Senior Bowl Stuff...

Simpleton said:

I'm just making a point that I'm tired of taking guys who are ideal fits as one thing and putting them somewhere else just because they could probably do it, although probably not as well as what they can ideally do.

Click to expand...

You mean like getting Carr and Claiborne and then switching to a Tampa 2? Agreed.

Simpleton said:

I'm just saying that if we take Donald and he ends up racking up 7-10 sacks a year and making Pro Bowls playing the 3 technique there is no reason to go to a 3-4, and even if we wanted to we'd have to somehow find a legit NT, which is rare in itself. On the other hand, a guy like Tuitt who could play either scheme despite what is around him.

Click to expand...

Of course I wouldn't make the switch. I wouldn't make the switch to a 3-4 if Tuitt was racking up 7-10 sacks as a 4-3 DT either. This original discussion came up because Booze mentioned that 3-4 teams wouldn't want Donald. I'm not necessarily so sure that is true anymore. I think a 3-4 team would view Donald as potentially a very valuable piece to their defense.

My preference is to stay with the 4-3 for the foreseeable future anyway. It's a much faster style of defense that I prefer in today's pass happy NFL.

mschmidt64 said:

If you are only basing your defense decision around 1 player, there might be no reason to. What if, however, we had a perfect NT next to Donald, but lacked complete DEs and had more tweeners who would be better as stand up LBs? Maybe then your D is better overall as a 3-4.

Or maybe you hire a coach who specializes in the 3-4. Don't force him to coach the 4-3.

Donald can adjust and play both, is all I'm saying. I would guess, anyway.

Click to expand...

I just don't see it as very realistic within the next few years. I think he could do it but it wouldn't be ideal for sure.

Deuce said:

You mean like getting Carr and Claiborne and then switching to a Tampa 2? Agreed.

Click to expand...

Or Ratliff's entire career here.

Although if we really want to mimic Seattle's defense we'd obviously want press CB's.

Cowboysrock55 said:

Of course I wouldn't make the switch. I wouldn't make the switch to a 3-4 if Tuitt was racking up 7-10 sacks as a 4-3 DT either. This original discussion came up because Booze mentioned that 3-4 teams wouldn't want Donald. I'm not necessarily so sure that is true anymore. I think a 3-4 team would view Donald as potentially a very valuable piece to their defense.

My preference is to stay with the 4-3 for the foreseeable future anyway. It's a much faster style of defense that I prefer in today's pass happy NFL.

Click to expand...

I think some 3-4 teams would want him but I don't think a 3-4 team would take him in the top 15-20 or so, if that was the point he was making. I don't see any way that Donald makes it to our 2nd rounder now and if we wanted to be safe I'd just take him at 16/17.

NFL Draft Blog

Senior Bowl: This week's standouts

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Senior Bowl game isn’t until Saturday, but the individual drills, group drills and team sessions in practices Monday through Thursday have already given us a very good idea of what the prospects here this week bring to the table.

Here is our take on the prospects whose skills separated them from the others in areas specific to their respective positions. Which QB has the strongest arm? Who is the fastest receiver? Consider these the prospect superlatives for the 2014 Senior Bowl.

QUARTERBACKS

Best footwork: Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois
Garoppolo has shown the most precise footwork of any QB here this week. We've been impressed with his ability to marry his eyes to his feet while going through his progressions.

Strongest arm: Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech
This one's not even close. Thomas has elite arm strength to push the ball vertically. The windy conditions on Tuesday gave him an opportunity to show off that arm.

Quickest release: Derek Carr, Fresno State
Carr's above-average arm strength isn't the only reason he can get the ball from Point A to Point B. Once Carr makes up his mind where he's going with the football, he gets it out of his hands more quickly than any QB here. Garoppolo was a close second.

RUNNING BACKS

Most versatile: Charles Sims, West Virginia
Even though he has smaller hands, Sims catches the ball well and he's an above-average route-runner in addition to his lateral quickness as a ball-carrier.

Vision/Instincts: Antonio Andrews, Western Kentucky
Andrews is a strong between-the-tackles runner who has shown good patience and vision while making the most of his blocks.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Best vertical speed: Josh Huff, Oregon
We were surprised by Huff's quick start and extra gear when tracking the ball down vertically.

Best separation skills: Robert Herron, Wyoming
While Herron has had a hard time fielding the ball this week, he's been the most explosive transitioning in and out of breaks.

Best ball skills: Ryan Grant, Tulane and Kevin Norwood, Alabama
Grant and Norwood were the most consistent pass-catchers here this week as they both showed natural hands and good body control when adjusting to throws.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

Best run-blocker: OT/OG Zack Martin, Notre Dame
Martin makes up for his lack of overwhelming power with quick feet, sound hand placement and tenacity.

Best pass protector: OT Morgan Moses, Virginia
Moses can work on his consistency, but he uses his length to cut off the edge, shows the ability to redirect and is strong enough to anchor.

Best technique: OT Jack Mewhort, Ohio State
Mewhort's initial footwork, hand placement and pad level were consistently sound this week.

Toughest: OC Bryan Stork, Florida State
Stork lacks prototypical measurables, but his effort and fight throughout the week were among the best we've seen of any lineman in this class.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Best interior rusher: Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh
Donald showed the ability to beat offensive linemen with quickness, power and active hands, and his ability to do it so many different ways make it that much harder to keep him off the quarterback.

Best edge-rusher: Dee Ford, Auburn
Ford was by far the most explosive edge-rusher here. On top of that, we were highly impressed with his flexibility to bend the edge.

