105.3 Mike Fisher on our first round: Off the board. Off the Chart. Off the rocker

IRVING (105.3 THE FAN) – The Dallas Cowboys went off the board. They went off the chart. And they went off their rockers.

The Cowboys’ Round 1 selection of offensive lineman Travis Frederick of Wisconsin isn’t the issue. Dallas needed to upgrade its offensive line. The team views Frederick as a second-round value and it moved back from 18 to 31 (two slots ahead of the second round) to tab him. He’s smart and strong and can play center or guard.

“What is the very best thing we can do for this team?’’ owner Jerry Jones said in the near-midnight press conference following the Monday launching of the NFL Draft. “Buy (quarterback Tony) Romo a half-a-second.’’

Argue about Frederick if you wish (and if you wish to pretend that you are a connoisseur of interior-line play); it might take 12 months or 12 years to truly evaluate his selection.

But the path to get to him? Off the board. Off the chart. Off their rockers.

The double-pronged error began when Florida defensive tackle Shariff Floyd experienced a precipitous fall from the top of the draft. Most viewed him as a top-10 talent. I am told the Cowboys not only had a first-round grade on Shariff but also entered the day with him ranked in the top seven on their board.

Then, miraculously, he dropped … dropped into Dallas’ waiting lap at No. 18.

It was a no-brainer. An upfield, high-motor 3-technique defensive tackle, the key to the new 4-3 defense being installed by assistant Monte Kiffin.

But 15 months of study that made Floyd a worthy selection was undone in 15 minutes.

I’m told the Cowboys reviewed Floyd’s work and recalculated their own thoughts … considered the fact that Floyd only had 4.5 sacks in his college career … and committed the cardinal draft-day sin of shuffling their board.

“In our system, we probably would put a premium on quick-twitch potential 3-technique,’’ Jones said. “We view (Floyd) as not that …’’

That might end up being correct (though Minnesota, which plays the exact same scheme as Dallas, disagrees. The Vikings were elated to get Floyd at No. 23). But the “view’’ of Floyd changed at the last minute.

Going into the draft, coach Jason Garrett pledged that Dallas would stay “pure’’ to its board.

This went “unpure.’’

Then came the second error.

Sitting at No. 18, the Cowboys had two more first-round-graded players to choose from: Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert and Tennessee receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. Rather than stick with the board there, Dallas pulled out the Trade Value Chart to engineer a trade with San Francisco that I reported on Monday was a distinct possibility:

Dallas should be able to trade down from 18 and pick up the 49ers’ selections at either Nos. 31 or 34 and No. 61 (which is a late second-rounder).

The 49ers agreed to a trade featuring No. 31 but including only No. 74 (a third-rounder). Simply put – and with all due respect to vice president Stephen Jones’ claims that it is an equitable exchange according to the team’s Trade Value Chart – it is not a balanced deal.

Dallas lost that trade.

Jerry noted that the Cowboys “invented’’ the chart, and don’t scoff. It’s true. In the early 1990’s, Jerry partner Mike McCoy did the math to create it and passed it along to coach Jimmy Johnson, who history now credits as the creator. I know this because I was there. I know the chart because I was there.

I know Dallas went off the chart.

Again, the 6-4, 320-pound Frederick might walk right into Valley Ranch and start at either guard or center. So when it comes to the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, the Cowboys can still manage to get to the finish line (title contention). But the so-far path to the finish line?

Off the board. Off the chart. Off their rockers.

And maybe off into the ditch.

Basically. Didn't stick to the board at 18.....failed to get value in the trade down....reached for a player at 31.

Surprised? No
Disguested? Yes

I would have just sat there and taken Floyd at 18 but if you use taking Eifert or Patterson at 18 as an argument then F that.

I'd take Frederick straight up over either of them, throw in the 10th pick of the 3rd round and it's a no-brainer.

VA Cowboy said:

Basically. Didn't stick to the board at 18.....failed to get value in the trade down....reached for a player at 31.

Surprised? No
Disguested? Yes

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So if they stick to the board and draft Eifert you bitch and if they trade down and "reach" and "fail to get value" you bitch. You win either way.

Belichick had a quote where he said something to the effect of "the draft is about building a team, not collecting talent".

If we had taken some dullard like Eifert or Patterson at 18 collecting talent is exactly what we'd be doing considering the fact that WR and TE are two of the strongest positions on the team.

Floyd is a different story because I think he was the clear BPA and we have a need at that spot, but there is no way on God's green Earth I'd ever support taking Eifert or Patterson at 18.

