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Yeah I never understood the concept of just taking a guy off the board. Like Tua's hip injury. It scares me but even if you dock him a round or two you can't tell me he isn't worth the risk at any point.
2020 Draft Thread...
- Thread starter Simpleton
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bbgun
please don't "dur" me
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remember, this is the same team that took Jaylon Smith
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Yeah but I'm not just talking about the Cowboys. I think this is a common practice in the NFL.
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Feldman: From big-time to bargains, the players to watch in the NFL Draft
By Bruce Feldman Apr 19, 2020
With the NFL draft coming up this week, it’s a great time to delve into which college guys appear primed to shine at the next level.
This is a deep draft in for wide receivers and offensive tackles, and there is an intriguing group of quarterbacks. The projected No. 1 overall pick is a guy who a year ago no one would have seen as a first-rounder, much less the top guy, and that only adds to the intrigue.
When it comes to quarterbacks, there are no sure things. The closest I’ve seen in two decades-plus of covering college football was when Andrew Luck came out of Stanford. But count me in though as a big believer in LSU’s Joe Burrow.
I get that he doesn’t have a huge throwing arm like a Josh Allen or Jacob Eason. I wouldn’t worry about that. Burrow is exemplary in almost every other category. His football IQ, according to his coaches, is off the charts. His ability to navigate the pocket and make positive plays out of potential disaster is remarkable. I love his poise and his toughness. People at LSU rave about those things to a degree I’ve not heard coaches talk about another quarterback in college. He’s very accurate, has touch and great field vision, throws with anticipation and has quick enough feet to do some damage in the run game.
The numbers he put up in leading LSU to the national title were unparalleled, throwing 60 touchdowns and just six INTs. He completed more than 76 percent of his passes and did so while facing more top teams than any QB who has ever played in college football. LSU was 11-1 against Top-10 opponents with him. This is a guy who truly thrives under pressure. That is rare.
Burrow’s final numbers in LSU’s three postseason games: 17 touchdown passes, zero INTs. The combined stats of the opposing quarterbacks in those three games — Georgia’s Jake Fromm, Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts and Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence — were one TD pass, three interceptions. In the title game against Clemson, Burrow led LSU to four touchdowns on five trips inside the 20 against a team that had only allowed 10 touchdowns in the red zone in its previous 14 games.
I got to spend the last month of the season inside with LSU and was in many of their meetings. That team fed off his energy and confidence. He was a program-changer, and that pretty much was the case from the moment he showed up in Baton Rouge. He bet on himself and won big. To me, this comment his coach, Ed Orgeron made the night before the national title game, pretty much sums up how people on Joe Burrow’s team felt about him:
“Other teams’ quarterbacks get hit and they bitch,” he said. “Our quarterback gets hit and I’m happy because I know he’s pissed off, and he’s bringing hell with him. That’s the mindset.”
• I think Ohio State defensive end Chase Young is the safest pick in this draft. He’s an incredibly long, agile edge rusher with a ridiculously quick first step and has developed into a good technician from his time under Larry Johnson. Young not only wrecked offenses last year with 16.5 sacks, 21 TFLs and six forced fumbles, but his energy was the thing that the Buckeyes fed off more than any other from the moment they took the field in warm-ups. I did one of the Buckeyes’ games in 2019, and observing him from 90 minutes before kickoff all the way through to when it was mop-up time, that’s what really stuck with me. From the people I’ve talked to inside the Ohio State program, it’s Young’s combination of freakish length and athleticism plus his attitude that make him such a unique talent.
Two years ago in one of our Fox Sports production meetings before an Ohio State game, then-Buckeyes defensive coordinator Greg Schiano told me Young reminded him of Julius Peppers. That was a year before Young became the most dominant defensive player in college football. Peppers had 159.5 career sacks in the NFL. I don’t know if Young will get to that many because Peppers played 17 seasons, but Peppers never had more than 14.5 sacks in a season and only twice had more than 12 in a season. I’ll be surprised if Young doesn’t have at least four or five years with more than a dozen sacks.
• I actually think it’s a close call between Young and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb for being the safest pick in this draft. Lamb’s measurables may not wow you — a bit under 6-2, 198. He runs the 40 around 4.50. But watch him in games. Better yet, watch him in practice too. My TV crew has done a lot of Oklahoma games over the years, including Lamb’s first one when he got blasted on his first touchdown catch. Sooners coaches on both sides of the ball have told me about how no one practiced harder at Oklahoma than Lamb, and when you have defensive coaches saying that about a wideout, that carries a lot of weight.
Lamb is very versatile. He also is the best punt returner in this class and is not just an outside receiver. Teams can line him up in the slot, and he can play all four receiver positions. Oklahoma coaches have talked a lot about his high football IQ and how he understands spacing and when to get open. He is dynamic after the catch in his ability to make guys miss and also run through them.
The Sooners have had some gifted speedsters at receiver in recent years who are faster, such as Marquise Brown and Dede Westbrook, but Lamb is every bit as dangerous. “CeeDee is like that lap dog that when the stick is in the air, no matter how far you throw it, he’s gonna find a way to go get it,” one Sooners coach told me.
Lamb has been a tireless worker who I’m told still remembers that he didn’t get invited to The Opening and wasn’t as hyped as other receivers in his class. That has fueled him to become so good as a blocker and in his releases off the line and as a physical player who loves to make catches in traffic.
• Safest running back in this class? LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire. He didn’t run the fastest or even close to it among the backs at the combine, going 4.59, but on the field, he’s got plenty of burst and dizzying quickness. The first tackler rarely gets him down. His ability out of the backfield as a receiver is the best of any running back in this crop.
Former Patriots standout Kevin Faulk, now LSU’s running backs coach, told me in December that before the season that he’d said to some NFL scouts, “you might think I’m crazy but the guy Clyde reminds me a little of — Barry Sanders.”