Strongest interior run-stuffer: DaQuan Jones, Penn State
At 6-3½ and 323 pounds, Jones is as tough to move off the ball as you would expect with a player his size. He's flashed heavy hands all week.

Best edge-setter: Brent Urban, Virginia
He's got a great-looking frame. He did a great job playing with quality pad level and using his length to stack and shed blockers to consistently maintain edge responsibility.

LINEBACKERS

Best Instincts: ILB Chris Borland, Wisconsin
Borland read his keys and located the ball quicker than any other linebackers here. His instincts increase his already above-average range.

Best range: OLB Jonathan Brown, Illinois
Brown covered a lot of ground chasing the run and in coverage, which is important for a linebacker who doesn't have great size.

Best pass-rusher: OLB Jeremiah Attaouchu, Georgia Tech
One of Attaouchu's greatest strengths on film is his ability to get to the quarterback, and it showed up here as well. He has good initial quickness, active hands and good balance.

Best in coverage: OLB Telvin Smith, Florida State
Smith is almost built like a safety, so it’s no surprise as that he's so fluid in coverage. He's light on his feet, changes direction well and shows above-average closing burst. It should be noted he didn't catch the ball well this week, but he showed his ability to get his hands on throws.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Best press technique: CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska
Jean-Baptiste has above-average size and uses his length well to disrupt receivers' releases. He also has above-average balance and fluidity for a taller corner and, being a former receiver, appears natural locating and playing the football.

Best man-to-man cover skills: CB Jaylen Watkins, Florida
Watkins showed quick feet, above-average fluidity and transitioned well out of his breaks, not to mention he also flashed good anticipation and route-recognition skills to get early breaks on throws. Utah State's Nevin Lawson also flashed well here this week.

Most versatile: S Dez Southward, Wisconsin
At 6-0⅛ and 206 pounds, Southward is big enough to lineup at safety, at which he shows good recognition skills, range, plus the ability to play the run. He didn't show great fluidity at corner, but he's smart and he has enough foot speed to line up there depending on the matchup.

I liked this Brandon Thomas guy from Clemson, I'd love to get him in the 3rd as I think he could be a very nice OG for us and perhaps even play RT if needed, Mewhort was nice too, as well as a guy from Michigan, I forget his name now.

Simpleton said:

I think some 3-4 teams would want him but I don't think a 3-4 team would take him in the top 15-20 or so, if that was the point he was making. I don't see any way that Donald makes it to our 2nd rounder now and if we wanted to be safe I'd just take him at 16/17.

Click to expand...

I really like Donald but I'm not exactly in a panic if he isn't there at 16/17 either. I know I have mentioned this multiple times but I really like Hageman and Sutton as well. I think either of those guys with the right coaching could be absolute studs in our defense as well. Luckily we do have the right coaching for either guy. Hell the sky is the limit for a guy like Hageman.

I like Tuitt as a Hatcher type defensive lineman in this defense as well.

Depending on who is left at 17 of the guys I just mentioned I may even consider a trade down knowing that one of them will still likely be left for us to draft.

Cowboysrock55 said:

I really like Donald but I'm not exactly in a panic if he isn't there at 16/17 either. I know I have mentioned this multiple times but I really like Hageman and Sutton as well. I think either of those guys with the right coaching could be absolute studs in our defense as well. Luckily we do have the right coaching for either guy. Hell the sky is the limit for a guy like Hageman.

I like Tuitt as a Hatcher type defensive lineman in this defense as well.

Depending on who is left at 17 of the guys I just mentioned I may even consider a trade down knowing that one of them will still likely be left for us to draft.

Click to expand...

I like Donald better than both of them but if we take Hageman at 16/17 I'd be ok with that, although I don't think Sutton is a mid 1st at all.

Simpleton said:

I like Donald better than both of them but if we take Hageman at 16/17 I'd be ok with that, although I don't think Sutton is a mid 1st at all.

Click to expand...

I don't think Sutton is a mid first but I don't trust him to be there in the second either. I think he will have a similar grade to Kawann Short last year who went at pick 44. With Sutton the better bet may be trading up from our second rounder.

Cowboysrock55 said:

I don't think Sutton is a mid first but I don't trust him to be there in the second either. I think he will have a similar grade to Kawann Short last year who went at pick 44. With Sutton the better bet may be trading up from our second rounder.

Click to expand...

I could see alot of teams passing on Sutton due to his sub 31" arms and him lasting until late 2nd-early 3rd.

I know Dallas would never do it, but imagine if we did what the Panthers basically did last year and got Sutton in the second and Hageman in the first. That would be a pretty awesome rebuild of our DT situation very quickly.

Cowboysrock55 said:

I know Dallas would never do it, but imagine if we did what the Panthers basically did last year and got Sutton in the second and Hageman in the first. That would be a pretty awesome rebuild of our DT situation very quickly.

Click to expand...

Or Donald in the first and Sutton in the second.

Either scenario works cause Sutton is already what, 305? 310? And he could probably put on 10 more pounds and get to 320, to be the bigger DT.

Tajh Boyd doing what he does...being overrated.

I like this Lorenzo Taliaferro kid.

That LT should be ashamed the for his effort against Ford. I mean he didn't even get his hands on him to slow him on that sack.

Dee Ford and Kirksey. Want.

Boyd looks like warmed over shit.

Ah, I thought Mayock was missing. He had a family emergency.

They are praising Derek Carr.

I might be more impressed when he decides to throw downfield.