NFL Draft Weekend Team Thread: Dallas Cowboys

[DixieDevils 0]

It seems to me that Fasano starts with Witten, maybe in a H-back spot. Looks like no fullback role.

 

Here's the starting offense now:

QB Bledsoe

WR TO

WR Glenn

TE Witten

TE/H-back/FB Fasano

RB Jones

OT Flozell

OG Rivera

C Johnson

OG Kosier

OT Fabini

 

I can live with that.

 

DEFENSE

Front 3 of Spears, Jason Ferguson and Canty

LBs: Ware, Ayodele, Bradie James, Carpenter

Secondary: Henry, Newman, Roy Williams and K. Davis

 

OK, not bad. Like to replace Davis, however.

 

Yeah, I'd like another OL (OT, in particular) and Free safety, but this team should be competitive.

 

And then there's the QB situation. People complaining there. I'm not a Bledsoe fan, but I think we owe it to see how Drew Henson pans out in Europe. He's playing pretty well so far, getting back into playing mode after all that time in baseball. I'd like to ride the storm out a bit and see what happens.

[Trollmonger 0]

Not bad at all. Last to first.

 

Hatcher is going to be a run stopper. Maybe a bit small, but stong at the point once he learns the position. He should play some snaps this year, and be fully in the rotation next, eventually replacing Ellis. This could be a Leon Lett type project.

 

Fasano is a good value pick, and is NOT a waste. Tony Gonzalez has Jason Dunn to compliment him. Fasano will never be the downfield threat that Witten is, but Witten will never be a great blocker. With Campbell gone, they needed a blocker, and Fasano will do both. He's also a Tough nut and durable, and Parcells looks hard for both. The Cowboys seem to have targeted him, in fact, considering the trade.

 

Parcells has to be delighted Carpenter was still on the board when Dallas came up. The family connection is big in this pick. I was always a bit leary of the Wimberly/Lawson talk for the Cowboys. Carpenter is much more the normal strong side OLB for the 3-4. This does not bode well for Kevin Burnett, who seems to have dropped off the face of the Earth.

 

J

 

I'm not disappointed with this draft either although I'm no where near as enthusiatic as you.

 

Carpenter was a very solid pick and I'm very happy with him. Carpenter is a much better compliment to Ware than Lawson would have been. Carpenter is the complete OLB not the pass rush specialist. Someone has to drop back in coverage, tackle RBs and occasionally rush the passer. I think Burnett is still a good prospect on the inside. LB has gone from below average to a bright spot in this off-season. Ware and James were already established. Ayodele and Carpenter should complete the starter foursome and Burnett, Shanle, Singleton, Thornton provide excellent depth.

 

I also think that Fasano was a good pick. He just wasn't a need pick. I like him but we could easily have done without him. A round or two later and I would of thought it was a great pick but in the second with so many other worthy players on the board, left me asking why. We should see a lot of two TE sets. He's not the deep threat Witten is but he might be a better blocker and he has good hands and will be a target on short routes. Does this mean Witten may not be resigned next year?

 

Hatcher sounds like a good prospect. But he seems more like a Day 2 project than a 3rd rounder. I always feel that Day 1 picks should be eventual starters. Day two is more for projects and ST players. I don't doubt that Hatcher can contribute but wouldn't he have lasted another round or three?

 

I don't hate our draft so far. I just don't love it either.

[Deadpool 0]

Cowboys CHOKED (cough cough)

 

 

 

I'm sure if you guys hadn't traded away picks, you would have done some choking of your own..... Well atleast you did get one pick today, and it only cost you your #3 next year.

[DixieDevils 0]

Actually, the Skins gave up their No. 2 next year.

 

Yeah this year's draft doesn't live up to last year's, but maybe that's a sign of how well we did with last year's and hope that guys like Burnett, Beriault, etc., return healthy and ready to go.

[dcOne 2]

I'll admit I know nothing about Fasaso. Why let Jason Campbell go and then draft this kid? Is it a matter of just trying to get someone younger, better catching ability? Why sign Ryan Hannam then? I'm just trying to figure this out.

 

 

When asked to give his "BEST" pick of the entire draft...other than the "obvious"...Jaworski said definitely Fasano was the steal of the draft.

 

Wow--as of now there are a whopping 16 posts on the Portis board, aka, Redskins board.

[Forbidden Doughnut 0]

I would also remind of the 2002 draft.

 

1- Roy Williams

2- Andre Gurode

2- Antonio Bryant

3- Derek Ross

4- Jamar Martin

5- Pete Hunter

6- Tyson Walter

6- Deveren Johnson

6- Bob Slowikowski

 

This was graded a consensus A+ draft immediately thereafter, and we all know how that really turned out...

[cowboyz 2]

cowboys fans have gotta be happy with pat watkins

[Diesel07 0]

Pat Watkins is a stud. I dont know how how he lasted till the 5th

 

copy & paste this into the broswer to view his highlight reel

 

java script:void(window.open('http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/sports?ch=396337&cl=401525','playerWindow','width=793,height=608,scrollbars=no'));

 

NFL.com has him as a tweener b/t safety and OLB, he is no way an OLB...then they go on to say one of his weaknesses is his long legs hinder his ability to change direction quickly, then in the next line they say how he is surprisingly good at moving his hips to cover tightends...then they say how he isn't a good tackler and misses way too many tackles...im sorry but i cant remember Pat ever missing tackles, one of the best open field tacklers i've seen at FSU.