That was months before Edwards-Helaire became one of the most lethal playmakers in college football.
• I’ve heard great things from NFL defensive line coaches I know about South Carolina’s powerful Javon Kinlaw, but I’m even more sold on Auburn’s Derrick Brown. He’s got a lot of versatility and smarts to go with his power and explosiveness. He’s a craftsman with this hands. I suspect he’ll come in and be an impact guy from the moment he puts on the pads.
• A wide receiver projected to go outside the first round who I like the most: USC’s Michael Pittman. We did a bunch of Trojans games, including the one against Utah when USC got down basically to its fourth-string QB and Pittman still ate the Utes alive. He’s got the physicality of a linebacker, which he probably could be. He’s a nasty blocker, he’s rugged after the catch and he loves to play special teams. He excels at catching contested balls and still was really productive when facing double teams and coverages that rolled towards him.
“He’s going to do everything right, which in the NFL is half the battle because you’re never going to have to worry about him being where he’s supposed to be or worry about him not knowing what to do,” one of the USC coaches told me recently. “He can play as an outside receiver, you can put him in the slot and he’s really good in there, and with all the condensed sets NFL teams are using, he’ll be great in them because you can use him to block and obviously to throw him the ball.”
• Best value pick among the defensive backs (at least according to how these mock drafts have things): Minnesota’s Antoine Winfield Jr. He doesn’t have great length with him only about 5-9, but he’s got excellent speed. He ran 4.45 in the 40 in Indy. He’s a good tackler and has a great nose for the ball. The son of a former NFL star, Winfield Jr. is just a very savvy guy. One of his old coaches in college told me that he needed the least amount of coaching to be ready of any player he’s ever been around. Winfield Jr. knew all about eye control and discipline early in his days with the Gophers and made plays from the moment he stepped on the field.
• Combine bargain: Baylor’s James Lynch did not put up impressive workout numbers in Indy. The 6-4, 289-pounder ran a 5.01 40 and had a 29-inch vertical. But he was a dominant force for the Bears (13.5 sacks in 2019) with really good, heavy hands and a lot more explosiveness than what he showed at the combine. Word is he had some hamstring soreness in Indy. Bears coaches told me Lynch, Matt Rhule’s first recruiting visit when he got to Baylor, had run a 40 in the 4.7s earlier in his career. I’ve seen some mock drafts with him lasting as long as into the fifth-round. My hunch is he’ll go in the top 100 picks, and I think he’ll become a starting defensive lineman in the NFL for a bunch of years.
Lynch has 28.5 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons. His timed speed doesn’t look great, but his play speed tells a different story. He consistently wins at the point of attack, and for some defensive line coaches, he will be the pound-the-table player of the draft
• Working off of my colleague Dane Brugler’s mock draft 5.0, here are 10 other guys who I see as potentially big bargain picks.
Utah LB Francis Bernard, higher than No. 142: Replacing Cody Barton and Chase Hansen — two stud linebackers for the Utes — wasn’t going to be easy, but Bernard really stepped up. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham paid the senior quite a compliment when I’d asked him which player on the team most reminds him of himself. Whittingham was a terrific LB in college and a total badass on the field. His answer: Francis Bernard. He goes “I love the way he plays. Like to think we played with the same intensity. He’s a really fierce competitor and has great preparation.” That’s hefty praise coming from Whittingham.
Cal safety Ashtyn Davis, higher than No. 71: Full disclosure: I’m biased on Davis after spending a bunch of time around him and his family, but the reason I got to thinking of doing a story on him was after hearing his DB coach Gerald Alexander gush about him and his athleticism and work ethic. Because of a late-season surgery, Davis didn’t get a chance to work out in Indy. If healthy, the former track all-American would have lit up the combine with his wheels and probably generated more buzz. I’ve heard plenty about how hard he studies and is a football nerd. His range at safety is elite. I think he’s got Pro Bowl potential.
Michigan State edge rusher Kenny Willikes, higher than No. 152: He’s a former walk-on who played like a wildman to win over Michigan State coaches. He has really good explosiveness and tenacity. I think he will just find a way to make a lot of plays both on third downs and on special teams.
Texas Tech LB Jordyn Brooks, higher than No. 74: Even though the Red Raiders have had a bad defense for years, Brooks was the start of it turning the corner a little and at least becoming decent. He plays like a 4.5 guy and has a lot of experience operating in space in the Big 12. I feel like he’s going to be a very productive linebacker.
Texas WR Devin Duvernay, higher than No. 117: I’m really surprised to see him this far down. He flourished in the slot for Texas. He’s got legit track speed and pound for pound was probably the toughest guy on the Longhorns. Heck, he might’ve been that even if you removed the pound-for-pound part.
UCLA CB Darnay Holmes, higher than No. 143: He was hobbled by an ankle injury early last season and struggled coming off it. He doesn’t have great height at 5-10, but he’s strong and ultra-competitive. He has good playmaking skills and is tough. He’s also really smart on and off the field, having graduated from UCLA in less than three years. I expect him to emerge as a very good nickel back in the NFL.
West Virginia OT Colton McKivitz, higher than No. 233: NFL teams would prefer him to have more length but he’s a really tough kid and has better athleticism than what he showed at the combine, where he ran only a 5.35 40 and did just 20 reps on the bench. Early in his college career McKivitz was thrown into a rough spot against Missouri and faced one of the top defensive linemen in college football, future first-rounder Charles Harris, and he responded extremely well. I like his chances to become a solid contributor in the NFL for a long time.
Ohio State WR K.J. Hill, higher than No. 100: I get this is a very deep draft. I wouldn’t bet against Hill to end up being more productive than a bunch of guys who go before him. He has terrific hands, and several Ohio State coaches have talked about how he’s one of the smartest players they’ve ever coached. That’s something I heard from the time he got to Columbus when he was a freshman under assistant Tim Beck.
