**2023 NFL Draft Prospects**

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

8 hours ago, D82 said:

Surely there's something going on there? 

If something was going on, he’d have 27 visits instead of zero. 

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

1 hour ago, DaBoys said:

I know Jerry famously had the Jonny Manzel draft card yanked from his hand in 2014. Obviously most of the credit goes to Will McClay but you’d have to give Jerry some credit for hiring McClay in the first place as well as setting his pride aside to let his hires do their thing. Even if he did it reluctantly. The credit goes to Jerry, Stephen, and McClay. 

Exactly. 2013 was an absolute cluster—the Joneses recognized the problem, pulled the cord on Ciskowski, put McClay in charge and empowered him to run the show. Our first round success over the past decade has been an organizational triumph from top to bottom.

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

The more I watch and research, the more Darnell Wright becomes my favorite potential pick at #26.

[Texas_OutLaw7]

3 hours ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

The more I watch and research, the more Darnell Wright becomes my favorite potential pick at #26.

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-dallas-cowboys-7-round-mock-draft

As and you shall receive. 

[Dallas94Ware]

20 hours ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

Exactly. 2013 was an absolute cluster—the Joneses recognized the problem, pulled the cord on Ciskowski, put McClay in charge and empowered him to run the show. Our first round success over the past decade has been an organizational triumph from top to bottom.

Very fair statement. Though I don't know what they were smoking when they selected Charlton over Watts...it didn't take a full time scout to tell you Watts was going to have a much better career trajectory.

That said, McClay has been a savings grace to this FO. And Stephen has been the one executive with the testicular moxie to tell his dad NO. And Jerry has, for the most part, really learned to reign in a lot of the mistakes he used to make, rely on his staff for support and direction, and not throw away cap dollars, draft picks and entire seasons chasing some hair brained scheme to catch a ride on a lightening bolt. The Cooper trade was a smart move not because it worked out but because it both filled a needed role and was done in a price savvy manner. Long gone are the days of overpaying in trade or FA for guys like Roy Williams who costed two top 80 selections with a player who never filled an actual void to begin with. Gone are the days of throwing money at a big name and thinking it a better solution than drafting and developing a revolving door of players at a position who fill a role and move on. Further still, gone are the days of Jerry thinking he can buy a Lombardi trophy. He's been more judicial and like any good GM or shot caller, both in sports or any type of business, he's chosen to recognize he pays other people for help and that he should allow that help, and definitely listen to what they have to say before making a final decision.

For all the Jerry jokes and stupid choices on his resume, the man has actually turned into a good GM with a really good staff. You can laugh at me for saying this if you want. But no GM, no matter the era or the team, no matter the success or lack of, is without some very justifiable criticism. But no one gets it right everytime. Jerry now is a much better GM than Jerry of 2013. And the staff he's hired, like McClay and even now Chris Hall, have proven to be a big part of the positive change in philosophy and approach to drafting.

[Dallas94Ware]

On 4/6/2023 at 7:07 PM, DaBoys said:

I like Hooker quite a bit actually but what  I don’t like is that he’ll be 29 years old when his rookie contract is up… 😬🫤 Because of that reason I’m out on him in the first 3 rounds. In Rounds 1-3 I need someone who will be Hookers current age at the end of the rookie deal. Rounds 4-7 are a crap shoot anyway so I’m good with him there. I think a QB needy team will draft him in round 2 or 3 so I don’t expect him to be there when I’m comfortable taking a guy his age, and thus haven’t put a lot if stock into him.

His age is a factor to me also. I just don't weigh it as heavy a factor as some seem to. QBs are more like wine usually, less like a carton of milk. They tend to get better as they mature..especially so in this don't touch the QB era of protecting the leagues faces of the teams. Maturity and leadership definitely correlate, as does work ethic and maturity. I'm not out on Hooker due to age mostly because of that. I'd like my QB to be a little more young man than many of those 21 year old kids coming into millions of dollars at the same time they can now legally buy a beer. Not for off field issues, but in their potential to be a true professional. 

I'd rather have an exceptional player coming off a rookie contract at 28-29, than a pretty good one coming off that same deal at 25. I'd take having that guy here 3 or 4 years fewer and know he is amazing at what he does, than have one who's career is 4 years longer but not quite on that amazing level of stardom. 

