Sturm's Draft Series

Jiggyfly

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Sterling Shepard?

Is he really getting 1st round hype?

There are a couple of DE's he should have been breaking down before a guy like Shepard who would be down a ways on the needs for the Cowboys.
 

boozeman

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Sterling Shepard?

Is he really getting 1st round hype?

There are a couple of DE's he should have been breaking down before a guy like Shepard who would be down a ways on the needs for the Cowboys.
Why? He did Coleman. Same kind of player IMO.
 

Simpleton

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I don't think Shepard will be a 1st, nor would I pick him at 34. I'd be fine with him at the top of the 3rd, perhaps even in the last 10-15 or so picks of the 2nd if we end up with a pick in that range.
 

Jiggyfly

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Why? He did Coleman. Same kind of player IMO.
Coleman is getting legitimate 1st round buzz and is a much more explosive player.

I don't see how anybody would think Shepard would be in the discussion for us at 34.
 

dallen

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Sterling Shepard?

Is he really getting 1st round hype?

There are a couple of DE's he should have been breaking down before a guy like Shepard who would be down a ways on the needs for the Cowboys.
I think Sturm is trying to cover guys we might be interested in who will be available with our first three picks, not necessarily just 1st rounders
 

Jiggyfly

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I think Sturm is trying to cover guys we might be interested in who will be available with our first three picks, not necessarily just 1st rounders
I get that but I guess I just see other positions of higher need with better talent than Shepard.

He has not looked at Dodd or the DE from OK State if I remember correctly, what about the other CB's or the other DT from Alabama.

I don't know Shepard just seemed kind of random but maybe he is ranked higher than I thought.
 

Simpleton

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I get that but I guess I just see other positions of higher need with better talent than Shepard.

He has not looked at Dodd or the DE from OK State if I remember correctly, what about the other CB's or the other DT from Alabama.

I don't know Shepard just seemed kind of random but maybe he is ranked higher than I thought.
I think Sturm just bounces around.
 

VA Cowboy

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I don't see Shepard even being a borderline 1st. I view him as a 3rd round prospect who could move into the bottom of the 2nd.
 

fortsbest

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I wanna see us draft Colby Listenbee is we can get him somewhere reasonable. Dude may be the fastest WR in the draft and can catch.
 

Cotton

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[h=1]Bob Sturm's draft profile series: Why UCLA DL Kenny Clark could be attractive option for Dallas Cowboys[/h]
By Bob Sturm, Special contributor Contact Bob Sturmon Twitter:@SportsSturm

I have never been a scout or a NFL general manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can. To read more about the 2016 NFL Draft Project, Click Here.

Kenny Clark, DE, UCLA - 6'3, 314 - Junior - #97

If there is one thing the 2016 draft has plenty of it would be the multitude of top notch defensive tackles. Some are perfect for 3-4, a few look capable of the coveted 3-technique, but most seem that stout 4-3 defensive tackle lined up right on the shoulder of the center as the 1-technique. His job is not necessarily to make plays on his own very often, but rather to stand his ground, take on the constant double teams, and keep his linebackers clean of having to deal with too many offensive linemen. It is not a glamour position by any means, but if you look at the success of the UCLA linebackers in the last few years (Erik Kendricks, Myles Jack) you would have to admit that he has done his job wonderfully of allowing those run-and-hit linebackers to actually run-and-hit.

By now, you know that the Cowboys have a tradition of not valuing this spot very highly. There is the story of Rod Marinelli actually debating against his own front office in favor of NOT taking Sharrif Floyd because the coach thought he was just a 1-technique (the Vikings obviously disagreed with that thought) and he did not believe 1-techniques belong in Round 1. That tells you that they believe they can find guys to do this job without allocating top resources (high picks, high salaries) and they have filled the spot for three seasons under Marinelli in the new scheme with Nick Hayden who has started 47 of 48 games at this spot for a grand total of about $2 million dollars. That is without question the cheapest spot on the field for the Cowboys to fill over the last three seasons at the cost of $45,000 a game. You could fill that position for 25 seasons for the cost of one year of Tony Romo.

But, sometimes you get what you pay for. Hayden has been fine and he is now a free agent again, but the gifts Kenny Clark has (and many others at this spot in the '16 Draft) make us wonder how much better a premium prospect could improve things in the front seven if the Cowboys allocated a high second-rounder to fill this spot. Clark has been a real stout player for UCLA for 3 seasons after a background in wrestling (that is great for DT leverage techniques) and put on a solid show at the combine to showcase his outstanding strength. At 20 years old, he appears to be the type of guy worth investing in to bring that defensive line to the next level.