Oregon State QB Jake Luton, higher than No. 204: He’s huge at 6-6, 225. He has big hands at 10½ inches, and he quietly put together a terrific season for the Beavers, throwing 28 TDs and just three picks. It wouldn’t shock me if he lasted in the NFL longer than Jacob Eason.
Maryland RB Anthony McFarland, higher than No. 174: He was a big get for the Terps, beating out Miami and several others. McFarland needed to get in better shape in his first year at Maryland but once he did, he was a dynamic weapon. He was really a force in 2018 but was banged up some last year, and maybe him just having one big season took some of the shine off. He definitely has some juice to him if he’s 100 percent.
By Bruce Feldman Apr 19, 2020
With the NFL draft coming up this week, it’s a great time to delve into which college guys appear primed to shine at the next level.
This is a deep draft in for wide receivers and offensive tackles, and there is an intriguing group of quarterbacks. The projected No. 1 overall pick is a guy who a year ago no one would have seen as a first-rounder, much less the top guy, and that only adds to the intrigue.
When it comes to quarterbacks, there are no sure things. The closest I’ve seen in two decades-plus of covering college football was when Andrew Luck came out of Stanford. But count me in though as a big believer in LSU’s Joe Burrow.
I get that he doesn’t have a huge throwing arm like a Josh Allen or Jacob Eason. I wouldn’t worry about that. Burrow is exemplary in almost every other category. His football IQ, according to his coaches, is off the charts. His ability to navigate the pocket and make positive plays out of potential disaster is remarkable. I love his poise and his toughness. People at LSU rave about those things to a degree I’ve not heard coaches talk about another quarterback in college. He’s very accurate, has touch and great field vision, throws with anticipation and has quick enough feet to do some damage in the run game.
The numbers he put up in leading LSU to the national title were unparalleled, throwing 60 touchdowns and just six INTs. He completed more than 76 percent of his passes and did so while facing more top teams than any QB who has ever played in college football. LSU was 11-1 against Top-10 opponents with him. This is a guy who truly thrives under pressure. That is rare.
Burrow’s final numbers in LSU’s three postseason games: 17 touchdown passes, zero INTs. The combined stats of the opposing quarterbacks in those three games — Georgia’s Jake Fromm, Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts and Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence — were one TD pass, three interceptions. In the title game against Clemson, Burrow led LSU to four touchdowns on five trips inside the 20 against a team that had only allowed 10 touchdowns in the red zone in its previous 14 games.
I got to spend the last month of the season inside with LSU and was in many of their meetings. That team fed off his energy and confidence. He was a program-changer, and that pretty much was the case from the moment he showed up in Baton Rouge. He bet on himself and won big. To me, this comment his coach, Ed Orgeron made the night before the national title game, pretty much sums up how people on Joe Burrow’s team felt about him:
“Other teams’ quarterbacks get hit and they bitch,” he said. “Our quarterback gets hit and I’m happy because I know he’s pissed off, and he’s bringing hell with him. That’s the mindset.”
• I think Ohio State defensive end Chase Young is the safest pick in this draft. He’s an incredibly long, agile edge rusher with a ridiculously quick first step and has developed into a good technician from his time under Larry Johnson. Young not only wrecked offenses last year with 16.5 sacks, 21 TFLs and six forced fumbles, but his energy was the thing that the Buckeyes fed off more than any other from the moment they took the field in warm-ups. I did one of the Buckeyes’ games in 2019, and observing him from 90 minutes before kickoff all the way through to when it was mop-up time, that’s what really stuck with me. From the people I’ve talked to inside the Ohio State program, it’s Young’s combination of freakish length and athleticism plus his attitude that make him such a unique talent.
Two years ago in one of our Fox Sports production meetings before an Ohio State game, then-Buckeyes defensive coordinator Greg Schiano told me Young reminded him of Julius Peppers. That was a year before Young became the most dominant defensive player in college football. Peppers had 159.5 career sacks in the NFL. I don’t know if Young will get to that many because Peppers played 17 seasons, but Peppers never had more than 14.5 sacks in a season and only twice had more than 12 in a season. I’ll be surprised if Young doesn’t have at least four or five years with more than a dozen sacks.
• I actually think it’s a close call between Young and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb for being the safest pick in this draft. Lamb’s measurables may not wow you — a bit under 6-2, 198. He runs the 40 around 4.50. But watch him in games. Better yet, watch him in practice too. My TV crew has done a lot of Oklahoma games over the years, including Lamb’s first one when he got blasted on his first touchdown catch. Sooners coaches on both sides of the ball have told me about how no one practiced harder at Oklahoma than Lamb, and when you have defensive coaches saying that about a wideout, that carries a lot of weight.
Lamb is very versatile. He also is the best punt returner in this class and is not just an outside receiver. Teams can line him up in the slot, and he can play all four receiver positions. Oklahoma coaches have talked a lot about his high football IQ and how he understands spacing and when to get open. He is dynamic after the catch in his ability to make guys miss and also run through them.
The Sooners have had some gifted speedsters at receiver in recent years who are faster, such as Marquise Brown and Dede Westbrook, but Lamb is every bit as dangerous. “CeeDee is like that lap dog that when the stick is in the air, no matter how far you throw it, he’s gonna find a way to go get it,” one Sooners coach told me.
Lamb has been a tireless worker who I’m told still remembers that he didn’t get invited to The Opening and wasn’t as hyped as other receivers in his class. That has fueled him to become so good as a blocker and in his releases off the line and as a physical player who loves to make catches in traffic.
• Safest running back in this class? LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire. He didn’t run the fastest or even close to it among the backs at the combine, going 4.59, but on the field, he’s got plenty of burst and dizzying quickness. The first tackler rarely gets him down. His ability out of the backfield as a receiver is the best of any running back in this crop.
