Moore: How did Cowboys enter rookie minicamp with three first-round talents?

[boozeman]

If we had taken Ajayi in the 3rd, and then still took Wilson in the 4th, he would have magically transformed from a who gives a shit Big 12 linebacker clone of Hitchens, into a good solid draft pick. Weird, I know.

Being a Hitchens clone is hardly a compliment. That guy would be considered a monumental goat if they didn't pick up the flag against Detroit.

 

[Smitty]

Being a Hitchens clone is hardly a compliment. That guy would be considered a monumental goat if they didn't pick up the flag against Detroit.

I'm on the record as saying I think it's better that Hitchens is a back up at all 3 spots, but you might be selling him just a bit short.

 

[NoDak]

Being a Hitchens clone is hardly a compliment. That guy would be considered a monumental goat if they didn't pick up the flag against Detroit.

I was only quoting you and what you had called him. Doesn't mean I agree with it.

 

[boozeman]

I'm on the record as saying I think it's better that Hitchens is a back up at all 3 spots, but you might be selling him just a bit short.

Five years from now, if Hitchens has an Al Singleton-like career, we will be lucky. Should that fill me with admiration?

 

[Smitty]

Five years from now, if Hitchens has an Al Singleton-like career, we will be lucky. Should that fill me with admiration?

Well I wouldn't feel like he was a "monumental goat."

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Talk about selective memory. Hitchens had 75 tackles and an INT last year as a part time starter. The guy was a tackling machine. To make this all about one play is the silliest thing I've heard. He did more last year then Singleton pretty much ever did in any given year.

 

[Cotton]

Talk about selective memory. Hitchens had 75 tackles and an INT last year as a part time starter. The guy was a tackling machine. To make this all about one play is the silliest thing I've heard. He did more last year then Singleton pretty much ever did in any given year.

Yeah, Hitchens was very solid last year. I hope he gets a lot of play time this year, which it looks like he will.

 

[Jiggyfly]

Five years from now, if Hitchens has an Al Singleton-like career, we will be lucky. Should that fill me with admiration?

For the way you were bitching about the pick and considering he was a 4th round pick ..........yes.

If you can consistently pick Al Singleton types in the 4th you are way ahead of the curve.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

For the way you were bitching about the pick and considering he was a 4th round pick ..........yes.

If you can consistently pick Al Singleton types in the 4th you are way ahead of the curve.

Has anyone addressed the fact that he played better last year then Al Singleton ever did in any year of his career? It's just a silly comparison that makes no coherent sense.

 

[hstour]

Five years from now, if Hitchens has an Al Singleton-like career, we will be lucky. Should that fill me with admiration?

No, but his play last year should at least soften your opinion on him because you didn't like the pick.

I know of at least 1 TFL on 4th & 1 that was a game changing play that he made. Want to say he had another in a similar situation, but I'd have to look that up.

And as others have said, he played well for a 4th round rookie.

 

[Jiggyfly]

Has anyone addressed the fact that he played better last year then Al Singleton ever did in any year of his career? It's just a silly comparison that makes no coherent sense.

That's not true, Hitchens had some real issues getting off blocks and Singleton was a good LB for awhile.

Let's not act like Hitchens had a great year he was serviceable overall but made some big plays as well. the question is can he make the next step.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

That's not true, Hitchens had some real issues getting off blocks and Singleton was a good LB for awhile.

Let's not act like Hitchens had a great year he was serviceable overall but made some big plays as well. the question is can he make the next step.

Dude made a lot of tackles after only starting part of a year. More tackles then Singleton was capable of ever making. Pretty hard to do that while stuck on blocks.

 

[Jiggyfly]

Dude made a lot of tackles after only starting part of a year. More tackles then Singleton was capable of ever making. Pretty hard to do that while stuck on blocks.

Singleton played with much better players and let's let Hitchens play several year on a top notch defense before saying where he ranks.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Singleton played with much better players and let's let Hitchens play several year on a top notch defense before saying where he ranks.

That's why I said in terms of a single season. Which statistically Hitchens had a better single season.

 

[Jiggyfly]

That's why I said in terms of a single season. Which statistically Hitchens had a better single season.

Yeah he had a much better statistical season than Singleton ever had I admit I was surprised at the difference.

 

[ravidubey]

That's why I said in terms of a single season. Which statistically Hitchens had a better single season.

Hitchens was superb.

I think the team has realized that without a strong DL they must rotate several quality LBs to remain effective so they keep drafting them.

Wouldn't it have been simpler to actually draft some linemen?

 

[hstour]

Hitchens was superb.

I think the team has realized that without a strong DL they must rotate several quality LBs to remain effective so they keep drafting them.

Wouldn't it have been simpler to actually draft some linemen?

I think that's an over-simplification. They got D-Linemen in FA and the draft (Hardy & Gregory). I think that filled out Marinelli's "rotation" of players he wants to move in/out.

But there were other wants too, like RB. But sometimes the draft flows such that the guy a team had graded as acceptable at the time you pick is gone, you have to look back to your board to see who left is someone you think highly of.

It's why, I believe, that they didn't come away with RB. Gregory was there, the talent difference was too great not to take him. Then RBs they had graded >= the lower picks got taken before they were on the clock.

 

[Clay_Allison]

Hitchens was superb.

I think the team has realized that without a strong DL they must rotate several quality LBs to remain effective so they keep drafting them.

Wouldn't it have been simpler to actually draft some linemen?

I think they just realize that LBs who throw their bodies around going all out to make plays tend to be fragile. LB has to be one of the most injury prone positions in football.

 

[ravidubey]

I think that's an over-simplification. They got D-Linemen in FA and the draft (Hardy & Gregory). I think that filled out Marinelli's "rotation" of players he wants to move in/out.

They wouldn't have to overdraft LB if they would just grab 1 decent space-eating DT. With better blocking up front there would be fewer injuries to the LB corps.

Hardy has the size and technique to play LDE, but they are putting him at RDE to get the best possible pass-rushing matchup. I suppose Mincy will slide to LDE so that should be an improvement over Selvie and help the strong side.

So that protects Hitchens, but with Crawford/Lawrence penetrating, Hayden overmatched most of the time, and Hardy/Gregory/Lawrence rushing-- where's the protection for the MLB and WLB?

All you needed was some stoutness and solid technique at Hayden's position and then everything takes care of itself. Lee and Wilson can fly to the ball and take down the occasional FB or TE. But with Hayden pushed backward by a single blocker an extra lineman also get shots on the LBs, and that's a killer.

Largely because of this Dallas' defense was weak to start with and was a M*A*S*H unit in Green Bay.

Hayden is killing us.

 

[Jiggyfly]

They wouldn't have to overdraft LB if they would just grab 1 decent space-eating DT. With better blocking up front there would be fewer injuries to the LB corps.

Hardy has the size and technique to play LDE, but they are putting him at RDE to get the best possible pass-rushing matchup. I suppose Mincy will slide to LDE so that should be an improvement over Selvie and help the strong side.

So that protects Hitchens, but with Crawford/Lawrence penetrating, Hayden overmatched most of the time, and Hardy/Gregory/Lawrence rushing-- where's the protection for the MLB and WLB?

All you needed was some stoutness and solid technique at Hayden's position and then everything takes care of itself. Lee and Wilson can fly to the ball and take down the occasional FB or TE. But with Hayden pushed backward by a single blocker an extra lineman also get shots on the LBs, and that's a killer.

Largely because of this Dallas' defense was weak to start with and was a M*A*S*H unit in Green Bay.

Hayden is killing us.

Who was this space eater in Tampa and Chicago?