Mock Draft

[DALLAScornhusker]

IMO, cocky arrogant CBs make the best CBs. These guys have to go toe to toe with WRs, who are typically cut from the same cloth. This Peters fits that personality to a T. I can't stand to root for guys like this, but if they make the team better (which he would) then I'm for taking him. The coaches are the ones who have to deal with his attitude. I just hope he's learned from his suspension and will allow coaches to do their job. But I would not be shocked to see him and Dez square off and have to be separated more than once.

 

[UK Cowboy]

JMO, but the more I read up on this draft, the better a trade down sounds. Obviously, if the right guy fell you always take him, but the prospects that are generally thought of as 1st rounders at a lot of positions aren't graded out much higher than the kids projected for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds, especially at RB, DT, LB and S

 

[Nasty_Magician]

If we could get an early 2nd rounder and a 3rd from somebody I think you have to seriously consider it.

 

[jarntt]

JMO, but the more I read up on this draft, the better a trade down sounds. Obviously, if the right guy fell you always take him, but the prospects that are generally thought of as 1st rounders at a lot of positions aren't graded out much higher than the kids projected for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds, especially at RB, DT, LB and S

Here is what drives me crazy normally with this line of thinking. Based on whose grades? The gurus or the teams? If it's the gurus it is absolutely meaningless IMO. If it is the teams, then I don't have any problem with it. At all. We have seen over the last few years that the Cowboys own rankings have been very different from what is listed in all the mocks. If they have a guy on board that they have ranked as a good pick I want to take him and I don't even want to consider trading out of the spot. If they don't then I have zero problem trading down. BUT, the understanding must be there that even if you trade down 10 spots the guy you do want may not be there, so you really have to be OK with that before trading down.

 

[UK Cowboy]

Here is what drives me crazy normally with this line of thinking. Based on whose grades? The gurus or the teams? If it's the gurus it is absolutely meaningless IMO. If it is the teams, then I don't have any problem with it. At all. We have seen over the last few years that the Cowboys own rankings have been very different from what is listed in all the mocks. If they have a guy on board that they have ranked as a good pick I want to take him and I don't even want to consider trading out of the spot. If they don't then I have zero problem trading down. BUT, the understanding must be there that even if you trade down 10 spots the guy you do want may not be there, so you really have to be OK with that before trading down.

I see where you are coming from, and it may just be my opinion based on what I have been reading. Most years, there seems to be a clear cut 25-30 who get 7.0-7.9 1st round grades, and another 25-30 who get 6.0-6.9 2nd round grades in general....this year, it seems like there are 15-20 7.0+ and 55-60 6.0+
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it seems to be a draft with only a few guys that look like sure superstars, but a lot of solid pro prospects

Example of a couple of positions Dallas needs-RB, where most of the talking heads feel Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley are the 1st round candidates. I'm no scout, but it seems to me guys like Tevin Coleman and Jay Ajayi are similar between the tackles runners who are similar in size, build and production as the top 2.

DT is another. There are 5-6 guys being projected as 1st rounders, but I think I would be just as excited about a Michael Bennett in the 2nd round or an Xavier Cooper in the 3rd as I would a Malcolm Brown in the 1st. Would feel like a lot of bang for the buck.

With the draft McClay put together last year, I can't wait to see what he does this year. He's earned a lot of respect. Still fun to try and guess along IMO

 

[es4m11]

Still fun to try and guess along IMO

Nothing wrong with opinions. That's what we are here for, right? Unless you want to act like Greg -- then no one's opinion is worth a damn.

 

[jarntt]

Nothing wrong with opinions. That's what we are here for, right? Unless you want to act like Greg -- then no one's opinion is worth a damn.

LOL...no doubt. My thinking from watching this team draft lately is they will have a small handful of guys (ignoring of course guys expected to be gone that they see as top 5 or 10 type picks) they are hoping to get. If any of those guys are there they will take them in the order the have them ranked and not look back. If they are all gone they will take whatever deal they can - this is what often leads to us getting raped on the return. If there is one flaw it seems we aren't ready if all our guys go at the last minute and if it doesn't go our way we make teh last second panic trades. You need more player you will pick than slots left before your turn. It's funny that the one thing we stink at still is the on the Jones crew is most in charge of!!!

The other scenario (Lawrence) is we have one guy left that we love and we do whatever it takes to move up and get him. Even though you also get beat sometimes on these trades I don't have a problem with it because it's based on the the talent of the guy you are moving up for and the fact that you see him as a great value compared to who else is still out there and that can't fit into a draft chart.

I guess this is really what every team does, but it jut seems more obvious with Dallas. Maybe it's just
that I watch them closer.

 

[es4m11]

I feel like Dallas' trades in the draft in recent years have been 50/50.

