Archer: Aaron Donald makes sense for Cowboys

[Cotton]

Aaron Donald makes sense for Cowboys

February, 25, 2014

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


INDIANAPOLIS -- Pitt defensive tackle Aaron Donald has been linked to the Dallas Cowboysmore than any player.

Given the Cowboys’ need on the defensive line and Donald’s production on the field, it makes sense. Does he fit the prototype? Not particularly, because he is only 6-foot-1, but he has everything else. He had 26.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in 2013 for Pitt.

At the NFL scouting combine Donald was able to put numbers up with his stats.

He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds. He bench-pressed 225 pounds 35 times. He had a 32-inch vertical jump. He had a nine-feet, three-inch broad jump. He had a 7.11-second time in the three-cone drill.

“I would love to play for anyone, but it would be great to play for them,” Donald said over the weekend of playing for the Cowboys. “I love the way they play up front. They let their three-tech just go attack.”

Now the question is whether Donald could be around when the Cowboys make the 16th pick in the draft. He might have done too well in a way, but there will be some teams that will knock him for his height.

“Thinking about it ain’t going to get me no taller,” Donald said.

The Cowboys need impact players from this draft. Donald could be their best bet.

“I feel I can make an impact right away,” Donald said. “Earn the trust from the coaches, learn the playbook, get on the field right away and make an impact, earn the respect of the vets and try to get out there and win games with them.”

 

[Newt]

If Donald is there at 16 we should run to the podium and turn in our pick.

 

[ravidubey]

Told you he won't be there at 16. If we fans can pinpoint a guy, every NFL scouting department with half a clue has already done it four times over.

 

[boozeman]

Told you he won't be there at 16. If we fans can pinpoint a guy, every NFL scouting department with half a clue has already done it four times over.

Old news.

 

[ravidubey]

Old news.

I'm referring to my post in "Machota-Mock-draft-roundup-Pittsburgh-DT-Aaron-Donald-becoming-a-popular-name"

If we zero in on a player, he will most likely be long gone, especially the more attention he gets.

 

[Smitty]

If he's not, someone else will be. There are 16 names I like in the first round in this draft at least.

 

[boozeman]

If he's not, someone else will be. There are 16 names I like in the first round in this draft at least.

Well?

List them.

Punk.

I would list mine but you will have to wait for my Blue Book to be mailed out in early April.

 

[Simpleton]

There are still very few teams that will take Donald before us, I'd honestly be surprised if he went to anybody besides the Bears. I still think there's about a 50/50 chance he's there, it isn't a no-brainer that he's gone like Khalil Mack or something.

And I agree, even if he's gone there will be guys there that I like, even non-DL like Zack Martin and Pryor.

 

[Smitty]

Well?

List them.

Punk.

I would list mine but you will have to wait for my Blue Book to be mailed out in early April.

Not necessarily in this order, but players I'd be ok with at 16?

1) Blake Bortles
2) Johnny Manziel
3) Teddy Bridgewater
4) Jadeveon Clowney
5) Khalil Mack
6) Greg Robinson
7) Jake Matthews
8) Sammy Watkins
9) Anthony Barr
10) Aaron Donald
11) Kony Ealy
12) Taylor Lewan
13) CJ Mosley
14) Zach Martin
15) Calvin Pryor
16) Trade down for Hageman, Kouandjio, Moses, etc.

This is assuming no Mike Evans, no CBs, no Jernigan, no reaches at all, go before we pick.

Which would be practically unheard of.

We'll get someone we like at 16 no problem.

 

[Simpleton]

I'd include Jernigan in that group and I'd also say that there is a pretty solid shot that Evans goes before we pick.

 

[lostxn]

No Louis Nix?

 

[Simpleton]

I'd be fine with Nix at 16 but I've kind of mentally blocked him out because I know there is a 0.0% chance that we take him.

 

[Cotton]

Gosselin: There's one player in this draft who could really make the Cowboys' defense dynamic

Rick Gosselin rgosselin@dallasnews.com
Published: 25 February 2014 07:35 PM
Updated: 26 February 2014 08:32 AM

INDIANAPOLIS — Jason Garrett needs a quarterback to make his offense go with the Cowboys. Rod Marinelli needs an under tackle to make his defense go.

Garrett has his quarterback in Tony Romo. But Marinelli does not have his under tackle, not if the Cowboys let Jason Hatcher walk in free agency. And even if Hatcher stays, at 32 years of age this season, the Cowboys need to get the next generation at the position in place.

So, with all the needs the Cowboys have on their historic bad defense, the under-tackle position is the most pressing. Get that player in place, and Marinelli has a chance to compete on defense something the Cowboys failed to do last season even with Hatcher having a career year.

A dynamic under tackle makes for a dynamic Tampa 2 defensive scheme.

Which is why Pitt’s Aaron Donald intrigues me in this draft.

