2021 Cowboys Draft Chatter Thread...

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Cowboysrock55

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And I remember when Shawn Wade was considered a Top 3 pick in this year’s draft, and when Taylen Twyman was considered a Top 10 guy.
Not sure why Twyman has fallen so much. Wade I get. The guy was absolutely abused and basically sucked outside the slot.
 

Plan9Misfit

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I would too but he seems to be the name of choice for everyone in those rounds.
Yeah, it looks that way. That said, every year there are players who are brought up by beat writers as high picks who fall in the draft. NTs are guys who routinely fall, so I’d expect something similar if teams strictly view McNeill as nothing but a 2 down NT.
 

ravidubey

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True, but even though this defensive class isn't loaded, I definitely don't want to pass on Surtain, Horn, Moehrig, McNeil, Shelvin..etc..
They may not ever be all pro but we need solid contributors
Without a doubt we need to lean towards seeding the defense because we have whiffed a lot there. The list below doesn't even include whiffing on Taco Charlton.

I'm only saying the strength of the 2021 draft defensively is not at the top, except for maybe one guy in Micah Parsons. I see us definitely getting more defensive help and depth in round 2 and later.

Don't forget we did sign 6 defensive free agents who will also make an impact, they just won't be stars. It's easy to dismiss them at first, but they will make a difference. I'm not covering everyone, but here's the basic spread:

Dallas Drafted:
1st (1): LVE-2018
2nd (5): DLaw-2014, Gregory-2015, Hill-2018, Smith-2016, Diggs-2020
3rd (2): Lewis-2017, Gallimore-2020
4th (2): Armstrong-2018, Reggie Robinson-2020
6th (3): Wilson-2019, Brown-2016, Anae-2020
UFA (1): Luke 'PED' Gifford-2019

Other teams drafted:
1st (1) Keanu Neal-Atl-2016
2nd (0)
3rd (1): Tarell Basham-Ind-2017
4th (3): Carlos Watkins-Hou-2017, Brent Urban-Bal-2015, Rashard Robinson-SF-2016
5th (1): Damontae Kazee-Atl-2017
6th (1): Maurice Canady-Bal-2016
7th (1):Jayron Kearse-Min-2016
UFA: CJ Goodwin-Pit-2014, Antwaun Woods-Titans-2016

The lack of 1st rounders doesn't mean we should over-correct IMO unless the prospect is right and talent level matches our draft position.

It's why Parsons would be a good pick. He not only has top-ten measurables-- well beyond any 2nd round LB prospects-- but he also impacts the run defense and pass defense both as a rusher and in coverage all combined with the production at a major school in PSU.
 

Genghis Khan

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Don't forget we did sign 6 defensive free agents who will also make an impact, they just won't be stars.
I don't know, I'm not sensing much impact from our FAs. Neal is probably the best of the lot and he's kind of 'eh'.

I don't think this defense is historically bad because of a lack of depth (though that's certainly an issue at spots).

I think they have a severe lack of top end, playmaking defenders.

It would have been nice to address that in FA so that we didn't go into the draft desperate for impact defenders but here we are.
 

bbgun

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We just signed 3. What more do you want them to do?
most of them are one-and-done types, if they even make the team. shouldn't preclude us from taking Richie Grant if available.
 

Rev

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most of them are one-and-done types, if they even make the team. shouldn't preclude us from taking Richie Grant if available.
You are expecting a well run organization. 3 safeties is enough for them for 15 years.
 

bbgun

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assuming this is true, why are we telegraphing to the rest of the league who we like?
 

Cotton

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With Cowboys' 10 picks in 2021 NFL draft, it's time for Trader Jerry Jones
5:00 AM CT

  • Todd Archer ESPN Staff Writer

FRISCO, Texas -- Since taking over the Dallas Cowboys in 1989, owner and general manager Jerry Jones has made 161 trades, and 68 of them have been draft-day deals.

Hence the nickname Trader Jerry.

Jones has made bold moves nobody saw coming, like moving up to draft cornerback Morris Claiborne in 2012 with the No. 6 pick in a deal with the St. Louis Rams. A year later, Jones engineered the Cowboys moving down 13 spots in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers to draft center Travis Frederick at No. 31.

Some years there have been a dizzying number of trades for the Cowboys, like in 2008, when Dallas made eight draft-day deals. Then there were three years when the Cowboys made no moves during the draft: 2000, 2011 and 2015.

The Cowboys have 10 selections in the 2021 NFL draft. Only the Philadelphia Eagles (11) have more.

The Cowboys need Trader Jerry to reappear.

They don't need wild-uncle Jerry making trades for trades' sake, which seemed to be the case in 2009, a special-teams-centric draft that turned out to be one of the Cowboys' worst drafts.

The Cowboys need with-a-purpose Jerry to make moves.