Former Patriots standout Kevin Faulk, now LSU’s running backs coach, told me in December that before the season that he’d said to some NFL scouts, “you might think I’m crazy but the guy Clyde reminds me a little of — Barry Sanders.”
That was months before Edwards-Helaire became one of the most lethal playmakers in college football.
• I’ve heard great things from NFL defensive line coaches I know about South Carolina’s powerful Javon Kinlaw, but I’m even more sold on Auburn’s Derrick Brown. He’s got a lot of versatility and smarts to go with his power and explosiveness. He’s a craftsman with this hands. I suspect he’ll come in and be an impact guy from the moment he puts on the pads.
• A wide receiver projected to go outside the first round who I like the most: USC’s Michael Pittman. We did a bunch of Trojans games, including the one against Utah when USC got down basically to its fourth-string QB and Pittman still ate the Utes alive. He’s got the physicality of a linebacker, which he probably could be. He’s a nasty blocker, he’s rugged after the catch and he loves to play special teams. He excels at catching contested balls and still was really productive when facing double teams and coverages that rolled towards him.
“He’s going to do everything right, which in the NFL is half the battle because you’re never going to have to worry about him being where he’s supposed to be or worry about him not knowing what to do,” one of the USC coaches told me recently. “He can play as an outside receiver, you can put him in the slot and he’s really good in there, and with all the condensed sets NFL teams are using, he’ll be great in them because you can use him to block and obviously to throw him the ball.”
• Best value pick among the defensive backs (at least according to how these mock drafts have things): Minnesota’s Antoine Winfield Jr. He doesn’t have great length with him only about 5-9, but he’s got excellent speed. He ran 4.45 in the 40 in Indy. He’s a good tackler and has a great nose for the ball. The son of a former NFL star, Winfield Jr. is just a very savvy guy. One of his old coaches in college told me that he needed the least amount of coaching to be ready of any player he’s ever been around. Winfield Jr. knew all about eye control and discipline early in his days with the Gophers and made plays from the moment he stepped on the field.
• Combine bargain: Baylor’s James Lynch did not put up impressive workout numbers in Indy. The 6-4, 289-pounder ran a 5.01 40 and had a 29-inch vertical. But he was a dominant force for the Bears (13.5 sacks in 2019) with really good, heavy hands and a lot more explosiveness than what he showed at the combine. Word is he had some hamstring soreness in Indy. Bears coaches told me Lynch, Matt Rhule’s first recruiting visit when he got to Baylor, had run a 40 in the 4.7s earlier in his career. I’ve seen some mock drafts with him lasting as long as into the fifth-round. My hunch is he’ll go in the top 100 picks, and I think he’ll become a starting defensive lineman in the NFL for a bunch of years.
Lynch has 28.5 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons. His timed speed doesn’t look great, but his play speed tells a different story. He consistently wins at the point of attack, and for some defensive line coaches, he will be the pound-the-table player of the draft
• Working off of my colleague Dane Brugler’s mock draft 5.0, here are 10 other guys who I see as potentially big bargain picks.
Utah LB Francis Bernard, higher than No. 142: Replacing Cody Barton and Chase Hansen — two stud linebackers for the Utes — wasn’t going to be easy, but Bernard really stepped up. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham paid the senior quite a compliment when I’d asked him which player on the team most reminds him of himself. Whittingham was a terrific LB in college and a total badass on the field. His answer: Francis Bernard. He goes “I love the way he plays. Like to think we played with the same intensity. He’s a really fierce competitor and has great preparation.” That’s hefty praise coming from Whittingham.
Cal safety Ashtyn Davis, higher than No. 71: Full disclosure: I’m biased on Davis after spending a bunch of time around him and his family, but the reason I got to thinking of doing a story on him was after hearing his DB coach Gerald Alexander gush about him and his athleticism and work ethic. Because of a late-season surgery, Davis didn’t get a chance to work out in Indy. If healthy, the former track all-American would have lit up the combine with his wheels and probably generated more buzz. I’ve heard plenty about how hard he studies and is a football nerd. His range at safety is elite. I think he’s got Pro Bowl potential.
Michigan State edge rusher Kenny Willikes, higher than No. 152: He’s a former walk-on who played like a wildman to win over Michigan State coaches. He has really good explosiveness and tenacity. I think he will just find a way to make a lot of plays both on third downs and on special teams.
Texas Tech LB Jordyn Brooks, higher than No. 74: Even though the Red Raiders have had a bad defense for years, Brooks was the start of it turning the corner a little and at least becoming decent. He plays like a 4.5 guy and has a lot of experience operating in space in the Big 12. I feel like he’s going to be a very productive linebacker.
Texas WR Devin Duvernay, higher than No. 117: I’m really surprised to see him this far down. He flourished in the slot for Texas. He’s got legit track speed and pound for pound was probably the toughest guy on the Longhorns. Heck, he might’ve been that even if you removed the pound-for-pound part.
UCLA CB Darnay Holmes, higher than No. 143: He was hobbled by an ankle injury early last season and struggled coming off it. He doesn’t have great height at 5-10, but he’s strong and ultra-competitive. He has good playmaking skills and is tough. He’s also really smart on and off the field, having graduated from UCLA in less than three years. I expect him to emerge as a very good nickel back in the NFL.
West Virginia OT Colton McKivitz, higher than No. 233: NFL teams would prefer him to have more length but he’s a really tough kid and has better athleticism than what he showed at the combine, where he ran only a 5.35 40 and did just 20 reps on the bench. Early in his college career McKivitz was thrown into a rough spot against Missouri and faced one of the top defensive linemen in college football, future first-rounder Charles Harris, and he responded extremely well. I like his chances to become a solid contributor in the NFL for a long time.
