right in pass protection. Keeps balance well. Impressive agility. Weakness is speedy edge rushers who take advantage of week foot speed. Tries to set himself up to avoid speed rush, but smart rushers will counter by going inside to his over compensation. Some project him moving to guard, but has never played there before.

Tyrus Thompson - most of his leg strength is in his legs. Good initial quickness, agility and balance. Improved with strength and bending at the knees in Sr year. Long arms makes him effective in run game, and decent in pass. Played against elite pass rushers in Big 12. Upper body strength still needs improvement, DEs can easily bully him after initial contact. RT in NFL, but speed questions. Too many mental mistakes.

Corey Robinson - Extends left leg behind him to get leverage against edge rushers, makes him more effective against speed rush than he'd appear to be. Long arms and good upper body strength to keep guys in front of him. Good lateral quickness. Nice ability to release block and go to the second level, and can adjust to moving targets. Doesn't have the short burst to recover if beaten off snap. Hands get outside the numbers too frequently. Over extends in pass protection, allows for counters back to inside. Questions if having mobile QBs during career had made him look better than he appeared.

Rob Havenstein - Built like a tank. Strength to absorb contact and hold his ground. Physical mauler. Good length to protect edges. Has a wide radius that forces rushers to take an extra split second to get around. Flashes ability with quickness to be a run blocker by getting to the second level in a timely fashion. No injury concers. Height + limited athleticism may hurt him with speed rushers. Tends to bend at waist and not knees. Often lets hands shoot out too far, allows dip move and balance concerns.

My draft board by pick Round 1-4

Round 1, Pick 27
1. Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
2. Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

Since I'm living on a prayer, and neither will be there

3. Byron Jones, DB, UCONN
4. Shane Ray (if he drops that far because of character issues), DE, Mizzou
5. Marcus Peters, DB, Washington
6. Kevin Johnson, DB, Wake Forest
7. Eddie Goldman, DT, FSU


Round 2, Pick 28 (60)

1. Tevin Coleman (I would even try to move up to get him, he could be special), RB, Indiana
2. Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska
3. Jalen Collins, DB, LSU
4. Eric Rowe, DB, Utah


Round 3, Pick 27 (91)

1. Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State
2. Tyeler Davidson, DT, Fresno State
3. Gabe Wright, DT, Auburn
4. David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa

Round 4, Pick 28 (127)
1. Marcus Hardison, DE/DT, Arizona State
2. Tyrus Thompson, OT, Oklahoma
3. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, DB, Oregon
4. Rob Havenstein, OT, Wisconsin


I'd be happy with:
Round 1 - Byron Jones or Marcus Peters (I'm not a fan of Peters attitude, but if he's there, it's a tough call because he is better than Jones, but Jones is a freakish athlete).
Round 2 - Tevin Coleman or Ameer Abdullah
Round 3 - Tyeler Davidson or Gabe Wright
Round 4 - Marcus Hardison or Tyrus Thompson

 

[suavamente]

Praying for Ray, gregory, Gordon or Gurley 

 

[hadowajp]

essential1 ekpe in the 4th even tho he will miss this season?

 

[essential1]

essential1 ekpe in the 4th even tho he will miss this season?

I'm just going based on positions I've looked at.

And if he's there in the late 4th. Sure.

But if they went WR, or LB, or DE. I'd have no problem with that.

 

[suavamente]

Brockers on the trade block think it'll cost us a 4th rounder?

 

[Remy LeBeau]

Seeing that the Rams just picked Gurley, what do you guys think about trading for Tre Mason?

 

[essential1]

Ray gone

welp Byron Jones or Gregory

 

[essential1]

Byron Jones was drafted. And I called it this morning. Mel Kiper should be paying me his salary.

 

[hadowajp]

Byron Jones was drafted. And I called it this morning. Mel Kiper should be paying me his salary.

Kiper hasn't had my respect since he said jamarcus was the best qb he ever scouted

Like the pick but I'm a bit apprehensive about the shoulder don't need another Jenkins

 

[essential1]

Byron Jones was drafted. And I called it this morning. Mel Kiper should be paying me his salary.

Kiper hasn't had my respect since he said jamarcus was the best qb he ever scouted

Like the pick but I'm a bit apprehensive about the shoulder don't need another Jenkins

All the more reason to give me his salary for a year, got student loans to pay for.