What I liked: He is as stout as they come where he just absolutely overpowers any interior lineman he is matched up against. This automatically turns into the situation where he is constantly double-teamed on any run play because the opponent quickly realizes that this is their only chance to move the pile even a bit. He also walks guys routinely right back into the ball carrier or the quarterback and causes a play to be stopped or re-routed altogether. He is very strong and also plays with a great low level that gives him a leverage advantage at every turn. He will keep your linebackers clean. He can hold a blocker off with 1-arm and absolutely control his man and lead him as he wishes. He puts guys on roller skates and will not get moved backwards. You never see him on the ground and you really never see him blown backwards. He does read plays pretty well for a DT and can sniff out ideas from the offense. He also will occasionally collapse the pocket from the front, allowing edge rushers a tremendous advantage. He disengages from blockers well.





What I did not like: With this stoutness comes the assumed idea that he doesn't move real well. I wouldn't say it is below average, but it also isn't really above average in terms of moving laterally or chasing down plays. He pretty much is a roadblock in the middle of the field but is not getting too far outside the hash marks very often. He doesn't appear to have many pass rush ideas other than mauling and fork-lifting the center backwards. That works well at time, but at the NFL level, he will need to develop more than that if he wishes to make plays on the other side of the line of scrimmage. You also wonder about his usage as UCLA left him out there for all the plays and if he worked as more of a rotation he would have a slightly more active level.





Summary and potential fit with the Cowboys: We have certainly seen many talented 1-techniques over the years fall past the Cowboys as they convince themselves that this spot is not worth investment. It would be easier to agree with them if A) the rest of the league thought the same way and B) if their defensive line appeared top notch either way. However, in the case of the Cowboys front, since the scheme change, it has sure felt like they could use upgrades at several spots including this one. The fact that the draft is ripe with this type of player suggests that in the second or third round, they might find a significant upgrade from what they have used there for three years.

Clark is a heck of a player and demonstrates the traits you are looking for. He also has a very interesting backstory that suggests he has a motivation level that is appealing as well. I like him quite a bit and wonder if he would still be available at No. 34. If he is, this would be a very attractive option.

You can view plenty of his tape here at Draftbreakdown.com.




 

GShock

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I hate our DT philosophy. Look at teams that have strong defensive interiors. Look at how that benefits literally every other position on the defense.

We will throw money at DEs and injury prone LBs and premium draft picks at DBs, but won't spend the money or resources on the positions that will make the DEs more effective, protect the LBs, and collapse the pocket, providing more turnover opportunities for our DBs.

I get that it is a philosophy. I just think it is wrong.
 

fortsbest

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Yeah well, no one here has ever said this teams leadership knew anything about football. :buddy
 

Cowboysrock55

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I get that it is a philosophy. I just think it is wrong.
I just don't get it. Some of the best defenses Marinelli has been a part of featured either a first or second round pick at the 1 technique spot.

This idea that teams double team Hayden simply because of where he is lined up is a bunch of crap. And then even if the guy is double teamed it's like we assume that Hayden will deal with the double team in the same fashion a really talented 1 technique would. Again it's just false, the really great DTs will split a double team and cause big problems for an offense.
 

boozeman

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Bob Sturm's Draft Profile Series: Oklahoma St's Emmanuel Ogbah Can Produce Results At DE

By Bob Sturm , Special contributor Contact Bob Sturm on Twitter: @SportsSturm
Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma St - 6'4, 275 - Junior - #38

If you wish to get a good feel for the draft from a national "group think" perspective where a rumor of how NFL people feel affect the overall perception of a player - fair or not - look no further than the case of Oklahoma State's Emmanuel Ogbah. For the Oklahoma State product, who has done nothing but dominate at his level for two full seasons (in which he matched up against many NFL prospects across from him), has seen his stock rise and fall frequently over the last year.

Last spring and into the summer, the Nigerian-born Ogbah was thought of as a tremendous prospect who would likely be selected in the Top 10 before it was all said and done. Then, during the season, reports surfaced that Ogbah plays too upright and too stiff and might be the type of guy to really slide in this draft. That was followed by his appearance at the NFL Combine where he was frankly dominant in many of his tests, including a 40-yard dash that beat quite a few wide receivers, a tremendous vertical leap and broad jump, and a great showing from the quickness and agility test in the 3-cone drill.

This is most likely why it is a good idea to avoid the noise as much as possible with the daily news of what one scout or one team thinks or floats out there during the very noisy draft season.