1. Trade up to get Mike Jenkins -- Bad; Dallas trades #28, #163 & #235 to Seattle for #25; Jenkins showed flashes but ultimately didn't pan out

2. Trade up to get Dez -- Very Good; Dallas trades #27 & #90 to New England for #24 & #119; Dallas got a guy who turned into one of the top 5 play makers in the NFL

3. Trade up to get Claiborne -- Very, Very Bad; Dallas trades #14 & #45 to St Louis for #6; Claiborne has been a complete bust, Michael Brockers is very good

4. Trade back to get Frederick and WIlliams -- Very Good; Dallas trades #18 to San Fran for #31 & #73; Frederick is a pro-bowler and Williams is a solid starter

5. Trade up for Lawrence -- Jury still out; Dallas trades #47 & #78 to Washington for #34; Cost a lot to go get the kid, but he showed some promise in the playoffs

 

[UK Cowboy]

I feel like Dallas' trades in the draft in recent years have been 50/50.

1. Trade up to get Mike Jenkins -- Bad; Dallas trades #28, #163 & #235 to Seattle for #25; Jenkins showed flashes but ultimately didn't pan out

2. Trade up to get Dez -- Very Good; Dallas trades #27 & #90 to New England for #24 & #119; Dallas got a guy who turned into one of the top 5 play makers in the NFL

3. Trade up to get Claiborne -- Very, Very Bad; Dallas trades #14 & #45 to St Louis for #6; Claiborne has been a complete bust, Michael Brockers is very good

4. Trade back to get Frederick and WIlliams -- Very Good; Dallas trades #18 to San Fran for #31 & #73; Frederick is a pro-bowler and Williams is a solid starter

5. Trade up for Lawrence -- Jury still out; Dallas trades #47 & #78 to Washington for #34; Cost a lot to go get the kid, but he showed some promise in the playoffs

Agree, #3 was a killer, Brockers went in the Cowboys 1st slot, and there were a TON of good players there for them in the 2nd. Hated the trade at the time, but I did think Claiborne would be better than he has been

I'd call the 2013 deal a push. I was furious at the time, especially when the Niners took the exact guy I wanted for the Cowboys. We ended up with 2 really good players in Fredrick and Williams, but it would have been a huge upgrade to add Eric Reid at safety as well IMO

 

[es4m11]

Agree, #3 was a killer, Brockers went in the Cowboys 1st slot, and there were a TON of good players there for them in the 2nd. Hated the trade at the time, but I did think Claiborne would be better than he has been

I'd call the 2013 deal a push. I was furious at the time, especially when the Niners took the exact guy I wanted for the Cowboys. We ended up with 2 really good players in Fredrick and Williams, but it would have been a huge upgrade to add Eric Reid at safety as well IMO

I look at 2013 as a good trade for both parties. You can call it a push if you want, but the trade was very beneficial for both teams.

I have been crying for a Safety for years now, and Eric Reid would have been perfect. But I don't know that Travis Frederick wasn't the better fit for the team and more important to overall success. Once Frederick came aboard, the penetration up the middle that had been killing Dallas for years stopped. Frederick has been tremendous from day 1. Williams has been overall good. He disappeared a little in the second half of last year, but this kid is a worker and he is a great compliment to Dez. I have no worries about Williams.

 

[UK Cowboy]

I look at 2013 as a good trade for both parties. You can call it a push if you want, but the trade was very beneficial for both teams.

I have been crying for a Safety for years now, and Eric Reid would have been perfect. But I don't know that Travis Frederick wasn't the better fit for the team and more important to overall success. Once Frederick came aboard, the penetration up the middle that had been killing Dallas for years stopped. Frederick has been tremendous from day 1. Williams has been overall good. He disappeared a little in the second half of last year, but this kid is a worker and he is a great compliment to Dez. I have no worries about Williams.

Yep, that's one I was wrong on for sure. I still like Reid, but they proved they knew what they were doing. Same with Lawrence last year, I hated the trade up, but at least the guy they went after is much better than I thought.
I guess longtime Cowboys fans can have a lot more faith in the Cowboys drafting ability than they could 10 years ago. Some of the drafts and trades after Jimmy left were among the worst in NFL history. The Cowboys last 5 drafts may not be the best in the league, but are at least strong at the top, which is a big improvement

 

[jarntt]

I feel like Dallas' trades in the draft in recent years have been 50/50.

1. Trade up to get Mike Jenkins -- Bad; Dallas trades #28, #163 & #235 to Seattle for #25; Jenkins showed flashes but ultimately didn't pan out

2. Trade up to get Dez -- Very Good; Dallas trades #27 & #90 to New England for #24 & #119; Dallas got a guy who turned into one of the top 5 play makers in the NFL

3. Trade up to get Claiborne -- Very, Very Bad; Dallas trades #14 & #45 to St Louis for #6; Claiborne has been a complete bust, Michael Brockers is very good

4. Trade back to get Frederick and WIlliams -- Very Good; Dallas trades #18 to San Fran for #31 & #73; Frederick is a pro-bowler and Williams is a solid starter

5. Trade up for Lawrence -- Jury still out; Dallas trades #47 & #78 to Washington for #34; Cost a lot to go get the kid, but he showed some promise in the playoffs

Sorry I was more focusing on the value of just the actual trade (picks involved) not what we ultimately turned those picks into. For example on the Frederick trade we were bent over, but we got the last laugh because the player we ended up with was so good.

