Archer: Names to keep an eye on for Cowboys

Cotton

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Names to keep an eye on for Cowboys

April, 25, 2013

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas – Over the last few years, the Cowboys’ top-30 visitors before the draft have been a good indicator into who they end up selecting.

Guys like Dez Bryant, Sean Lee, Tyrone Crawford and Matt Johnson, among others, visited Valley Ranch and ended up getting picked by the team.

Here is the list of this year’s invites to keep handy for the next three days:

S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
S Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International
S Eric Reid, LSU
G Chance Warmack, Alabama
RB Le’Veon Bell, Michigan State
RB Joseph Randle, Oklahoma State
DL Sheldon Richardson, Missouri
RB Knile Davis, Arkansas
G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina
OL Justin Pugh, Syracuse
DT Kawann Short, Purdue
DT Jordan Hill, Penn State
C Travis Frederick, Wisconsin
S Phillip Thomas, Fresno State
WR DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson
LB Sio Moore, Connecticut
LB Gerald Hodges, Penn State
CB B.W Webb, William & Mary
WR Charles Johnson, Grand Valley State
RB Giovani Bernard, North Carolina
OL Kyle Long, Oregon
S J.J. Wilcox, Georgia Southern
LB Brandon Magee, Arizona State
TE D.C. Jefferson, Rutgers
TE Dion Sims, Michigan State
WR Markus Wheaton, Oregon State
S Jakar Hamilton, South Carolina State
DT Bennie Logan, LSU
 

ravidubey

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Thanks for posting.

Barring a reach for Reid or Short at 18 it looks a whole lot like a trade down doesn't it? I'd also say they are going to draft a safety in rounds 1-3 if it kills them.
 

Cotton

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Thanks for posting.

Barring a reach for Reid or Short at 18 it looks a whole lot like a trade down doesn't it? I'd also say they are going to draft a safety in rounds 1-3 if it kills them.
I'm hoping for a trade down situation. The more picks in this draft the better. Even if it is numbnuts running the war room.
 

ravidubey

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I'm hoping for a trade down situation. The more picks in this draft the better. Even if it is numbnuts running the war room.
The trick is to not get ripped off in the trade value out of desperation. Ideally Geno Smith falls to 18 and our used car salesman owner pulls off a coup, getting the Cards, Eagles, Jets, and Bills spooging themselves in an attempt to trade up. Maybe a few Cowboys Cage Dancers to prime the pump?
 

Cowboysrock55

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This draft is great in the second to third round range. I'd love to have an extra second or third round pick in this draft. I wouldn't be trading down for fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh rounders though. We almost always blow those picks anyway.
 

Carp

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I don't think this draft is great in the 2nd and 3rd rounds at all. There is inferior first round talent, making players that would be 4th-6th round picks in other drafts, legit 2nd rounders in this one.
 

ravidubey

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I don't think this draft is great in the 2nd and 3rd rounds at all. There is inferior first round talent, making players that would be 4th-6th round picks in other drafts, legit 2nd rounders in this one.
Ugh, then trading down is a terrible idea and trading up for Warmack makes much more sense. Dallas has to jump up at most ten spots to grab a legit 1st rounder. If this draft is for shit after pick 16 then by all means the Cowboys need to do that. 2009 was a similar draft (possibly worse) from the way things sound, and Dallas is still paying for not trading up to take Unger or passing on LeSean McCoy because they were supposedly "set" at RB.
 

Carp

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I see that line of thinking, but I also see some very serviceable players in that mix should we add picks.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I don't think this draft is great in the 2nd and 3rd rounds at all. There is inferior first round talent, making players that would be 4th-6th round picks in other drafts, legit 2nd rounders in this one.
I definitely disagree with this sentiment and most experts would as well. I however don't prescribe to the thought that this is a super deep draft. I think there is a bunch of talent that will go in the second and third round and then after that it will dry up pretty quickly.
 