Ohio State WR K.J. Hill, higher than No. 100: I get this is a very deep draft. I wouldn’t bet against Hill to end up being more productive than a bunch of guys who go before him. He has terrific hands, and several Ohio State coaches have talked about how he’s one of the smartest players they’ve ever coached. That’s something I heard from the time he got to Columbus when he was a freshman under assistant Tim Beck.
Oregon State QB Jake Luton, higher than No. 204: He’s huge at 6-6, 225. He has big hands at 10½ inches, and he quietly put together a terrific season for the Beavers, throwing 28 TDs and just three picks. It wouldn’t shock me if he lasted in the NFL longer than Jacob Eason.
Maryland RB Anthony McFarland, higher than No. 174: He was a big get for the Terps, beating out Miami and several others. McFarland needed to get in better shape in his first year at Maryland but once he did, he was a dynamic weapon. He was really a force in 2018 but was banged up some last year, and maybe him just having one big season took some of the shine off. He definitely has some juice to him if he’s 100 percent.
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Talking Cowboys draft targets, trade scenarios and more with Dane Brugler
By Jon Machota and Dane Brugler 28m ago
After the scouting combine last month in Indianapolis, we caught up with The Athletic’s Dane Brugler to get his thoughts on several Cowboys-related draft topics. At that time, prospects like South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson were popular possibilities for Dallas at Pick 17. As expected, things have changed with free agency and during a pre-draft process that has been conducted largely via video conference calls.
With the draft is only three days away, we caught back up with Brugler to get the latest on some more Cowboys-related draft scenarios and topics.
What are your plans this week for all seven rounds of the draft?
Just like the past few years, I will be part of the DallasCowboys.com draft coverage, which will be simulcast with 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Friday and Saturday. It’s going to be a lot of fun. We’re all going to be remote, so it’s going to be a little different. But it will be a lot of fun to cover all 255 picks. Anyone who has tuned in before knows that even though it is a Cowboys angle, we still cover every single pick and how that will affect not only the team but how it affects the rest of the league and the balance of power. Moving to Ohio, I thought, ‘Well, that was fun, but that was it.’ But I’m glad that they brought me back, and I’m more than happy to be working with that crew.
When looking at the Cowboys’ first-round pick at No. 17, the two names we now hear the most are Henderson and LSU edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. Are either still a possibility at 17? Do they have a chance at getting either one if they stay where they’re at?
I don’t think so. I think those are the top two players on the Cowboys’ board (who have at least some chance of being there). Without actually being in the room to know that, that is my educated guess based off what I’ve heard. Just talking to people around the league, that’s kind of the sense I get. I think there is a chance that Chaisson could fall to No. 17, but a better chance both are off the board in the first 16 picks. So if they did want one of those two, they would have to trade up, which seems unlikely. It seems like a trade back would be more of a possibility for this team with where they are and needing those Day 2 picks for younger players, cheaper players that can come in and contribute. I do not think that C.J. Henderson or K’Lavon Chaisson will be Dallas Cowboys when the draft is all said and done.
You had Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs going to the Cowboys at 17 in your seven-round mock draft last week. Could they still get Diggs if they traded back a few spots?
If they stay at 17, I think that the three players we need to be talking about are the two Alabama defensive backs, Trevon Diggs and (safety) Xavier McKinney, and also (Clemson cornerback) A.J. Terrell. He is really, really interesting. I think he’s going to go higher than a lot of people think. I think he’s going to go somewhere in the top 19 picks. He’s not really talked about as a guy that’s a solid first-round pick, but when you talk about a player who is 6-1, 195 pounds, 4.42 (40-yard dash) speed, he didn’t have a great national championship game. That’s what everyone’s lasting picture is of A.J. Terrell, getting burned by (LSU wide receiver) Ja’Marr Chase, but at the same time, considering his body of work over the course of the season and in previous years, he’s got a lot of talent. I think Terrell is a player that’s not being talked about enough who absolutely will be in the conversation at 17 if he’s still on the board.
At the combine, Kinlaw was probably the most popular name talked about in regards to the Cowboys. You had him falling to 20 in your mock draft last week. What’s the latest with him and why did you have him falling past the Cowboys?
With Kinlaw, I think everybody loves the talent. Nobody questions his raw talent. But when you have a player who has some injury issues that everybody is not going to be 100 percent comfortable with, the medicals are part of that conversation. His game is based more off potential than production. That’s part of the draft. A lot of these guys, you’re basing your evaluations on what they’re going to be, not necessarily what they are right now. Javon Kinlaw could still go top 16 somewhere, or he might fall outside of the top 20 picks. I think either are possible just because there is a wide range of opinion on not only the medicals with him but also whether he will ultimately reach the immense potential that he has? Kinlaw only registered six tackles for loss last year. Now, part of that when you watch his tape is you see that he played nose tackle, he was asked to two-gap. He wasn’t really able to just let loose. But that just won’t be for everybody. Not everybody has that appetite for risk. With a player like Kinlaw, it’s really intriguing to think about what he can be two years, three years from now, but that’s just not going to be for everybody.
You had the Cowboys drafting a linebacker in the third round and wrote that the position is a “sneaky important need” for Dallas. Why do you feel that way and how surprised would you be if they targeted a linebacker in the first round, like Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray or LSU’s Patrick Queen?
I don’t think you can rule out linebacker in the first round, especially in a trade-back scenario where they are able to gain another draft pick and still get a Queen or a Murray or Zack Baun (from Wisconsin). I think that would make a lot of sense for this team. Linebacker is a need. I think Leighton Vander Esch is going to come back healthy. Jaylon Smith is making a lot of money and needs to play better. Plus, if they do commit to a 3-4 scheme then all of a sudden you need another inside ‘backer because that means Jaylon is going to play more of the SAM. Vander Esch is going to be on the inside, but you’re going to need another guy in there. They don’t have to go in that direction in Round 1, but if that’s how the board falls to them, maybe that’s the direction you go.