There was no more dynamic defensive player in college football last season than Donald, who took home the Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski and Outland trophies and awards as the game’s best defender in 2013. He led the nation with 28 1/2 tackles for loss, including 11 sacks.

Donald is the most decorated defensive tackle to enter the NFL since Ndamukong Suh, who won the same four trophies as Donald for his own defensive prowess at Nebraska in 2009. He has since gone to three Pro Bowls with the Detroit Lions.

But they are two different players. At 6-4, 307 pounds, Suh is physically dominant. He mauls blockers. At 6-0 1/2, 285, Donald relies on his speed. He embarrasses blockers with his quick penetration into backfields. Donald ran a 4.65 40 at the combine. That’s electric for a man his size.

In the Tampa 2, one tackle the nose tackle lines up across from the center and the other tackle the under tackle lines up on the outside shoulder of the guard in a gap. This all but eliminates double-team blocks because the offensive tackle on that side is occupied by the defensive end. It creates a one-on-one battle inside with a premium on defensive quickness getting upfield into that gap.

The NFL likes size across the board. Bigger is better at all positions. But smaller seems to work quite well at under tackle in the Tampa 2 scheme of the Cowboys.

Both 2013 coordinator Monte Kiffin and 2014 coordinator Marinelli know what kind of tackle excels in their scheme. Kiffin coached a Hall of Fame under tackle in this scheme at Minnesota in John Randle, and he and Marinelli coached another Hall of Fame under tackle at Tampa Bay in Warren Sapp.

Randle played at 6-1, 287 pounds and Sapp 6-1, 300. Donald would like to be taller, but he’s not obsessed with his lack of size.
“Thinking about it isn’t going to make me taller,” Donald said. “All I can do is play the game of football the way I play it hard-nosed, out there trying to make plays.”
Donald made plays aplenty in 2013. He collected 11 tackles, including six for losses, plus a sack against Georgia Tech, then 3 1/2 tackles for loss and a blocked extra point vs. Syracuse. His sack in the final minute against Bowling Green preserved Pitt’s bowl victory.

The Cowboys need plays on defense. Desperately. They need interior penetration and pressure. They need pass rush and sacks.

The Cowboys managed only 34 sacks last season 26 fewer than NFC South champion Carolina. That lack of quarterback pressure limited the Cowboys to 15 interceptions 13 fewer than NFC West champion Seattle. If you want to compete with the best teams in the NFC, you must play defense with the best teams in the NFC.

The Tampa 2 demands that the pressure come from the front four. The linemen play the run on the way to the quarterback. That frees up the linebackers for coverage and increases the chances for interceptions and takeaways. This is not a blitz-heavy scheme. It relies on the four linemen to do the heavy lifting.

Jerry Jones said a year ago at this time that defensive line was a strength of the Cowboys. Then Jay Ratliff didn’t play a down, Anthony Spencer gave the Cowboys one game and DeMarcus Ware struggled with injuries and the aging process the entire season.

Only Hatcher showed up and overachieved with 11 sacks. That said, the Cowboys still finished last in the NFL in yards allowed and 26th in points on the way to yet another 8-8 finish. Now the defensive line needs to be overhauled in 2014.

Sapp had a 16 1/2-sack season in this scheme and Randle a 15 1/2-sack season. The Vikings led the NFL in defense with Randle their best player in 1993, and the Bucs did the same in 2002 with Sapp a dominating inside presence.

Just as it starts at quarterback on offense for the Cowboys, it must start at under tackle in this defense. When you find a great one, you compete for championships.

 

[Rev]

That article didn't mention anything about our first pick, Manziel.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

The Cowboys managed only 34 sacks last season 26 fewer than NFC South champion Carolina.

The scary part about that is our top sack guy in Hatcher is probably going to be walking. Adding Donald is probably at best a lateral move this up coming year. So if we really want to improve this defense we are going to need to do a hell of a lot more then just that.

 

[bbgun]

It would take a lot more than Donald to make our defense "dynamic."

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I'd be fine with Nix at 16 but I've kind of mentally blocked him out because I know there is a 0.0% chance that we take him.

I wouldn't love it but I wouldn't hate it. I don't think he would ever be a dynamic player in this defense but I think he is more athletic then your average NT and he would probably start for a long time in our defense at one of the two DT spots.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

100 tackles, 0 sacks and 0 ints with a serious injury history.

If you read that stat line for a senior LBer in college would you be thinking top 16 pick? Mosely may have gone to Alabama and been a leader on that defense but I want no part of him at all in the first round.

 

[BipolarFuk]

We'll have to trade up for Donald.

Let's move on to more likely prospects at 16.

 

[Smitty]

I'd be fine with Nix at 16 but I've kind of mentally blocked him out because I know there is a 0.0% chance that we take him.

Right.

No chance we want him in this scheme.