 

[es4m11]

Sorry I was more focusing on the value of just the actual trade (picks involved) not what we ultimately turned those picks into. For example on the Frederick trade we were bent over, but we got the last laugh because the player we ended up with was so good.

That 2013 draft was a little different than most drafts. There was not a lot of premium talent and teams didn't seem as willing to trade up. I don't know that Dallas got bent over in that trade, perhaps there just were not a lot of trading partners and that was the best deal they could make. If Dallas recognized that Frederick was their guy and knew that they could get him at #18 or #31, then I think they did just fine squeezing Terrance Williams out of that situation. Essentially #18 turned into two starters -- can't ask for more than that.

 

[jarntt]

That 2013 draft was a little different than most drafts. There was not a lot of premium talent and teams didn't seem as willing to trade up. I don't know that Dallas got bent over in that trade, perhaps there just were not a lot of trading partners and that was the best deal they could make. If Dallas recognized that Frederick was their guy and knew that they could get him at #18 or #31, then I think they did just fine squeezing Terrance Williams out of that situation. Essentially #18 turned into two starters -- can't ask for more than that.

Not to rehash and at the risk of someone posting the infamous 3 year old story of a phantom GM that was ready to pounce on Frederick the very next pick,,,Frederick is most likely there in the 2nd round IN MY OPINION. So it could have been Reid or Floyd and Frederick instead of Frederick and Escobar. Not interested in starting the topic again. Also not wanting to just assume there were no players out there either. Just as a comparison the players picked before and after Gavin Escobar were Kiko Alonso and Le'veon Bell. Every draft is full of talent.

 

[es4m11]

Not to rehash and at the risk of someone posting the infamous 3 year old story of a phantom GM that was ready to pounce on Frederick the very next pick,,,Frederick is most likely there in the 2nd round IN MY OPINION. So it could have been Reid or Floyd and Frederick instead of Frederick and Escobar. Not interested in starting the topic again. Also not wanting to just assume there were no players out there either. Just as a comparison the players picked before and after Gavin Escobar were Kiko Alonso and Le'veon Bell. Every draft is full of talent.

Hard to say about Frederick being there in the 2nd, that 2013 draft had a lot of guys anticipated to go somewhere they didn't. Case in point: Sharrif Floyd.

Now that Escobar pick was the colossal screw up. We definitely don't need to rehash that one. I wonder if Escobar will break the 20 catch mark this year?

 

[Manster7588]

Too many of us (me included) put too much stock in the trade value chart. Do think we lost value in the trade? Yes, but if the team was set on Frederick at and truly felt they could move back and gain a pick it's a good trade. We have to remember the team most interested in the trade will take it in the shorts.

The belief was the 9rs wanted Vacaro, when he went off the board the 9rs desire to trade up diminished. We'll never know but had Vacaro still been there the 9rs may have gave more in the trade.

 

[UK Cowboy]

Not to rehash and at the risk of someone posting the infamous 3 year old story of a phantom GM that was ready to pounce on Frederick the very next pick,,,Frederick is most likely there in the 2nd round IN MY OPINION. So it could have been Reid or Floyd and Frederick instead of Frederick and Escobar. Not interested in starting the topic again. Also not wanting to just assume there were no players out there either. Just as a comparison the players picked before and after Gavin Escobar were Kiko Alonso and Le'veon Bell. Every draft is full of talent.

Yeah, I could have gone all day without remembering that lol. Totally agree, and the thought of Fred AND Reid.......

 

[Nasty_Magician]

IMO, cocky arrogant CBs make the best CBs. These guys have to go toe to toe with WRs, who are typically cut from the same cloth. This Peters fits that personality to a T. I can't stand to root for guys like this, but if they make the team better (which he would) then I'm for taking him. The coaches are the ones who have to deal with his attitude. I just hope he's learned from his suspension and will allow coaches to do their job. But I would not be shocked to see him and Dez square off and have to be separated more than once.

Not sure I really agree with this. I like the confidence and ability to get in a receiver's head but Mike Jenkins was the absolute king of throwing parades for himself. The attitude means nothing without the talent and drive.

 

[es4m11]

Mayock has mocked Landon Collins to the Cowboys -- whatever that's worth.

Could be better, could be worse.

 

[GNG]

I'd be real happy to see Johnson make it to us, will have to see it tobelieve it

Either Johnson or Melvin Gordon.