Prospects Dallas Has Shown Interest In - 2018

Cotton

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Do not do this to me.
 

lostxn

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I agree with Rod Marinelli. Too bad he'll be drafted before us.
 

Simpleton

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Interesting.

I wonder if this is truly just that Vea is unique or if there has been a shift in philosophy, I'm guessing a shift in philosophy and probably due to Richard's presence.

If Vea is a 3-down player why wasn't Eddie Goldman a few years ago? Timmy Jernigan?

Supposedly we weren't interested in them even though Jernigan in particular was a much better pass-rusher than Vea.

Seattle always had a nice fat-ass sitting in there as a 1-T so I'm guessing this is Richard's influence and not just purely Vea's unique ability.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Interesting.

I wonder if this is truly just that Vea is unique or if there has been a shift in philosophy, I'm guessing a shift in philosophy and probably due to Richard's presence.

If Vea is a 3-down player why wasn't Eddie Goldman a few years ago? Timmy Jernigan?

Supposedly we weren't interested in them even though Jernigan in particular was a much better pass-rusher than Vea.

Seattle always had a nice fat-ass sitting in there as a 1-T so I'm guessing this is Richard's influence and not just purely Vea's unique ability.
That would be my guess as well. That or it's the Cowboys trying to send out a smoke screen so that teams don't just automatically write Dallas off for every NT in the first round.

My honest opinion is that Richard has probably preached the ability of using a guy like Vea to rush the passer from the 1 technique spot.
 

lostxn

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Interesting.

I wonder if this is truly just that Vea is unique or if there has been a shift in philosophy, I'm guessing a shift in philosophy and probably due to Richard's presence.

If Vea is a 3-down player why wasn't Eddie Goldman a few years ago? Timmy Jernigan?

Supposedly we weren't interested in them even though Jernigan in particular was a much better pass-rusher than Vea.

Seattle always had a nice fat-ass sitting in there as a 1-T so I'm guessing this is Richard's influence and not just purely Vea's unique ability.
Vea seems like a pretty unusual guy to me. Body of a plugger with the athleticism of a penetrating DT. If he can't fit your scheme, your scheme is shit.
 

Simpleton

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That would be my guess as well. That or it's the Cowboys trying to send out a smoke screen so that teams don't just automatically write Dallas off for every NT in the first round.

My honest opinion is that Richard has probably preached the ability of using a guy like Vea to rush the passer from the 1 technique spot.
We don't seem to be too into smokescreens with our 30 visits so I doubt it's that.

The fact that we're bringing in Payne also makes me almost certain that it's Richard's influence. You want to tell me Vea is a special prospect who breaks the mold?

I'm not really buying it but I don't think it's impossible that that's their line of thinking.

But there is no way on God's green Earth that they would have been interested in both him and Payne in years past, I definitely think it's Richard's influence and/or a slight shift in philosophy.

There is a 0.0% chance that a guy like Payne is more explosive/athletic than a guy like Shariff Floyd who Marinelli wanted absolutely no part of.
 

Cowboysrock55

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We don't seem to be too into smokescreens with our 30 visits so I doubt it's that.

The fact that we're bringing in Payne also makes me almost certain that it's Richard's influence. You want to tell me Vea is a special prospect who breaks the mold?

I'm not really buying it but I don't think it's impossible that that's their line of thinking.

But there is no way on God's green Earth that they would have been interested in both him and Payne in years past, I definitely think it's Richard's influence and/or a slight shift in philosophy.

There is a 0.0% chance that a guy like Payne is more explosive/athletic than a guy like Shariff Floyd who Marinelli wanted absolutely no part of.
Yeah and I even went back and checked out of curiosity to see if we brought Floyd in for a predraft visit. We did not. I agree, we don't really seem to use the predraft visits to fool anyone. Heck if we were trying to fool people why not bring in some first round corners as well. But we haven't bothered to do any of that. The fact that the two NT's sort of got added to the list at the same time and a little later tells me that maybe Richard convinced someone we should bring them in.

