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Gosselin: Despite one breakout game, Gavin Escobar looking like a wasted pick for Cowboys
Rick Gosselin
rgosselin@dallasnews.com
I’m not sure if it was Jerry Jones or Jason Garrett or personnel guru Will McClay or offensive coordinator Bill Callahan or then-tight ends coach Wes Phillips — but someone pounded the table when the Cowboys were on the clock with the 47th overall pick of the draft and said, “We’ve gotta have Gavin Escobar.”
Running back Le’Veon Bell was still on the board. He went on the 48th overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bell starts for the Steelers and ranks third in the NFL in rushing this season.
Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins was still on the board. He went on the 49th pick to the New York Giants. Hankins starts for the Giants and has been an inside force this season with 21/2 sacks, four quarterback pressures and two passes broken up.
Weakside linebacker Jon Bostic was still on the board. He went on the 50th pick to the Chicago Bears. He starts for the Bears, although he has been sidelined the last three games with a back ailment.
Cornerback David Amerson was still on the board. He went on the 51st pick to the Washington Redskins. He starts for the Redskins and has helped them field a top-10 pass defense.
Strongside linebacker Jamie Collins was still on the board. He went on the 52nd pick to the New England Patriots. He starts for the Patriots and leads them in tackles (61) this season.
The second round has never been a discard round. There are starters to be found — and historically, the Cowboys have found them. Larry Allen, Darren Woodson, Ken Norton Jr., Dixon Edwards and Darrin Smith all arrived in Dallas via the second round and all wound up starting on championship teams for the Cowboys in the 1990s.
Which brings us back to Escobar.
Three games ago, Escobar had what appeared to be his long-awaited breakout game. He caught a career-high three passes for a career-high 65 yards and a career-high two touchdowns, propelling the Cowboys to a 31-21 victory over the Giants that gave them sole possession of first place in the NFC East with a 6-1 record.
But the Cowboys haven’t thrown a pass his way in the two games since then. And the Cowboys have lost both games, falling behind the Philadelphia Eagles in the East.
If you don’t start in the NFL, you need to play special teams. Escobar has yet to make a tackle on special teams in his 25-game career. As an offensive weapon, he has started only one game and caught only 16 career passes. What exactly did the Cowboys see in Escobar that made them believe he was the 47th-best player in the 2013 draft?
Travis Kelce was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs at the top of the third round in 2013. He has 32 catches and four touchdowns in 2014 after missing his rookie season with a knee injury. Jordan Reed, who was drafted later in that same round by the Redskins, has 67 receptions in his two NFL seasons.
When you draft a player in the second round, you need to envision the contribution he can make and pave a path to the field for him. You need a plan for him.
It’s clear the Cowboys have never had a plan for Escobar. Either the scouting staff whiffed on him when it was building the 2013 draft board, or the coaching staff has whiffed on Escobar in his development.
The fact there were no passes thrown his way these last two weeks mystifies me.
Two games ago Tony Romo spent the evening under duress. The Redskins pounded him and eventually knocked him from the game. When you have no time in the pocket, just find someone who towers over the defenders and throw it to him. That’s Escobar at 6-6, 260. He’s hard to miss. Yet Romo missed him.
Brandon Weeden played tentatively last weekend in his first start in Romo’s absence. Again, the easiest receiver for an embattled quarterback to find is a guy 6-6, 260. That’s the quick and simple read. Just lob it up there and allow Escobar to use his size and muscle. But Weeden didn’t find him, either.
My guess is neither Romo nor Weeden was even looking for Escobar. Neither was offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, for that matter. Escobar was on the field for only six offensive snaps against the Redskins and 12 against the Cardinals.
Bell, Hankins, Bostic, Amerson and Collins all could be helping the Cowboys right now. But the Cowboys wanted Escobar.
If the Cowboys aren’t going to utilize him, why draft him?
Rick Gosselin
rgosselin@dallasnews.com
I’m not sure if it was Jerry Jones or Jason Garrett or personnel guru Will McClay or offensive coordinator Bill Callahan or then-tight ends coach Wes Phillips — but someone pounded the table when the Cowboys were on the clock with the 47th overall pick of the draft and said, “We’ve gotta have Gavin Escobar.”
Running back Le’Veon Bell was still on the board. He went on the 48th overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bell starts for the Steelers and ranks third in the NFL in rushing this season.
Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins was still on the board. He went on the 49th pick to the New York Giants. Hankins starts for the Giants and has been an inside force this season with 21/2 sacks, four quarterback pressures and two passes broken up.
Weakside linebacker Jon Bostic was still on the board. He went on the 50th pick to the Chicago Bears. He starts for the Bears, although he has been sidelined the last three games with a back ailment.
Cornerback David Amerson was still on the board. He went on the 51st pick to the Washington Redskins. He starts for the Redskins and has helped them field a top-10 pass defense.
Strongside linebacker Jamie Collins was still on the board. He went on the 52nd pick to the New England Patriots. He starts for the Patriots and leads them in tackles (61) this season.
The second round has never been a discard round. There are starters to be found — and historically, the Cowboys have found them. Larry Allen, Darren Woodson, Ken Norton Jr., Dixon Edwards and Darrin Smith all arrived in Dallas via the second round and all wound up starting on championship teams for the Cowboys in the 1990s.
Which brings us back to Escobar.
Three games ago, Escobar had what appeared to be his long-awaited breakout game. He caught a career-high three passes for a career-high 65 yards and a career-high two touchdowns, propelling the Cowboys to a 31-21 victory over the Giants that gave them sole possession of first place in the NFC East with a 6-1 record.
But the Cowboys haven’t thrown a pass his way in the two games since then. And the Cowboys have lost both games, falling behind the Philadelphia Eagles in the East.
If you don’t start in the NFL, you need to play special teams. Escobar has yet to make a tackle on special teams in his 25-game career. As an offensive weapon, he has started only one game and caught only 16 career passes. What exactly did the Cowboys see in Escobar that made them believe he was the 47th-best player in the 2013 draft?
Travis Kelce was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs at the top of the third round in 2013. He has 32 catches and four touchdowns in 2014 after missing his rookie season with a knee injury. Jordan Reed, who was drafted later in that same round by the Redskins, has 67 receptions in his two NFL seasons.
When you draft a player in the second round, you need to envision the contribution he can make and pave a path to the field for him. You need a plan for him.
It’s clear the Cowboys have never had a plan for Escobar. Either the scouting staff whiffed on him when it was building the 2013 draft board, or the coaching staff has whiffed on Escobar in his development.
The fact there were no passes thrown his way these last two weeks mystifies me.
Two games ago Tony Romo spent the evening under duress. The Redskins pounded him and eventually knocked him from the game. When you have no time in the pocket, just find someone who towers over the defenders and throw it to him. That’s Escobar at 6-6, 260. He’s hard to miss. Yet Romo missed him.
Brandon Weeden played tentatively last weekend in his first start in Romo’s absence. Again, the easiest receiver for an embattled quarterback to find is a guy 6-6, 260. That’s the quick and simple read. Just lob it up there and allow Escobar to use his size and muscle. But Weeden didn’t find him, either.
My guess is neither Romo nor Weeden was even looking for Escobar. Neither was offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, for that matter. Escobar was on the field for only six offensive snaps against the Redskins and 12 against the Cardinals.
Bell, Hankins, Bostic, Amerson and Collins all could be helping the Cowboys right now. But the Cowboys wanted Escobar.
If the Cowboys aren’t going to utilize him, why draft him?