[skins1967 0]

When asked to give his "BEST" pick of the entire draft...other than the "obvious"...Jaworski said definitely Fasano was the steal of the draft.

 

Wow--as of now there are a whopping 16 posts on the Portis board, aka, Redskins board.

 

 

Really not a whole lot to talk about when the Skins did their "shopping" before the draft.

[Eck 0]

Stanley seems like a good pick here in the 6th... he'll get to learn behind Ferguson for a year or two. I was kinda hoping they'd take Gabe Watson, but this guy seems like a good fit, so kudos to Tuna on this.

 

"Stanley was a hard player to grade because he is a traditional two-gap defensive tackle and they often slip through the cracks because they do not make a lot of tackles. He is a good athlete, but lacks explosiveness, which limits his ability to make impact plays. He is much more of a stay-at-home, hold-ground and clog-the-middle defensive tackle who can be very effective as the nose tackle in a 4-3 or 3-4 defense. His versatility actually makes him ideal for any of the three defensive line positions in a 3-4 defense. He is a good athlete, and with improved hand use and playing with bent knees and leverage more consistently, he will be able to make/disrupt many more plays than he currently does and will still be a strong force at the point of attack vs. inside runs. Overall, Stanley will most likely slide in the draft because he is not a big playmaker but he will develop into a good starting defensive tackle who can stack the point of attack vs. run blocks, disrupt inside runs, get some pressure on the quarterback and chase down ball carriers in backside pursuit. He will need a season or two as a backup before he becomes the player he is capable of. "

[Savage Beast 1]

cowboys fans have gotta be happy with pat watkins

 

I am happy with both Watkins and Skyler Green. Dallas needed a kickoff and punt returner real bad, and Green will be a quality return man for them.

[Diesel07 0]

Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells Call to Pat Watkins

 

Audio Here

[DixieDevils 0]

Considering, I'd say this has been a good second day for the 'Boys. I wasn't sure on the Skyler Green pick , but consider this. Like you guys have said a solid KR/PR specialist -- you have to look at that part of the game, too and he can be a 4th WR as well, despite the size. Don't count on him being an every down receiver.

 

Pat Watkins in Round 5 is a steal. Could've gone in Round 3, easily. With him, Beriault and the other two guys back there, we should be able to line up a solid free safety to play with Roy.

 

I don't know much about Stanley, but McQuistan was a guy they were targeting going into the draft, according to the Dallas Morning-News. Another O-lineman that we don't spend a high pick on, can groom and possibly start on the outside.

 

 

 

7th rounder: E.J. Whitley, C, Texas Tech

 

Reading the report on him, if he makes the team, would be a solid reserve who could play interior line. Has played left tackle, left guard and center in college, but limited mobility would likely leave him at interior line.

[Eck 0]

"McQuistan was a guy they were targeting going into the draft"

 

I dunno bout that... you better check your source because PAUL McQuistan went much earlier in the draft... but Pat (his twin brother!) was a relative unknown. If the DMN actually said they were looking at PAT M, then wow... big props to them, but the way the dallas radio guys reacted to this pick would say to me this was a complete out of left field pick. They spoke with Pat on the phone and he has been told by the boys that he is projected as G/C, not T.

[DixieDevils 0]

Yeah, my bad, it was his brother they were eyeing. I remember reading that on the DMN site prior to the pick.

[cowboyz 2]

gotta love NT montavious Stanley

 

mms://bluestar.wmod.llnwd.net/a627/o1/stanley_interview_043006.wma

[Mr. Landry 29]

gotta love NT montavious Stanley

 

mms://bluestar.wmod.llnwd.net/a627/o1/stanley_interview_043006.wma

 

I hope he sticks around. He's good stuff!

[Trollmonger 0]

I know there is a lot of off-season optimism here but I can't help but think this defense is set for years to come.

 

Stanley is perfect for the NT position. He can be rotated in to give Ferguson a break for a year or two and eventually become the starter.

 

DE is loaded. Spears, Canty, Ratcliff and now Hatcher. I'm still not sure Hatcher was a great pick but he can at least be good depth. And I haven't even mentioned Ellis. I assume sooner or later, he'll be out of Dallas.

 

LB, both inside and outside is suddenly loaded with prospects. Ware on the outside and James on the inside were already established. Add Ayodele, Carpenter, Burnett, Parham to Fowler, Shanle, Singleton and Thornton and I don't think we'll have trouble finding four good ones to start every week.

 

Newman and Henry are great starting corners. Glenn is getting older but Reeves can be a capable nickel back. We might need to add some depth when Glenn retires but otherwise CB in great shape.

 

RW is great when he's playing up near the LOS. We just need to find that FS. Coleman/Davis might be the guys this year but I think Watkins is the guy longterm. If he is we're set for a long time on D.

 

There might be some growing pains for another year or two as all these young players adjust to the NFL but as they grow together, the D should be great.

 

The O is different story. It's still pretty good but we have age issues at QB, WR, RT, RG and even LT. We have young backups at most of these positions but I'm not convinced that any of them are ready to take the next step. Getting young players on O has to be the focus for next few off-seasons.