In case anyone is curious as of today we have:

5 O-lineman
6 WRs
4 D-lineman
3 LBers
1 safety
1 RB

So I think you can kind of see where the Cowboys priorities are. Which I can't say I disagree with.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Most recent visit list

O-line
James Daniels C Iowa 1 Rob Howe 18
Will Hernandez OG UTEP 1 Bobby Belt 23
Connor Williams OT Texas 1 David Helman 24
Kolton Miller G/T UCLA 1-2 James Layton 31
Desmond Harrison OT West Georgia 6-7 Josh Norris 228

Wide Receiver
WR Calvin Ridley WR Alabama 1 Bobby Belt 16
D.J. Moore WR Maryland 1-2 Neal Dalal 29
Christian Kirk WR Texas A&M 1-2 Bobby Belt 32
James Washington WR Oklahoma State 2-3 Todd Archer 70
Antonio Callaway WR Florida 4 Josh Norris 136
Daurice Fountain WR Northern Iowa 5-6 ConnorNFLDraft 196

Defensive Line
DL Vita Vea DT Washington 1 Aaron Wilson 10
Da'Ron Payne DT Alabama 1 Albert Breer 14
Harold Landry DE Boston College 1 Albert Breer 19
Taven Bryan DT Florida 1 Albert Breer 25

Linebackers
LB Leighton Vander Esch LB Boise St 1 Tony Pauline 22
Rashaan Evans LB Alabama 1-2 Bobby Belt 36
Darius Leonard LB South Carolina State 5 Tony Pauline 169

Runningback
Nyheim Hines RB NC State 3 The Wolfpacker 87

Safety
Deshon Elliott SS Texas 4-5 Jared Stager 145
 

Smitty

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You sure do love your defense.

But I couldn't complain about that draft at all. Love all the players in those rounds.
I love different things different years, because it's all based on opportunity; I think you personally have argued against me when I advocated drafting Julio Jones when we already had Dez Bryant.

My philosophy is strong lines and strong QB, and the rest filters down from there, but my second line of thinking after that would be, build dominant position groups or sides of the ball that you can lean on to win matchups.

I.e., our WR corps right now is pretty average or even below average. But Calvin Ridley is not Randy Moss; he's not gonna turn our WR corps from average to great like a Julio Jones prospect would. While adding Ridley to our WR corps definitely helps Prescott long term and definitely helps our WR corp's quality long term (and WR will need to be addressed sooner than later with serious draft assets), you aren't winning the NFC next year on the back of drafting Ridley, or even by drafting Ridley and Moore in rounds 1-2.

But if you add three first round picks to your OL, then your OL is a mauling unit that will win ball games. Much better than if you had one first round OL and two average free agent signings, and then a first round pick at WR and a first round pick at corner or something, and all position groups are just ok.

It's why I wanted Reggie Nelson and Brandon Meriweather one year. It's why I wanted to add Julio Jones TO Dez Bryant. It's why I have been ecstatic about the OL getting three first round picks.

Obviously there can be a point of diminishing returns, but usually two or three players to a unit does not reach that saturation point. But adding a fifth first round talent to our OL (along with Smith, Frederick, Martin and Collins) might not have the same return. Our OL is already basically the best in football and wins matchups routinely (or did when Chaz Green wasn't getting abused, but that's a depth problem not a starter problem).

So I am advocating trading up for Derwin James and then nabbing a second round LB because adding two studs to safety and linebacker really transform this defense into a top 5 unit IMO. Or trading up for Roquan Smith and then drafting Jesse Bates later.

Or, if we are gonna finally commit to getting a 1-T, then adding Vea and then adding starting safety and starting LB value later.

All those things transform our D. I am all-in on defense because that's the unit that's on the cusp. You can't really make this WR group elite right now. The OL can be reinforced with Hernandez but is already elite. The offense can't really take the next step without Prescott growing himself, and he's already got plenty of help with the OL and Elliott to lean on.

But the defense is close. The DL is very nice with Lawrence, Collins and Irving. Lee and Smith, when healthy, can be two good LBs. The secondary is more than set at corner.

A dynamic playmaking safety, a top LB, and another anchor on the DL, and this defense will be set, talent wise.

It's within reach. Make it happen. I'll patch WR and guard in free agency in order to make it happen, too.

It also would have helped if we had gone all-in and signed Tyran Mathieu. But instead we've been fixated on WR and OL in free agency. Of course, maybe that's cause we're gonna do what I want in the draft and load up on defense.
 

boozeman

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Cowboysrock55

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I love different things different years, because it's all based on opportunity; I think you personally have argued against me when I advocated drafting Julio Jones when we already had Dez Bryant.

My philosophy is strong lines and strong QB, and the rest filters down from there, but my second line of thinking after that would be, build dominant position groups or sides of the ball that you can lean on to win matchups.