Ogbah is a very interesting player that does have conflicting attributes that make him a complex study. He also plays on a defensive front where - unlike Ohio State or Alabama - he is the main point of attention for any offense. So, he gets double-teamed on a regular basis. The opponent focuses on where he is lined up and deploy troops in his direction. Oklahoma State would counter by moving him around and adjusting his spot from outside to inside; from down with hands in the ground to up and standing. And the sum total of the 26 games in the last two years is a rather staggering 24 sacks, 34.5 tackles for loss, and 113 tackles. He was as productive an edge player as you will find in this draft.





What I liked: He is a very explosive player who is willing to battle hard throughout a play - regardless of how much attention he is getting. He runs down plays from behind and is able to get around the corner from both the LDE and the RDE. He does most of his damage against the RT, but his interchanging from side to side and even from the inside against guards make him the type of player that teams will value as a traditional edge rusher who has ideal size and rare quickness and speed. He runs to the ball and stays plenty active in his play and will use a very effective rip move to work his way into a QB's lap. When he gets there, he arrives with violence by distributing very physical hits and also doing everything in his power to knock the ball loose - which he does with great regularity. He can absolutely ruin games at the college level and that makes a player like Ogbah quite attractive with his ability to average a little more than 2 explosive plays per game from the time he became a starter.






What I did not like:There will be some questions about his strength as a stout DE on the strong side as he can get moved out of the way a bit and appears to prefer to be the penetrator rather than the stand-your-ground type of guy against the run. But, the big issue that is a legitimate concern from NFL teams is whether or not he has a high NFL ceiling. They estimate this by looking for a player that bends well and plays low so when Ogbah comes along and appears to possess some stiffness in his technique, scouts try to project whether this is a coaching issue that can be easily cleaned up or whether he doesn't have the same fluidity of the premier edge rushers in the NFL. Basically, the question is whether they think he is an average pass rusher on Sundays or does he have the chance to be much better?





Summary and Potential Fit For the Cowboys: I tend to believe Ogbah is worth taking in the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] round at a certain point. He is very athletic and closes down plays around the pocket with a ferocity that looks like DeMarcus Ware at times. I am not suggesting he is ever going to get 100 NFL sacks, but I do like the traits of a guy like Ogbah in a draft that isn't exactly loaded with pass rushers from DE.

The Cowboys have an interesting opening at this position as it presently stands as their defensive end situation appears to be DeMarcus Lawrence and a number of question marks as we head to free agency. But, if Emmanuel Ogbah can somehow make his way down the board and into Dallas' range, I think this is the type of player that might be a fine player to pair with Lawrence as edge rushers with Randy Gregory fitted as a situational 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] DE when he returns from his suspension. I definitely acknowledge the scouting questions that exist about Ogbah's technique, but the results he has consistently put up on Saturdays has me bullish on his future. I like his game quite a bit. And we definitely know the Cowboys follow this Oklahoma State program quite closely and are more than happy to convert Cowboys into Cowboys.

You can view plenty of his tape here at Draftbreakdown.com.



 

Simpleton

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Ogbah would be another great option at 34.

Kenny Clark, Andrew Billings, Vernon Butler, Jarran Reed, Jonathan Bullard, Emmanuel Ogbah, Kevin Dodd, Noah Spence, or Austin Johnson would all be great choices along the DL at 34.

With that said, I'm sure we will take Hunter Henry or some such.
 

GShock

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Ogbah would be another great option at 34.

Kenny Clark, Andrew Billings, Vernon Butler, Jarran Reed, Jonathan Bullard, Emmanuel Ogbah, Kevin Dodd, Noah Spence, or Austin Johnson would all be great choices along the DL at 34.

With that said, I'm sure we will take Hunter Henry or some such.
I think this draft is so DE poor, I will be surprised if there is a quality option there at 34
 

Simpleton

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J

I think this draft is so DE poor, I will be surprised if there is a quality option there at 34
If there isn't a DE available because guys like Ogbah, Dodd and Bullard went in the 1st there will be a DT like Butler or Clark. Absolute worst case scenario is a guy like Austin Johnson in terms of the DL available at 34.
 

Cowboysrock55

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If there isn't a DE available because guys like Ogbah, Dodd and Bullard went in the 1st there will be a DT like Butler or Clark. Absolute worst case scenario is a guy like Austin Johnson in terms of the DL available at 34.
I'm not real high on Bullard but I agree with your thought process. There will be a D-lineman available. Just because there are a lot of first round DTs in this draft doesn't mean there are enough teams wanting to use a first round pick on one. Never underestimate NFL teams drafting for need.
 
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