In NFL free agency, the Cowboys targeted quantity over quality, adding 10 players -- none with a salary-cap hit greater than $2.5 million. They were not going to be big spenders on the open market and have felt for years that the lifeblood of an organization is the draft.

With so many high-priced players already on the roster, such as quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, linebacker Jaylon Smith and offensive tackles Tyron Smith and Zack Martin, the Cowboys need to hit on their draft picks this year to build depth and to balance out a salary-cap crunch.

To many, it might scream that using all 10 picks is the best way to help cost certainty, but there is no way 10 draft picks, plus a couple of undrafted free agents, will make the 53-man roster. Before folks get carried away by remembering sixth- and seventh-round success stories, there are far more misses and never-weres.

Despite the Cowboys' 6-10 finish in 2020, they still believe -- rightly or wrongly -- they have a talented roster, and earning a spot among the 53 will be difficult for a rookie. Dallas needs to strategically pinpoint players at specific positions.

During last year's draft, the Cowboys made that exact kind of move, giving up fifth-round picks in 2020 and 2021 to the Eagles to select Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz. They called Biadasz a "blinking light," which meant he was much higher on their draft board than the 146th pick. This season, the Cowboys view Biadasz as their starting center.

Staying put at No. 10 in this year's draft makes the most sense because the Cowboys could select the best defensive player available if the first nine selections are offensive players. By now, the Cowboys' needs are obvious: defense, defense and more defense. Maybe sprinkle in an offensive lineman, too.

The Cowboys' second-round pick is at No. 44. What if they gave up No. 44 and their pick at No. 75 or No. 99 to move up earlier in the second round, or even to the tail end of the first round, to draft, say, Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore? No team wants to be as thin at defensive tackle as it appears the Cowboys are, and Barmore could fix that issue.

The Cowboys have two picks apiece in the third, fourth and sixth rounds because of trades or compensatory selections. They can also deal 2022 picks if necessary to get trades done.

A few times in recent drafts, Jones has lamented moves that in hindsight worked out better the way they ended up happening. He thought the Cowboys played it too safe in selecting Martin over quarterback Johnny Manziel in the 2014 draft. Martin could one day join Larry Allen as the best offensive linemen in franchise history.

In 2016, Jones could not get over the fact that he did not land quarterback Paxton Lynch in a trade back into the first round. The Cowboys ended up with Prescott in the fourth round, and he was just rewarded with a four-year, $160 million deal as their franchise quarterback.

With counsel from executive vice president Stephen Jones and vice president of player personnel Will McClay, Trader Jerry can put his imprint on the 2021 draft.

It's time for Trader Jerry to be bold.
 

Cotton

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The Cowboys’ first three rounds of the NFL Draft: Best and worst-case scenarios


By Jon Machota 36m ago

What’s the worst that can happen?

We’re less than three weeks from the NFL Draft so we’re looking to answer that question from a Cowboys perspective. We’re also tackling the best possible scenarios.

With the help of Dane Brugler’s recently published annual draft guide, we’re taking a look at scenarios the Cowboys could be facing in the first three rounds.

Why only the first three rounds? Dallas currently owns 10 picks, but this draft will likely be judged in the future on what happens with those first four picks, all in the Top 100.

So here we go. The best and worst-case scenarios for the Cowboys in the first three rounds.

First round, No. 10 overall

Best-case scenario: Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II, Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell and Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater are all still available when the Cowboys go on the clock. That is highly unlikely. The Cowboys should actually be in good shape as long as one of those four players is there.

Defense is clearly Dallas’ biggest need. Help is needed at every position. But Surtain seems like the defender that would make the most sense for the Cowboys at No. 10. This isn’t a great defensive draft at the top. In Brugler’s draft guide, Surtain is ranked as the top defender in this class at No. 10. The next four defenders are Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons (12), South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn (14), Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (15) and Georgia edge rusher Azeez Ojulari (16).

If the Cowboys were absolutely committed to drafting defense, trading back would make a lot of sense if Surtain is already gone. They could gain extra picks and probably still get one of those other defenders. The chances of a move back increase if there’s a top quarterback prospect still available. For example, if North Dakota State’s Trey Lance or Alabama’s Mac Jones are still there, maybe a team like the Patriots at No. 15 or the Bears at No. 20 would be looking to get up to 10. It would be a costly move for either, but teams have proven they will overpay for the possibility to land a franchise quarterback.

Surtain would step in immediately as the starting outside cornerback opposite Trevon Diggs. Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis would then likely round out the nickel and dime packages at defensive back. The position would appear pretty solid entering the season. If a cornerback isn’t the pick at No. 10, there’s a decent chance one will be targeted in the second round.

