1st round pick: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa

[NoDak]

Whatever. I've calmed down a bit but why does this team do the dumbest god damn things? It gets infatuated with its own needs because it doesn't do jack shit in free agency. It fixates on certain players for scheme fit and excludes far too many others. It penny pinches and drafts for cap savings.

It's trying to merely steer the ship. It's not trying hard enough to actually build a contender.

This selection is such clear evidence of that. Even if he ends up good he was a reach for need.

Why do you care?

 

[Smitty]

These publications don't give out worse grades than C+ for risk turning off their readers. Snooze.

 

[Smitty]

Same reaction but way different players. Frederick was your very safe pick. He may have gone earlier then expected but you knew there was almost no chance he wasn't at least a solid starter. Tyler Smith is more risk. The guy has to stop bear hugging dudes and extend his arms.

It's why the situations are nothing alike.

 

[Smitty]

Why do you care?

Why do you care why I care?

Oh, that's right... trolling.

 

[Smitty]

Sounds like some early PR spin to me.

He was the best player left on our board and our last first rounder too. Every other team wanted him. Pinky swear.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

This selection is such clear evidence of that. Even if he ends up good he was a reach for need.

Well that I don't necessarily agree with. If we didn't take him at 24 we weren't getting him. So if he turns into a good player, then you actually nailed it. A good LT is worth more then probably anyone else you would have taken at 24. Position value does matter.

 

[Smitty]

That's true but it's not like we overdrafted the guy by a full round or more like Carter or even someone like Trysten Hill.

It was an overdraft by maybe 10-15 picks, if you're only considering where we generally "think" he should've gone.

The real issue for me is not so much Smith, but bypassing the value in someone like Johnson, or trading down and still getting someone like Ebiketie, Travis Jones, etc. because we were locked in on an OL.

Tunnel. Vision.

 

[NoDak]

Why do you care why I care?

Oh, that's right... trolling.

So touchy. You said yourself, you don't care. Then when asked about it, it's trolling?

Ok.

 

[Genghis Khan]

Only thing I didn’t like: he wants to hurt people.

That's funny because that's the thing I like most about him.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

He was the best player left on our board and our last first rounder too. Every other team wanted him. Pinky swear.

Yeah, we may have had him over Green and Zion but I don't believe that he was our best available. Not unless we window dressed the board. Aka just put all the Olineman higher than any other position. I do think the Cowboys do some of that.

 

[Smitty]

FWIW... Around this time of year I like to listen to Pat Jones, the old Okie State and Dolphins and Raiders coach, and Jimmy's great buddy. He's got a lot of that McGinn scout in him where he's not afraid to call guys out. He lives in Tulsa and is very plugged into the local guys.

Basically saying a lot of what we have, he thought Smith was more of a top quarter of the second type guy, but that he has a lot of potential. Is ornery and aggressive. Not your typical Tulsa player that is undersized or lacking physically.

One thing, he says the holding penalties don't bother him one bit. Not even a little. Says that can and will be coached out of him. Says when evaluating college players for the draft he might not even put something like that on his report.

I can buy potential Flozell Adams upside.

We will see.

Still a lot of risk. Still a dumbass pick with what else was on the board.

But when you start cutting players you need with no replacements brought on this is what happens.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

That's funny because that's the thing I like most about him.

I do too. And I think that's infectious. It helps the other guys around you raise their level of intensity when you're out there destroying people. Larry Allen looked like he wanted to hurt people too.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

But when you start cutting players you need with no replacements brought on this is what happens

To be fair unless you consider Collins a LG this wasn't about cut players at all. It was about Connor Williams and Tyron Smith.

 

[NoDak]

Larry Allen looked like he wanted to hurt people too.

Yep. And Eric Williams. Two of the best we've ever had.

And no... I'm not saying Smith is Allen or Williams. Only that his play style and attitude are what we should want in an Olineman.

 

[NoDak]

To be fair unless you consider Collins a LG this wasn't about cut players at all. It was about Connor Williams and Tyron Smith.

Exactly.

But, you know...

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Exactly.

But, you know...

Now had we forced like Skyy Moore at the pick, different story. I just hope the stars align for us in the second round at WR. I think we will need to see a couple teams reach for receivers like Alec Pierce, Skyy Moore, Metchie or Tolbert to get us there. But Cole Strange won't be the last head scratching pick before our second rounder. Just give me Pickens or Watson. I think those guy could make the receiver corp scary again. And with improved O-line play (I feel like we upgraded LG) maybe Kellen Moore can look smart again.

If not I hope we are at least open to defensive options. If Ojabo falls to our pick, injury be damned I'm taking him. I think day two of the draft is my favorite despite the fact that Dallas seems to go unhinged regularly in the second round.

 

[Genghis Khan]

But when you start cutting players you need with no replacements brought on this is what happens.

This will be the big takeaway in this draft I'm guessing.

 

[Genghis Khan]

To be fair unless you consider Collins a LG this wasn't about cut players at all. It was about Connor Williams and Tyron Smith.

Collins could certainly play left guard if given an off-season of it. But I don't think this pick was about LG, more like LT. And I certainly think Collins could play LT whenever Tyron hangs it up, and Collins is young enough to still have been the future there.

I definitely think this pick isn't made if Collins is on the team and they're happy with him.

They just seem to love getting rid of important players with no real plan of succession.

And no, "WE'LL JUST DRAFT A GUY AT ALL COSTS" isn't a real plan

 

[NoDak]

This will be the big takeaway in this draft I'm guessing.

The only real head scratcher to me was Amari Cooper, and giving him away for peanuts. As for Collins, I don't really know why the team soured on him, but he has been declining and showing subpar effort and attitude as of late. And I think the team was/is comfortable with Steele taking over for him. At the very least, in the short term anyway. So I don't agree with the 'no replacements' thing with him.

 

[boozeman]

That's funny because that's the thing I like most about him.

He could do the Three Stooges eye poke like Erik Williams and he becomes my favorite player.