2024 Draft & FA. Where do we start?

[PDay8810]

Why not Wilson Instead? What to read up about what they liked about him in this spot. Seems like a SAM or a Mike or which is good I guess. Also seems like he can play the run, the pass and blitz and has really good speed

cmon

the pros know what they are doing.

Trust the Process.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

I liked Peyton Wilson and Cedric Grey over Liufau. That said, he is a good, tough player and a leader. And McClay is a Hell of a lot better judge than I am, so lets go

Can someone say good stuff about this LB please.
Stuff I am reading is part time player & talk of special teams. Not a lot of confidence for me.
One of you draft guru's pick me up on this pick please.

 

[PDay8810]

Can someone say good stuff about this LB please.
Stuff I am reading is part time player & talk of special teams. Not a lot of confidence for me.
One of you draft guru's pick me up on this pick please.

Liufau has excellent length, and he runs well and chases with great effort. He has the ability to shoot his hands and keep blockers off his frame as he pursues. He has good stopping power. He gets to depth and shows good range dropping into underneath coverage. Liufau has the traits to match up with tight ends. He has active hands, which he shows when he's slipping blocks rushing the passer. He had three sacks last season. -- Steve Muench

 

[UK Cowboy]

Can someone say good stuff about this LB please.
Stuff I am reading is part time player & talk of special teams. Not a lot of confidence for me.
One of you draft guru's pick me up on this pick please.

Going by the general consensus he was a 4th or 5th round grade. There were higher ranked LB's still on the board, but the the Cowboys have the only list that matters.

 

[UK Cowboy]

For my money, Beebe was the best pick and will contribute the fastest

 

[PDay8810]

For my money, Beebe was the best pick and will contribute the fastest

solid
bet all 4 contribute.

Do you think our DC had input?




Me too.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

Going by the general consensus he was a 4th or 5th round grade. There were higher ranked LB's still on the board, but the the Cowboys have the only list that matters.

Just worried outside of OL we are trying to get cute.
When I saw we took an edge rusher I thought. Yeah Cowboys cant help themselves. They always got to go there. Then I saw LB & I thought cool maybe we got our next Sean Lee. Instincts & all that good jazz. But read (paraphrasing) athletic special teamer, could be used on passing 3rd downs.
Feeling a bit blue after Day 2.

 

[ArlingtonCowboys100]

I like Cooper Beebe. Tough son of a gun. Seems to big for C at 335, I have to think that's their plan. I would have really liked Benson or Corum in the 2nd round. We are going to have the worst RB room in the NFL

I like this pick. Still I wanted that Wisconsin back. I guess Zeke and Dowdle?

This Beebe is a big guy. I have no problem putting him at center. I would encourage it.

This team is clearly going through a mini rebuild.

They can't seriously think Dowdle and Zeke are the answer?

 

[ArlingtonCowboys100]

Can someone say good stuff about this LB please.
Stuff I am reading is part time player & talk of special teams. Not a lot of confidence for me.
One of you draft guru's pick me up on this pick please.

This smells like Nashon Wright all over again. They should have drafted Braelon Allen

 

[ArlingtonCowboys100]

I think Kneeland and Marist will fit well in Zimmer's defense. I think I will back off my initial thoughts on the linebacker.

Kneeland is a serious run stopper. Brugler has him ranked 32. I can see why. I think they may have found something here.

 

[UK Cowboy]

solid
bet all 4 contribute.

Do you think our DC had input?




Me too.

Man that's a good point. Hard to argue an OL/Front 7 draft. Big and Physical

 

[UK Cowboy]

I like this pick. Still I wanted that Wisconsin back. I guess Zeke and Dowdle?

This Beebe is a big guy. I have no problem putting him at center. I would encourage it.

This team is clearly going through a mini rebuild.

They can't seriously think Dowdle and Zeke are the answer?