Sewell or Slater would instantly help an offensive line that was greatly impacted by injuries last year. Sewell is Brugler’s No. 5 overall prospect. Slater is ranked No. 11. Sewell is the better left tackle prospect of the two. Landing him would mean the Cowboys would have Tyron Smith’s future replacement. Slater has the ability to play guard or tackle, so similar to Zack Martin. He too could be Smith’s eventual replacement.

Pitts would probably be the pick with the highest upside. He’d step into any offense and immediately cause problems for opposing defenses, but especially while lining up with Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Ezekiel Elliott. The biggest issue with drafting Pitts, Sewell or Slater is it means the Cowboys aren’t adding a premium player to a defense that badly needs playmakers. However, they were in the same position last year and ended up picking Lamb over edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. Lamb clearly made the bigger impact of the two last season.


Worst-case scenario: No wide receivers are drafted with the top nine picks. If it somehow ended up with five quarterbacks and Surtain, Pitts, Sewell and Slater as the first nine selections, Dallas might be faced with reaching a little bit for a defender. It’s not a terrible situation, but it’s probably not what the Cowboys would prefer. The Cowboys aren’t expected to use another top pick on a wide receiver and right behind them are the division rival Giants and Eagles. Both could take a wide receiver. And in that scenario, all five quarterbacks are gone, so the best hope of a trade back is that another team is willing to move up to land the wide receiver of their choice. That would most likely be LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase.

Remember, a wide receiver didn’t go last year until Henry Ruggs at No. 12, followed by Jerry Jeudy at No. 15 and Lamb at No. 17. Most mock drafts had at least one of those three going in the top 10 before last year’s draft. It would be very surprising if that happens again, but that would be a worst-case scenario.

Second round, No. 44 overall

Best-case scenario: A top defender slips. It happened last year when the Cowboys considered Diggs at No. 17, only to end up getting him at Pick 51. Some prospects who would be interesting for Dallas: Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore, Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley, or an edge rusher like Penn State’s Jayson Oweh, Washington’s Joe Tryon or Miami’s Gregory Rousseau. These are all players most have seen going in the first round of mock drafts. But every year players slip unexpectedly. And this doesn’t even necessarily mean they fall to 44. If a top player on the Cowboys’ board starts falling, this is an area where you could see them look to move up. They did it in 2014 with DeMarcus Lawrence. He was by far the top edge rusher remaining on their board. So they sent Picks 47 and 78 to Washington in exchange for Pick 34.

Worst-case scenario: They reach on a defensive player to fill a need. For example, if the Cowboys miss out on Surtain or Horn in the first round and reach for a cornerback here. There should still be quality cornerbacks at this point, but there could be a safety or defensive lineman or linebacker with better value. Fortunately for Dallas, there should be plenty of quality on defense at this pick and into the third round.

To give you an idea of the defensive depth, Brugler has 12 cornerbacks, 10 edge rushers, six linebackers, five defensive tackles and three safeties graded as first- or second-round picks.

Third round, No. 75 and No. 99 overall

Best-case scenario: They find another Michael Gallup. No, not necessarily a wide receiver. But a third-round pick who makes the type of impact Gallup has over the past three years. Since being drafted 81st overall in 2018, Gallup has played in all but two games, starting 35. Maybe that player is Houston edge rusher Payton Turner or Oregon safety Jevon Holland or a linebacker such as LSU’s Jabril Cox or N.C. State defensive tackle Alim McNeill. This should be a spot where an immediate starting-caliber player is still possible to find, especially on defense.

Worst-case scenario: They reach on a player to fill a need. For the most part, the third round has been pretty good for the Cowboys over the last decade. DeMarco Murray, Tyrone Crawford, Terrance Williams, Maliek Collins, Lewis and Gallup were all solid values for the third round. The only miss was Chaz Green in 2015.

Dallas never seemed to reach last year in Mike McCarthy’s first draft as the team’s head coach. It could be argued that the draft was the only thing that went well for the Cowboys in 2020. What will be interesting to watch this year is if and when they look to possibly package a couple of picks together to move up in a round. The last time Dallas made 10 or more picks in a draft was 2009, one of the least impactful classes in franchise history. The Cowboys didn’t make a first- or second-round pick that year. Their first two selections were linebacker Jason Williams and offensive tackle Robert Brewster, both picked in the third round. Dallas made nine picks in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
 

Simpleton

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Wilson would be very solid in the 3rd or 4th but at this point he's a reach in the 2nd, even though it's conceivable that he could live up to being that high of a pick because his natural talent is definitely that of a 2nd rounder.
 

boozeman

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The Cowboys didn’t make a first- or second-round pick that year. Their first two selections were linebacker Jason Williams and offensive tackle Robert Brewster, both picked in the third round.
Whotta fuckin' horror show of a draft that was.

Watching it happen was like an out of body experience.
 
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