Besides, it isn't like Brandon Weeden entering the league at almost 30...that was just plain ouch 

[Northland]

FWIW, I am mocked out and ready for the draft.  Regardless of the pick I trust McClay.  He has a solid track record.  Just remember let's see the young men in pads before evaluating the draft class.  There was a lot of hysteria on fan sites last year when Tyler Smith was drafted.  Comments like he's a worthless pick were running rampant.  

[Dallas94Ware]

On 4/3/2023 at 2:36 PM, WizardHawk said:

Taking a LB high has not at all been in the mix of our discussions, but appears it’s a possibility. Simpson is ok, but for my money Jack Campbell is really the only guy I’d be interested in investing high for.

Hyatt been the radar for a while and like Flowers, I’d be happy to get him.

Think this is more about just being vigilant and covering every scenario. This team has been very good in the first round because they weigh every option, and count every last duck, so on draft day they simply have to follow the script they wrote weeks in advance.

Where does this player fit if this is our best option? Do we see anything in him that justifies passing him over for a player with a lower grade at a position of greater need? And if not, how likely is it that at his.position he can provide immediate assistance to the team?

All questions that need answering before draft day.

What's made the team do well more than anything, even more than being this vigilant to even interview players who likely aren't at a prime position of need, is that they really have selected players that were just the better projected player according their board. This team had Tyron Smith and Terrence Steele at tackle, and Martin at Guard, and a still developing sometimes an eye sore sometimes an eye catcher at LG. Tyler Smith was not an instant need pick. He was just the best pick who also had the potential to help now, either via injury or by beating out a mixed-reviews player in camp, as he did

Which would make me believe, if a LB is truly the better player left, even if the next best player is at a position of a.clearer greater need, they will still pick that linebacker. Because he is a better player and LB, with three and in a way even four roles to be filled at LB with a GameDay roster, that LB still has a chance to make a difference right away, even if he can't beat out the starters for a starting job.

The teams that go into the draft saying, we need this and this and this and this, and finish the weekend picking exactly what.they needed almost in the same order they felt they needs were ranked in...usually end up having not drafted well, if even the initial on paper reviews were raving about having a great draft. You want to fill your needs. But not at the expense of passing over a player that might end up being better just because he didn't fit a need. If the players good, you pick them and find a way to get them out there.

What teams need more than to fill position needs...is to fill their roster with the best players possible.

 

 

[CT Cowboy Fan]

1 hour ago, Texas_OutLaw7 said:

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-dallas-cowboys-7-round-mock-draft

As and you shall receive. 

I love Wright at 26 aswell. We dont know where Steele is in his rehab, plus he’s on a one year deal, Tyron’s durability is in question every year, and we have a hole at LG. He can help in many ways, this year and the the future.

I keep seeing Tillmans name linked to us so I watched some of his tape today. He reminds me so much of Gallup. Bigger bodied WR who doesn’t give much in YAC, but he’s going to high point the ball and consistently win on the sideline.

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

4 hours ago, Dallas94Ware said:

Very fair statement. Though I don't know what they were smoking when they selected Charlton over Watts...it didn't take a full time scout to tell you Watts was going to have a much better career trajectory.

Taco seemed obviously bad in real-time. But so did Micah and Tyler Smith to most people.

They’ve been right way more than not since he’s taken over.

[Dallas94Ware]

4 hours ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

Taco seemed obviously bad in real-time. But so did Micah and Tyler Smith to most people.

They’ve been right way more than not since he’s taken over.

Taco was a bad choice not even just because they passed on Watts, and not even because he ended up lacking work ethic and being a bust. But simply because it was another instance in where need and scheme dictated the pick rather than pure talent. Taco had promise, and was a better fit for the scheme than Watts. But the potential with Watts was so much higher, it was mind-blowing they passed him over simply because he fit the cookie cutter shape of a 34 Rover than a book end in a 43. And they keyed in on a pass rusher long before draft day to boot, not even really considering alternatives. With a clear cut large gap in talent, screw system, screw the position. Draft the better guy and worry about where he plays later. Good things happen when you pick the better player. 