Man the two OL picks are a great investment and the DE looks like he could be a stud. The one pick I'm worries about is the LB. I actually think the kid could be a good player, but if we are drafting for need(which we were) then we missed the boat on the biggest one. You said it, Zeke and Dowdle. That ain't good enough. Maybe they believe a year two Deuce will be ready to take a shot?

 

[jarntt]

3 rounds (4 players) down and 4 rounds to go. Let's see what day 3 brings. I was really happy after Beebe that we got bigger and stronger and IMO took 3 players that if they pan out will all help us to be the bullies in the playoffs instead of the ones getting bullied. I really wish we could have that last pick back. Everywhere I read it's about him needing to clean up the missed tackles, tricked by misdirection and not great instincts/reads. Also looks very violent and aggressive which I like. Obviously they like something about him but in the 3rd round you look for guy you expect to at least compete as a day 1 starter. Does he seem like this? Obviously everyone kept passing on Wilson for a reason. Maybe it's the injury history because he seems like a much better prospect than Liufau. But, I've cried about getting LBers for a few years now so I have to at least be happy they took one. With Kendricks definitely starting this year and Clark and Overshown with the inside track at starting I guess they are thinking specialty/role player year one with the potential to be a starter in year 2 and beyond. If we took Wilson would he really start year 1 either? Not sure so maybe this is a better long term pick? This will be a guy I watch and root for in camp and hope he turns some heads and looks like a player.

Brugler:
15. MARIST LIUFAU | Notre Dame
STRENGTHS: Checks boxes for his frame, arm length and play strength...first-step acceleration and always-revving motor get him to his destination quicker than theETA...competes with an aggressive mentality and bangs with offensive linemen without hesitation...shows a basic understanding of read concepts and plays gap- sound in the run game ... effective blitzer and shows a ton of downhill force ... blood -thirsty tackler and willingly throws his body around to leave his mark on the ball carrier ... his grit and urgency are on display each play ... uses his hands well to rough up tight ends early in their routes ... started 25 straight games after coming back from his major ankle injury in 2021.

WEAKNESSES: Frenetic eyes lead to wasted steps and missed plays ... missteps in space diminish his leverage as an alley defender ... can be manipulated by motions and backfield action ... put too many missed tackles on his 2023 film and needs to break down with better wrap -up timing/control ... scouts appreciate his eagerness as a tackler, but he must become smarter or he will pile up roughing and late hit penalties from NFL officials ... plays with m ore confidence downhill with limited off- ball coverage production ... undeveloped anticipation as a zone dropper (90.9 percent of plays when he was targeted resulted in an offensive completion in 2023) ... suffered a broken right ankle and fibula (August 2021) and required season-ending surgery ... averaged only 3.8 tackles per game the last two seasons.

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Notre Dame, Liufau played Will linebacker in head coach Marcus Freeman’s 4 -2-5 base scheme. After a broken ankle sidelined him for the 2021 season, he ripped off 25 straight starts to finish his Irish career and was often the most en ergetic player on the field. With his closing burst and physicality, Liufau plays through contact well and punches above his weight class when working downhill. His explosive energy helps him cover a lot of ground in a hurry, although he needs to play with better anticipation and control to be a playmaker in coverage and as a tackler. Overall, Liufau has intriguing traits with his length, burst and violence, but he must improve his play instincts to balance out his relentless play style. He should shine as a “core four” special teamer in the NFL while he gets coached up for a chance at meaningful defensive snaps (similar to the Las Vegas Raiders’ Divine Deablo).
GRADE: 5th-6th Round







Bleacher Report:
POSITIVES
— Good size and frame with long arms and solid movement skills overall.
— Shows good eye discipline and peripheral vision to locate threats coming into his area when playing zone.
— Can be an effective blitzer with a decent hand-swipe move and the change of direction and agility to get pressure as the looper on line games.
— Takes on blocks with his hands and is physical at the point of attack against the run.

