Archer: Stephen Jones on Cowboys' draft process

[Cotton]

Stephen Jones on Cowboys' draft process

February, 23, 2014

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


INDIANAPOLIS -- If you make even the slightest connection to Jerry Jones and the NFL draft, expect something sarcastic.

On Saturday I tweeted that the Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager had arrived in Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine. Within minutes there were several reactions. One follower tweeted, “Jerry … Talent evaluation at it’s (sic) best.”

Jones has earned the reputation because of the Cowboys’ poor drafts, but there is also a misconception at how the Cowboys’ draft is run.

“That Jerry sits up there and out of the clear blue just grabs a guy and says, ‘We’re going to take him,’” executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “I mean, are you kidding me? I mean that’s just not how it works. Most of the time there is a consensus and you work through it and work to it, and it’s well thought out. We use all our resources. We spend millions of dollars in our scouting department and spend a lot of money on our coaches. Everybody has tremendous input and I think it’s a good system.”

The “most of the time,” part of that quote stands out.

“Everybody will have a chance to have an opinion and then of course Jerry will weigh in and most of the time we tend to agree,” Stephen Jones said, “but when we don’t obviously he’ll make that decision.”

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Why is they feel the need to constantly bring up the money as a factor? Every time they do that it basically is saying "Listen, we spend a ton of money and still can't get it right."

 

[jeebs]

One thing about jerry, is we all know he is a moron and it will take his death to change this team. There was an article a while back about how many other owners make the final call on their pet cats, they just make the gms fall on their sword when those cats can't hunt.

 

[ravidubey]

There was an article a while back about how many other owners make the final call on their pet cats, they just make the gms fall on their sword when those cats can't hunt.

Case in point Snyder and his project RG3. Shanahan took that blade, not the GM, but it's the same thing.

 

[UncleMilti]

Stephen Jones, Jerry, Jesus himself can twist and turn and play smoke and mirrors with who makes the draft calls....but the fact remains...this FO is one of the worst, if not the worst in the NFL when it comes to drafting strategies and moving on from unproductive players.

And, its reflected in the record.

 

[ravidubey]

Stephen Jones, Jerry, Jesus himself can twist and turn and play smoke and mirrors with who makes the draft calls....but the fact remains...this FO is one of the worst, if not the worst in the NFL when it comes to drafting strategies and moving on from unproductive players.

And, its reflected in the record.

It comes from running the team by committee and no one person having a guiding vision. Everyone has to compromise and no one wins. The only one with real power doesn't know enough to contribute a strong, meaningful opinion.

When they finally land on a player who succeeds, they exaggerate their skills and over-coddle their egos to a crazy degree patting themselves on the back all the way and never wanting to let go.