Carp

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I definitely disagree with this sentiment and most experts would as well. I however don't prescribe to the thought that this is a super deep draft. I think there is a bunch of talent that will go in the second and third round and then after that it will dry up pretty quickly.
If this was a better draft at the top they would not be 2nd and 3rd rounders. I don't need an expert to agree with me on that.
 

Cowboysrock55

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If this was a better draft at the top they would not be 2nd and 3rd rounders. I don't need an expert to agree with me on that.
How many players are missing from the top in your opinion? The standard top 5 guys might be missing in this draft, but after that it isn't really missing anything at the top. That wouldn't shift fourth and fifth rounders into second and third rounders as you are implying. This draft has had more underclassmen declare then ever before and it has led to a talent second/third round.
 

ravidubey

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I see that line of thinking, but I also see some very serviceable players in that mix should we add picks.
But if you're saying the 2nd and 3rd rounders would have been 4th and 5th rounders in a strong draft class like 2010, then what kind of putrid crap must the 4th and 5th rounders be?

Remember 2009? Four pro-bowlers from the entire draft class from rounds 3-7 compared with seven in 2010, and that's with an extra year of playing. This is the Patriots 2009 draft, and bolded are the few players still on the team, only one of quality.

Round Two (34th)- S Patrick Chung
Round Two (40th)- DT Ron Brace
Round Two (41st)- CB Darius Butler
Round Two (58th)- OT Sebastian Vollmer
Round Three (83rd)- WR Brandon Tate
Round Three (97th)- LB Tyronne McKenzie
Round Four (123rd)- G Rich Ohrnberger
Round Five (170th)- T George Bussey
Round Six (198th)- LS Jake Ingram
Round Six (207th)- DT Myron Pryor
Round Seven (232nd)- WR Julian Edelman
Round Seven (234th)- DT Darryl Richard


If a guy like Warmack might be an all-timer, trade up to get him and don't look back.
 

Carp

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How many players are missing from the top in your opinion? The standard top 5 guys might be missing in this draft, but after that it isn't really missing anything at the top. That wouldn't shift fourth and fifth rounders into second and third rounders as you are implying. This draft has had more underclassmen declare then ever before and it has led to a talent second/third round.
It's simple...there is not quality at the top, so it pushes guys that would be 2nd and 3rd rounder in other years into the first round. A guy like Floyd is a perfect example...he is a top 5 pick this year, but in any other year he is a late first early second.
 

Carp

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Let me clarify...I think this is a bad draft from top to bottom. Definitely some players I would like, but it is a weak class overall. Since we are dropping the experts line, some have called this the weakest in 10 or so years.
 

ravidubey

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It's simple...there is not quality at the top, so it pushes guys that would be 2nd and 3rd rounder in other years into the first round. A guy like Floyd is a perfect example...he is a top 5 pick this year, but in any other year he is a late first early second.
So then all the more important to grab a guy like Warmack who would be elite in any draft. Or Lotulelei. Picks this year are worth less, so package them and move up.

All the Patriots came away with from all of 2009 was Vollmer and they had a ridiculous four 2nd round picks and two thirds. I bet to a man in hindsight they wish they hadn't traded down in that terrible draft class.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Let me clarify...I think this is a bad draft from top to bottom. Definitely some players I would like, but it is a weak class overall. Since we are dropping the experts line, some have called this the weakest in 10 or so years.
If that's your opinion that is fine. If that's the case though you should be advocating trading picks for future years. Bail out of this draft all together then if you really believe fifth, sixth, and seventh rounders will be second and third rounders this year.

I disagree with your premise that this is the worst draft in 10 years though. I think that is crazy talk. I think it is a terrible year to have a top 5 pick but otherwise it is a pretty standard draft with a bigger "middle class" then usual.
 

Carp

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It is not my premise...a high ranking NFL official said that per multiple articles.
 

boozeman

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Let me clarify...I think this is a bad draft from top to bottom. Definitely some players I would like, but it is a weak class overall. Since we are dropping the experts line, some have called this the weakest in 10 or so years.
I recall worse about the 2009 draft.

This is weak because there is not the star power there usually is at the top, but there are some exceptionally strong position groups in terms of depth.
 
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