Stephen Jones: DeMarcus Lawrence, Ryan Russell could play DT

Stephen Jones: DeMarcus Lawrence, Ryan Russell could play DT; why Texas’ Malcom Brown didn’t fit

Jon Machota Email jmachota@dallasnews.com
Published: May 12, 2015 2:16 pm

The defensive tackle position is one of the most misunderstood aspects of Rod Marinelli’s 4-3 defensive scheme. Many were left scratching their heads when the Cowboys passed on Sharrif Floyd early in the 2013 draft. Under Marinelli’s guidance, Dallas usually doesn’t put first-round value on the position.


But it was a surprise to some that the Cowboys did not select a defensive tackle with any of their eight picks in this year’s draft.

When Dallas was on the clock with the 27th pick in the first round, some were hoping the Cowboys would take Texas’ Malcom Brown, who went to New England five picks later. During a conference call with season-ticket holders last week, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones explained why they didn’t.

“Malcom Brown is a great football player and we did have him on our board,” Jones said. “He’s not the perfect ideal fit in Coach Marinelli’s system. He’s obviously a big physical player. But with Rod, in terms of what we look for with our under tackle, our three-technique — and it’s what Tyrone Crawford plays for us. Russell Maryland did it back when [Jimmy Johnson] was here, coaching the 4-3 when we went to Super Bowls. Leon Lett did it. — We call it a quick twitch.

“Those guys are real quick coming off the ball. Not that Malcom isn’t, but he’s more of a physical, what they call a two-gap defensive tackle, a nose tackle. We were really looking for people who pressure the quarterback in this draft, so we put a premium on that.”

Nick Hayden has been the Cowboys’ starting one-technique tackle the previous two seasons and will likely do so again in 2015. Behind him will be Terrell McClain, a player that will also see time at the three-technique.

Tyrone Crawford is Dallas’ starting three-technique tackle. According to Jones, DeMarcus Lawrence and rookie Ryan Russell could see some time playing that spot as well.

“Well, McClain, we feel really good about,” Jones said. “He’s kind of the backup nose, the backup defensive tackle for both sides in terms of those two tackle spots. The other one who will be able to play some tackle is DeMarcus Lawrence. He can slide down in there in sub packages and rush the passer. And then Ryan Russell, you can already see is 6-4, 270 pounds, has the frame to put on some more weight. He could be a guy ultimately who might swing down inside and give some rush there as well.

“We think it’s a really good group and one that’s going to have more depth than we’ve ever had. A lot of skills there. We think we’ll be much improved in that defensive line.”

Everyone understands what quick twitch is. I feel like they keep explaining it to us like we are retarded. The problem is the only quick twitch DT's we can seem to point to are former NFL players who no longer play and Aaron Donald. Every other top DT that gets brought up is called a two gap tackle. Even though I don't think that's really the players only skill set. So we are left talking about DE's to move to DT because apparently those are the only guys we consider quick enough.

I don't think this is a flaw in people's understanding of the system at all. I think it's a flaw in the Dallas scouting department that seems to put every guy who is near 300 lbs or more as more of a 2 gap player.

Cowboysrock55 said:

Everyone understands what quick twitch is. I feel like they keep explaining it to us like we are retarded. The problem is the only quick twitch DT's we can seem to point to are former NFL players who no longer play and Aaron Donald. Every other top DT that gets brought up is called a two gap tackle. Even though I don't think that's really the players only skill set. So we are left talking about DE's to move to DT because apparently those are the only guys we consider quick enough.

I don't think this is a flaw in people's understanding of the system at all. I think it's a flaw in the Dallas scouting department that seems to put every guy who is near 300 lbs or more as more of a 2 gap player.

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Or in the alternative, since they don't "value" or put first round grades on the space-eaters, where are the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th round DTs that they HAVE evaluated and liked for that 1-gap position? It's not like they don't play with a 1-gap tackle. They still need talented bodies there. Where is the attempt to upgrade that spot, not just in the first round, but in free agency, or in the later rounds of the draft, or anywhere? Or is Nick Hayden our scouting department's ideal 1-gap tackle? Cause if so then I know they are clueless at that position.

The nose tackle provides pressure by either not moving or pressing forward through a double team, allowing little or no room to step up in the pocket. There is no stat for this, except that it makes every other player on the entire defense better.

So to say you can't draft a 2-gap DT in the first round because you're "looking for pass rushers" boggles my mind. That guy makes the pass rushers you do have better. If he can also rush the passer, you've got a truly special player, and Brown had that potential.

We just have to accept the fact that while Marinelli is the DC we are not going to draft a DT high unless they are Warren Sapp reincarnated, which is basically what Aaron Donald is/was. We were still interested in a guy like Carl Davis in the 3rd and he isn't a prototypical 3-tech, so I think it's possible that we take a DT in the first few rounds at some point, we are just extremely picky and don't seem to prioritize it at all.

I can't argue too much with that philosophy considering guys like Crawford and Melton were DE's who kicked inside to become pretty good 3-techs, I just wish we'd try to make some kind of an effort to upgrade that 1-tech spot from Hayden/McClain/whoever.

Byron Jones better be good.

pdom said:

Byron Jones better be good.

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That's definitely true. Of course that's true about any first round pick.