---

NEGATIVES
— Questionable instincts. Freezes and will get caught out of position versus zone runs, and has slow run-pass transitions versus play action.
— Lacks functional strength to hold his ground when taking on blocks against offensive linemen.
— Angles are too shallow versus outside runs, limiting his range.
— Has bad habits when tackling. Will be too high with his pad level and dive at ankles, which will lead to more misses in the NFL.

OVERALL
Marist Liufau could be a solid backup/rotational linebacker in the NFL. He has a good frame with at least decent movement skills to help in coverage, and he has experience playing multiple linebacker spots in college, giving him some positional versatility. He's also a solid pass-rusher for an off-ball 'backer, which adds more value to his résumé.
Liufau's biggest issue is a lack of functional strength, which shows up the most against the run. He's already about 240 pounds, which is big for a modern linebacker, and he doesn't have much room for growth on his frame. In other words, he might already be tapped out in that area of his game.
Overall, Liufau likely will have to prove himself on special teams to begin his NFL career, but he can be a decent depth piece on Day 3 of the draft.









Draft Network:
Strengths:

• Smart
• Coverage in shallow areas
• Alignment versatility
• Willing blitzer

Concerns:

• Athleticism
• Play strength vs. run
• Open-field tackling
• Pursuit angles

Film Analysis:

Marist Liufau is an experienced linebacker that aligned primarily as the ‘MIKE’ in the Notre Dame defense. Quick first step downhill in the run but is often incorrect in his run fit. Will also delay engagement with opposing linemen when the alley is vacant. Play strength lacks when asked to engage/disengage in one-on-one opportunities. In space, Liufau is active and consistently around the football. As a blitzer, Liufau lacks a pass-rush repertoire but showcases an innate ability to ID vacant rush lanes from the second level. Pursuit angles can be inconsistent where a lack of foot speed can quickly see him chasing a play.

In coverage, Liufau is comfortable in space but is someone whose projection looks muddied as a true three-down stalwart at LB. Instincts hurt Liufau at times versus RPO where he will lose depth to counter crossers behind his head. Open-field tackling needs improvement at this time in his evaluation (Ohio State). Excellent inside the contact window versus RBs and TEs where his quick hands will often jolt opposing players. Showcases good body placement to reroute opposing pass-catchers on short-yardage situations, as well. Allowed just 62 yards on 10 catches (11 targets) in 2023.

Overall, Liufau is a high-motor defender whose experience could pave the way for snaps within a defensive structure that values depth at the linebacker position. His 335 career snaps on special teams showcase a potential multi-phase contributor.

Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Role Specific

 

[UK Cowboy]

Reading those scouting reports, the Cowboys obviously see him differently than Brugler, who is pretty shsto as well. He has him as a special teams guy year 1 and maybe develop into a starter down the road. Will be interested to see how hid career progresses compared to Wilson and Gray, both of whom I think will be stars

 

[ArlingtonCowboys100]

Lol

Ezekiel Elliott free agency: Jerry Jones says former Cowboys RB is 'good enough to be a starter' in 2024

Dallas released Elliott last offseason, but reconnected with him on Wednesday

www.cbssports.com

 

[jarntt]

 

[jarntt]

Just listened to their pod cast and the Cowboys Draft Show guys were talking about Liufau as an option when we were on the clock. Also said he was a top 30 visit. They mostly seemed to like Grey better but at least to them it wasn't an out of left field pick.They talked about Liufau having good instincts which is not what I was reading but that he didn't read and react well. More just made up his mind early. They also talked about potential blitzing and being athletic and aggressive and smart. Of course they liked Wilson a lot more but kept bringing up the medical issues so I guess that is a big reason for him almost dropping out of the 3rd round

 

[DJ]

He's going to be a good one IMO.

In the mock draft @UK Cowboy and I were in on here I took him for the Raiders. Think it was the 2nd round.

In reality, I like what the Raiders did with Jackson Powers-Johnson. He can play G or C also.

 

[DJ]

And in the fucking 3rd round is great value.

 

[PDay8810]

Trust McClay.

THANKFULLY we traded down and did not draft a QB.