At some point in the first three or four rounds, it shouldn’t shock any Cowboys fans when they pick a linebacker. In the third round, I had them taking Logan Wilson out of Wyoming. He’s one of my favorite players in the draft. He played cornerback in high school. He didn’t have a ton of offers, goes to Wyoming, they move him to linebacker and he starts for four years, three-year team captain, over 400 tackles. He might be the best tackler in the draft. He also tested well. He’s a good athlete. He can blitz. He can drop (back into coverage). There’s just a lot to like about Logan Wilson. He might not even be there in the third round for the Cowboys. But I think he’s one of the more slept-on prospects in this draft.
If they don’t get a cornerback in Round 1 and are looking for one in the second, are there any that could potentially still be there for them at 51 that you like?
Jeff Gladney (TCU) could be there, especially considering that he’s coming off a knee injury. With the (medical) re-checks being so different this year, that’s something that could affect him on draft day. Kristian Fulton (LSU), I don’t know if he’s going to fall that far, but definitely a name to keep on the radar. Maybe not Round 2, but maybe Round 3. Troy Pride, the corner from Notre Dame, I think he’s a corner they like and they’ve put some interest in. He’s just under 6-foot, 195 pounds, he ran a 4.40 (40-yard dash). He has some up-and-down tape, but there’s a lot to like there with the traits and what he can develop into. Reggie Robinson from Tulsa is a guy who has really risen through his senior season. He played OK last year as a junior, but he missed part of the year with an injury. He came back this past year, and it’s like his confidence skyrocketed. He played a lot better, had like 17 passes defended. He’s a good size player, 6-1, 205. He tested really well. He’s physically impressive. He plays with instincts. He plays with awareness. He’s very aggressive. He can be undisciplined at times, but I love the mentality that he plays with. If they go corner in the second round, Gladney, Fulton, maybe Damon Arnette (Ohio State). In the third round, Troy Pride and Reggie Robinson are the names to keep on the radar.
After doing all the research you have, putting together The Beast draft guide, what are a couple of positions that are really deep in this draft class and a couple that are really thin?
Wide receiver. Obviously, that’s the position we’ve been talking about since the summer as being deep in every single round. We’re going to set records for the amount of receivers drafted in the top 100 and then the amount of receivers drafted overall throughout the course of the draft. I think cornerback is on that list as well. It’s not quite as deep as receiver, but you can really point to every single round and there being players that I think teams are going to be interested in. I think linebacker is a sneaky-deep group. We’re going to see Isaiah Simmons (Clemson) go early, Queen, Murray, Baun, they could all be first-rounders. And then on Day 2, guys like Jordan Brooks from Texas Tech, Malik Harrison from Ohio State, Logan Wilson from Wyoming. And into Day 3 there are options as well. Offensive tackle is one that is so top-heavy. We’re going to see maybe seven offensive tackles go in the first round, maybe eight in the top 40 picks. But then there’s going to be a big drop off. If you don’t get your tackle early, you’re going to be left without a chair, and you’re going to have to try to get lucky with one of the few offensive tackles on Day 2, Day 3 that project well at the next level. I would say interior offensive line is kind of opposite of offensive tackle, where we might not have an interior offensive lineman drafted in the first round, but that’s where it starts to pick up a little bit on Day 2. There are some quality options there.
How do you think the unique circumstances will impact this year’s draft? More trades? Less trades? More unpredictable?
At this time, teams are setting the framework for trades, and I think it’s going to be even more so this year where you almost try to get trades done — maybe not announced — so trades are ready to go when the draft plays out a certain way. We’re still going to see trades. Those aren’t going to go away. I think the teams that are really well run and have drafted well in the past, they’re going to be OK. But for teams that might have some turnover in the front office or the coaching staff (it will have an impact).
I think the Cowboys are somewhere in the middle because their front office is set. Their communication is set. With the Jones family, Will McClay, their scouts, they have a very good nucleus of how they do things and how things are run. But with a new coaching staff coming in, that’s an extra wrinkle of communication that maybe isn’t down 100 percent just yet. So there’s the potential for something to maybe not go completely right there. It’s going to be unprecedented. We’ve never seen anything like this. I think a lot of people are still trying to guess how it’s going to play out.
By Jon Machota and Dane Brugler 28m ago
After the scouting combine last month in Indianapolis, we caught up with The Athletic’s Dane Brugler to get his thoughts on several Cowboys-related draft topics. At that time, prospects like South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson were popular possibilities for Dallas at Pick 17. As expected, things have changed with free agency and during a pre-draft process that has been conducted largely via video conference calls.
With the draft is only three days away, we caught back up with Brugler to get the latest on some more Cowboys-related draft scenarios and topics.
What are your plans this week for all seven rounds of the draft?
Just like the past few years, I will be part of the DallasCowboys.com draft coverage, which will be simulcast with 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Friday and Saturday. It’s going to be a lot of fun. We’re all going to be remote, so it’s going to be a little different. But it will be a lot of fun to cover all 255 picks. Anyone who has tuned in before knows that even though it is a Cowboys angle, we still cover every single pick and how that will affect not only the team but how it affects the rest of the league and the balance of power. Moving to Ohio, I thought, ‘Well, that was fun, but that was it.’ But I’m glad that they brought me back, and I’m more than happy to be working with that crew.
When looking at the Cowboys’ first-round pick at No. 17, the two names we now hear the most are Henderson and LSU edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. Are either still a possibility at 17? Do they have a chance at getting either one if they stay where they’re at?