Tony D said:

So if they stick to the board and draft Eifert you bitch and if they trade down and "reach" and "fail to get value" you bitch. You win either way.

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I said I was opposed to Eifert if Warmack, Cooper or Richardson were still on the board. But if we stuck to our board the pick would've been Floyd since I heard we had him 7th overall.

But even with a trade down you need to try and get value and not reach. Interesting why so many are defending that approach.

Basically Jerry decided it was OK to get ripped off in a trade down, then reach for a player at 31 with a second round grade despite players still on the board at 18 with a first round grade. All for a mid third round pick.

So didn't get value in the trade down. Didn't get value in the pick.

Yeah, typical Jones draft.

I'd have taken Eifert before SPEARS II

VA Cowboy said:

I said I was opposed to Eifert if Warmack, Cooper or Richardson were still on the board. But if we stuck to our board the pick would've been Floyd since I heard we had him 7th overall.

But even with a trade down you need to try and get value and not reach. Interesting why so many are defending that approach.

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I'm not defending. They could've gotten better value in the trade, but nobody knows if it was a reach. Nobody knows where Frederick would've been taken today if we didn't pick him. He could've gone early 2nd or late 3rd. Who knows? I just find it funny that there a lot of people around here and people who get paid to do this that seem to think they know.

VA Cowboy said:

I said I was opposed to Eifert if Warmack, Cooper or Richardson were still on the board. But if we stuck to our board the pick would've been Floyd since I heard we had him 7th overall.

But even with a trade down you need to try and get value and not reach. Interesting why so many are defending that approach.

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What I've defended is that we got a player of high quality, skill and need whom I'm not convinced would have been available at our next pick. Would you have rather taken someone else at 31 and then used multiple picks to trade up for Frederick? Cause if he was #21 on their board like reported, that's exactly what they would have done.

Not me. I'm perfectly fine with Frederick where we got him and looking for a solid S later.

BipolarFan said:

Basically Jerry decided it was OK to get ripped off in a trade down, then reach for a player at 31 with a second round grade despite players still on the board at 18 with a first round grade. All for a mid third round pick.

So didn't get value in the trade down. Didn't get value in the pick.

Yeah, typical Jones draft.

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Yep

Hey VA, rumor has it Floyd is a fanatical liberal and Frederick is a card carrying conservative.

Rejoice.

Deuce said:

What I've defended is that we got a player of high quality, skill and need whom I'm not convinced would have been available at our next pick. Would you have rather taken someone else at 31 and then used multiple picks to trade up for Frederick? Cause if he was #21 on their board like reported, that's exactly what they would have done.

Not me. I'm perfectly fine with Frederick where we got him and looking for a solid S later.

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It was reported Floyd was #7 on our board and not only didn't we move up for him we didn't take him at 18, so not sure why it's assumed we would've traded up for Frederick in the 2nd if we didnt' take him at 31.

I would stayed put and taken Floyd at 18 and then nab an OG or C in the 2nd or 3rd. Possibly Frederick at 47 or failing that go after Schwenke or Barrett Jones in round 3 or someone like Warford, Armstead or Dallas Thomas.

Even with a move down I think we could've worked on a better trade. Didn't even use our time on the clock. But if adamant about a move down to 31 then I would've taken Elam or one of the available DL.

VA Cowboy said:

It was reported Floyd was #7 on our board and not only didn't we move up for him we didn't take him at 18, so not sure why it's assumed we would've traded up for Frederick in the 2nd if we didnt' take him at 31.

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We didn't move up or take him because he isn't believed to be a good fit for the system. That's been discussed in many threads already today. Frederick obviously is.

Deuce said:

We didn't move up or take him because he isn't believed to be a good fit for the system. That's been discussed in many threads already today. Frederick obviously is.

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There's always many excuses post draft about why we took who we did or didn't take some other player. Bottomline is that we got poor value on a trade down and then made a substantial reach at 31.

VA Cowboy said:

Bottomline is that we got poor value on a trade down and then made a substantial reach at 31.

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Says you.

Tony D said:

Says you.

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And the majority of the NFL and media.

Angrymesscan said:

I'd have taken Eifert before SPEARS II

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Floyd is NOTHING like Marcus Spears was as a prospect.

VA Cowboy said:

And the majority of the NFL and media.

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So the same scouts that you praise for having Floyd ranked 7th are the same ones who had Frederick ranked #21. We got him 10 picks later. Wouldn't that be a steal?