I.e., our WR corps right now is pretty average or even below average. But Calvin Ridley is not Randy Moss; he's not gonna turn our WR corps from average to great like a Julio Jones prospect would. While adding Ridley to our WR corps definitely helps Prescott long term and definitely helps our WR corp's quality long term (and WR will need to be addressed sooner than later with serious draft assets), you aren't winning the NFC next year on the back of drafting Ridley, or even by drafting Ridley and Moore in rounds 1-2.

But if you add three first round picks to your OL, then your OL is a mauling unit that will win ball games. Much better than if you had one first round OL and two average free agent signings, and then a first round pick at WR and a first round pick at corner or something, and all position groups are just ok.

It's why I wanted Reggie Nelson and Brandon Meriweather one year. It's why I wanted to add Julio Jones TO Dez Bryant. It's why I have been ecstatic about the OL getting three first round picks.

Obviously there can be a point of diminishing returns, but usually two or three players to a unit does not reach that saturation point. But adding a fifth first round talent to our OL (along with Smith, Frederick, Martin and Collins) might not have the same return. Our OL is already basically the best in football and wins matchups routinely (or did when Chaz Green wasn't getting abused, but that's a depth problem not a starter problem).
I don't necessarily disagree with you. But our offense is only one year removed from being a special unit. So I'm not ready to just totally abandon them in an attempt to build the defense to something special. We have the elite running game and 3 all pro offensive lineman. I think it's just as easy for us to get back to a special offense like we had 2 years ago. And the defense has enough young pieces that they could get pretty good with just an addition or two. But if the draft falls like you suggested with your picks I'd have no problem with it. I also think this defense could be built to an excellent unit. Especially when you're talking about a NT because I think this D-line is close to being special. Lawrence and Irving proved last year they could be a dynamic duo. Throw in an elite 1 technique and Taco hopefully becoming a really good 6-8 sack guy next year and that D-line has the makings of special. You'd have 2 legit double digit sacks guys with a couple more disruptive starters in Taco and a 1 technique. Best part is you'd have some really good run defenders with length as well.
 

boozeman

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Simpleton

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Interesting, Speaks seems like a pure 3-T to me, more like an early Day 3 type.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Interesting, Speaks seems like a pure 3-T to me, more like an early Day 3 type.
Yep, reminds me a bit of Tyrone Crawford coming out of college. 285 pound DE who is pretty athletic for that size and who was productive playing end in college with 7 sacks this past year. I don't think he is as good of a prospect as Crawford was so you're probably right on with a fourth or fifth round grade. I think he is a 3 technique that you kick out to end in third and short situations.
 

boozeman

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boozeman

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Who will the Cowboys draft in the first round? Likely one of these pre-draft visitors

By Jon Machota , Staff Writer
Contact Jon Machota
on Twitter:
@jonmachota

The Cowboys have been known to draft a player or two off of their list of 30 national pre-draft visitors. Over the last decade, all but one of Dallas' first-round picks -- Morris Claiborne in 2012 -- has been on that list.

Now, the Cowboys don't always use all 30 visits. As of today, they have some spots still open. But the 20 names below at least provide a small glimpse into what they might do with the 19th overall pick later this month.

For anyone hoping to see that selection used on Jason Witten's future successor, that appears unlikely. The group doesn't include any tight ends, quarterbacks or cornerbacks.

It's also important to remember that players like SMU wide receiver Courtland Sutton don't usually get a 30 visit because they can participate in the Cowboys' annual Dallas Day event for local prospects, which is Friday at The Star.

There are also prospects including Texas A&M wide receiver Christian Kirk and Texas offensive tackle Connor Williams who are not on the 30 list but confirmed at their Pro Days that they had visits or private workouts scheduled with the Cowboys.

But since the 30 visits have been the most telling, especially when it comes to the first round, here are 20 players who have one of those scheduled with the Cowboys:

Player Position College
Nyheim Hines RB North Carolina State
Antonio Callaway WR Florida
Daurice Fountain WR Northern Iowa
D.J. Moore WR Maryland
Calvin Ridley WR Alabama
James Washington WR Oklahoma State
James Daniels OL Iowa
Desmond Harrison OL West Georgia
Mike McGlinchey OL Notre Dame
Kolton Miller OL UCLA
Taven Bryan DT Florida
Da'Ron Payne DT Alabama
Vita Vea DT Washington
Arden Key DE LSU
Harold Landry DE Boston College
Breeland Speaks DE Mississippi
Leighton Vander Esch LB Boise State
Rashaan Evans LB Alabama
Darius Leonard LB South Carolina State
Terrell Edmunds S Virginia Tech
---------------

The additions of Landry and McGlinchey were sort of sneaky.

Also surprising there is only one safety.
 
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