I don’t think so. I think those are the top two players on the Cowboys’ board (who have at least some chance of being there). Without actually being in the room to know that, that is my educated guess based off what I’ve heard. Just talking to people around the league, that’s kind of the sense I get. I think there is a chance that Chaisson could fall to No. 17, but a better chance both are off the board in the first 16 picks. So if they did want one of those two, they would have to trade up, which seems unlikely. It seems like a trade back would be more of a possibility for this team with where they are and needing those Day 2 picks for younger players, cheaper players that can come in and contribute. I do not think that C.J. Henderson or K’Lavon Chaisson will be Dallas Cowboys when the draft is all said and done.
You had Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs going to the Cowboys at 17 in your seven-round mock draft last week. Could they still get Diggs if they traded back a few spots?
If they stay at 17, I think that the three players we need to be talking about are the two Alabama defensive backs, Trevon Diggs and (safety) Xavier McKinney, and also (Clemson cornerback) A.J. Terrell. He is really, really interesting. I think he’s going to go higher than a lot of people think. I think he’s going to go somewhere in the top 19 picks. He’s not really talked about as a guy that’s a solid first-round pick, but when you talk about a player who is 6-1, 195 pounds, 4.42 (40-yard dash) speed, he didn’t have a great national championship game. That’s what everyone’s lasting picture is of A.J. Terrell, getting burned by (LSU wide receiver) Ja’Marr Chase, but at the same time, considering his body of work over the course of the season and in previous years, he’s got a lot of talent. I think Terrell is a player that’s not being talked about enough who absolutely will be in the conversation at 17 if he’s still on the board.
At the combine, Kinlaw was probably the most popular name talked about in regards to the Cowboys. You had him falling to 20 in your mock draft last week. What’s the latest with him and why did you have him falling past the Cowboys?
With Kinlaw, I think everybody loves the talent. Nobody questions his raw talent. But when you have a player who has some injury issues that everybody is not going to be 100 percent comfortable with, the medicals are part of that conversation. His game is based more off potential than production. That’s part of the draft. A lot of these guys, you’re basing your evaluations on what they’re going to be, not necessarily what they are right now. Javon Kinlaw could still go top 16 somewhere, or he might fall outside of the top 20 picks. I think either are possible just because there is a wide range of opinion on not only the medicals with him but also whether he will ultimately reach the immense potential that he has? Kinlaw only registered six tackles for loss last year. Now, part of that when you watch his tape is you see that he played nose tackle, he was asked to two-gap. He wasn’t really able to just let loose. But that just won’t be for everybody. Not everybody has that appetite for risk. With a player like Kinlaw, it’s really intriguing to think about what he can be two years, three years from now, but that’s just not going to be for everybody.
You had the Cowboys drafting a linebacker in the third round and wrote that the position is a “sneaky important need” for Dallas. Why do you feel that way and how surprised would you be if they targeted a linebacker in the first round, like Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray or LSU’s Patrick Queen?
I don’t think you can rule out linebacker in the first round, especially in a trade-back scenario where they are able to gain another draft pick and still get a Queen or a Murray or Zack Baun (from Wisconsin). I think that would make a lot of sense for this team. Linebacker is a need. I think Leighton Vander Esch is going to come back healthy. Jaylon Smith is making a lot of money and needs to play better. Plus, if they do commit to a 3-4 scheme then all of a sudden you need another inside ‘backer because that means Jaylon is going to play more of the SAM. Vander Esch is going to be on the inside, but you’re going to need another guy in there. They don’t have to go in that direction in Round 1, but if that’s how the board falls to them, maybe that’s the direction you go.
At some point in the first three or four rounds, it shouldn’t shock any Cowboys fans when they pick a linebacker. In the third round, I had them taking Logan Wilson out of Wyoming. He’s one of my favorite players in the draft. He played cornerback in high school. He didn’t have a ton of offers, goes to Wyoming, they move him to linebacker and he starts for four years, three-year team captain, over 400 tackles. He might be the best tackler in the draft. He also tested well. He’s a good athlete. He can blitz. He can drop (back into coverage). There’s just a lot to like about Logan Wilson. He might not even be there in the third round for the Cowboys. But I think he’s one of the more slept-on prospects in this draft.
If they don’t get a cornerback in Round 1 and are looking for one in the second, are there any that could potentially still be there for them at 51 that you like?
Jeff Gladney (TCU) could be there, especially considering that he’s coming off a knee injury. With the (medical) re-checks being so different this year, that’s something that could affect him on draft day. Kristian Fulton (LSU), I don’t know if he’s going to fall that far, but definitely a name to keep on the radar. Maybe not Round 2, but maybe Round 3. Troy Pride, the corner from Notre Dame, I think he’s a corner they like and they’ve put some interest in. He’s just under 6-foot, 195 pounds, he ran a 4.40 (40-yard dash). He has some up-and-down tape, but there’s a lot to like there with the traits and what he can develop into. Reggie Robinson from Tulsa is a guy who has really risen through his senior season. He played OK last year as a junior, but he missed part of the year with an injury. He came back this past year, and it’s like his confidence skyrocketed. He played a lot better, had like 17 passes defended. He’s a good size player, 6-1, 205. He tested really well. He’s physically impressive. He plays with instincts. He plays with awareness. He’s very aggressive. He can be undisciplined at times, but I love the mentality that he plays with. If they go corner in the second round, Gladney, Fulton, maybe Damon Arnette (Ohio State). In the third round, Troy Pride and Reggie Robinson are the names to keep on the radar.
After doing all the research you have, putting together The Beast draft guide, what are a couple of positions that are really deep in this draft class and a couple that are really thin?