But the others you mention, man..I would really think most disliked the Micah selection because they wanted a corner and were against a LB high with the shorter, historically speaking, career length. Not because they actually worried it would be an unwise choice or a bad pick. Because I don't think you could watch any of his college film and think for one second he was going to fail at the next level.

 Micah to me was the single best defensive player in that draft class, and IMO, it wasn't even close. He had the new age athletic ability at the position that just screamed potential hall of famer. I did not foresee his pass rushing talent being up there with our very own DeMarcus Ware though. I had him pegged more of a cross between Fred Warner and like, Sean Lee, than a cross between Ware and ..Kuechley? Oh whomever, comparison doesn't matter. Just didn't foresee his ability to rush from the edge being so good as it has been. But still just in that small sample size of film at Penn State I knew the kid was bound for greatness.

Maybe less so with Tyler, but I still figured he would be a semi-consistent pro bowler inside. Had a bit of that Leonard Davis road grader element to his game, with the same criticisms of speed out of his stance and where his proper position might be. The talent was definitely there, though.. and by seasons end, his speed of learning pro footwork on the outside impressed me, and made me a believer in his future. But I still figured it to be a good selection as it happened and think, similarly to Micah, that most who disliked the selection probably felt that way for a different reason other than his ability..but rather because they had not yet heard of him, or at least, had not heard much of him.

I think it's more a matter of folks wanting or expecting one thing, and feeling let down when it went differently, than them truly thinking it to be a poor pick. Maybe, anyway.

To turn the talk back to McClays scouting department and scouting ability, he has indeed been a tremendous blessing to the front office. Jerry is still the shot caller, but it is so much easier to call good shots when you have a great team supporting you and feeding you accurate information. These three definitely mesh well. The ambition of Jerry, the rationale of Stephen, and the professional eye for talent of McClay. This team went from laughable with their early picks, to one of the teams many others envy for their consistency in that first round.

I'm still boggled by Jerry defaulting to JGs recommendation in the war room of Felix Jones on this closely paraphrased statement: "Well both backs available are good, but one is an every down back which I believe we already have [speaking of Marion Barber] and the other guy is a special..." Like come on. So not only were you just locked in on needing to go running back regardless of what's available, you pick Jones because Jg says he's a special. A special what? A special single season kick returner who's career trajectory was worse than everyone's running-like-hes-blind punchline of Julius Jones? Shaking. My. Head. That was clearly never going to work out and I haven't been paid to spot talent anywhere near what those guys get paid LOL .. that is why you don't key in on a specific position. It always bites you in the end.

And to further reminisce, i believe it was our very own @Dirk Gentlyback on the small forum he and I created after my stint as admin at the Dallas cowboys.com forum ended, who said to that very same JG statement during Hard Knocks, why was there seemingly no consideration for Chris Johnson? He could end up being the best offensive player in the draft. And our MIA buddy Dirk was certainly pretty accurate there. And much like @plan9misfithad also once SHOCKINGLY agreed with me on, Dallas may have had a sixth ring if they didn't pass on Steven Jackson that year. Well to add onto his old statement, imagine where Romos career also might have gone, as well as the team, had they added Chris Johnson that day instead of Felix Jones. 

Draft day lessons that it would seem Jerry has learned from, thankfully.

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by Dallas94Ware

[DaBoys]

I don’t think he’ll be there at 26 but this is nasty

 

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

5 hours ago, DaBoys said:

I don’t think he’ll be there at 26 but this is nasty

 

I’m sayin

[Dallas94Ware]

12 hours ago, DaBoys said:

I don’t think he’ll be there at 26 but this is nasty

 

A man among boys. Just look at his build compared to everyone else. He looks like the pro he will be. Everyone else around him looks like the late pick practice squad fodder they are.

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

1 hour ago, Dallas94Ware said:

A man among boys. Just look at his build compared to everyone else. He looks like the pro he will be. Everyone else around him looks like the late pick practice squad fodder they are.

Lmao, did anybody else see the DM he sent to a no-name blogger on twitter? I can’t post it here, because it’s not appropriate.

The man has a chip on his shoulder, I’ll give him that!

Willie Lutz is who to look up if you want to see.

Edited April 11, 2023 by Nextyearfordaboyz