Wide receiver. Obviously, that’s the position we’ve been talking about since the summer as being deep in every single round. We’re going to set records for the amount of receivers drafted in the top 100 and then the amount of receivers drafted overall throughout the course of the draft. I think cornerback is on that list as well. It’s not quite as deep as receiver, but you can really point to every single round and there being players that I think teams are going to be interested in. I think linebacker is a sneaky-deep group. We’re going to see Isaiah Simmons (Clemson) go early, Queen, Murray, Baun, they could all be first-rounders. And then on Day 2, guys like Jordan Brooks from Texas Tech, Malik Harrison from Ohio State, Logan Wilson from Wyoming. And into Day 3 there are options as well. Offensive tackle is one that is so top-heavy. We’re going to see maybe seven offensive tackles go in the first round, maybe eight in the top 40 picks. But then there’s going to be a big drop off. If you don’t get your tackle early, you’re going to be left without a chair, and you’re going to have to try to get lucky with one of the few offensive tackles on Day 2, Day 3 that project well at the next level. I would say interior offensive line is kind of opposite of offensive tackle, where we might not have an interior offensive lineman drafted in the first round, but that’s where it starts to pick up a little bit on Day 2. There are some quality options there.
How do you think the unique circumstances will impact this year’s draft? More trades? Less trades? More unpredictable?
At this time, teams are setting the framework for trades, and I think it’s going to be even more so this year where you almost try to get trades done — maybe not announced — so trades are ready to go when the draft plays out a certain way. We’re still going to see trades. Those aren’t going to go away. I think the teams that are really well run and have drafted well in the past, they’re going to be OK. But for teams that might have some turnover in the front office or the coaching staff (it will have an impact).
I think the Cowboys are somewhere in the middle because their front office is set. Their communication is set. With the Jones family, Will McClay, their scouts, they have a very good nucleus of how they do things and how things are run. But with a new coaching staff coming in, that’s an extra wrinkle of communication that maybe isn’t down 100 percent just yet. So there’s the potential for something to maybe not go completely right there. It’s going to be unprecedented. We’ve never seen anything like this. I think a lot of people are still trying to guess how it’s going to play out.
Chocolate Lab
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Random place to put this I guess, but what do you guys think about Mims from Baylor? For some reason I feel like he could be really good and won't go that high.
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After the top 3-4 wrs I have no idea where they will go. I've seen some mock Mims in the first. But could see him going second/third too. There are a lot of good recievers. Every team will have their preferences and some talented dudes will slip. I really like Pittman for example.
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I have watched quite a bit of Mims since I watch a lot of Big 12 football. He is long and can often-times out jump/out reach the defenders, but his route running ability is going to take some serious work. He is very similar to Dez in the way he allows defenders to crowd his routes. He rarely gets separation and tries to rely on his athletic ability to gain the advantage. I'd take him with our 2nd if he is still there.
Chocolate Lab
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I agree. He's an outside guy, but that's okay. However, didn't I read in the booze McGinn report that his 3-cone was one of the best, which is kind of crazy for his size? So maybe he has the ability to get more separation with better coaching.
I feel like Briles was such an offensive genius that his system inflated WR production, but since Ruyle got there they aren't that different from everyone else offensively, and it's not like Mims had great QB play.
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Oh, I think better route running to gain separation can absolutely be coached into him. He definitely has the athletic ability. He is just a bit lazy in his route tree.
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I think it's Henderson or Chaisson and if both are gone they will try to trade back and take Ruiz at center. Just a gut feeling. If the trade back fails I wouldn't be surprised to see them take Ruiz at 17 either.
Simpleton
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I like Mims alot, definitely in the 2nd but I'd consider him in the 1st after a trade down into the late 20's.
As an aside, I think Brugler is an idiot saying there's almost no chance Chaisson is there at 17. It's basically 50/50 right now and I'd argue there's an even higher chance he's there once you realize that between the top 3 QB's, top 4 OT's, at least 2 WR's, Young, Okudah, Simmons, Brown, and Henderson who is apparently a lock to go top 15 now, you're already at 14 players taken.
Throw in Kinlaw, Chaisson and the 3rd WR and one of them is guaranteed to be there at 17.
As an aside, I think Brugler is an idiot saying there's almost no chance Chaisson is there at 17. It's basically 50/50 right now and I'd argue there's an even higher chance he's there once you realize that between the top 3 QB's, top 4 OT's, at least 2 WR's, Young, Okudah, Simmons, Brown, and Henderson who is apparently a lock to go top 15 now, you're already at 14 players taken.
Throw in Kinlaw, Chaisson and the 3rd WR and one of them is guaranteed to be there at 17.
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I'm starting to get the feeling Chaisson is the pick if he is there at 17. But who knows, the information doesn't seem to be as clear this year with the process being all video conferencing. I think you'll see more shocking or unpredictable picks in this years draft then you have seen in years past.
Stasheroo
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I'm with you on the two ideal prospects they'd like to see at pick #17.
And I also think they would attempt to trade if both are gone. In my opinion, that trade could also include trading that pick to the Jets for Jamal Adams as well. Not that it's what I would do, but it still seems to be a consideration.
I'm out on the Ruiz thing however. Not about the player, but about the 'steak on every plate' mentality meaning having to immediately replace Frederick with yet another 1st round offensive line pick. Sometime, you just have to make due without 1st rounders.
Stasheroo
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I think seeing the Falcons trade up from #16 for Henderson or Kinlaw would help our own chances for Chaisson quite a bit.
Stasheroo
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Chaisson or Henderson are the two in my book. And it seems that most of the prognosticators that I've read and heard are catching on to that same pair over the last two weeks.
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All we need is one run on a certain position (which happens every year) to push him down. It will most likely be a run on QBs or WRs to cause a team to reach for a certain position earlier than they would have and talent will be pushed down to us. We just have to hope the run isn't on DL.
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I get it but the Cowboys love their O-lineman and a guy like that would feel very safe to them. The guy will be a plug and play starter in the NFL. Better to sort of get Frederick round two than to take a chance on a guy at a different position. At least I think that's going to be the Cowboys mentality. I just think center is easier for them to predict than other positions.
Just seems like the typical Cowboys fall back option.
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