Dallas Cowboys UDFA signings

by Dave Halprin on Apr 28, 2008 10:51 AM CDT in News Comment 24 comments

Oh yes, I love this. BTB-regular lee3022 pointed me to a site called NFL Draft Bible that has a lot of UDFA signings listed. I just checked it and here’s the list for Dallas:

DE Darrell Robertson, Georgia Tech
DT Marcus Dixon, Hampton
WR Daniel Polk, Midwestern State
FB Julius Crosslin, Oklahoma State
OG Brandon Hale, Sam Houston State
P Jay Ottovegio, Stanford
SS Dowayne Davis, Syracuse
WR Danny Amendola, Texas Tech
TE Drew Atchison, William & Mary

Sweet! They picked up Georgia Tech player Darrell Robertson who was a guy I thought might have a chance as an OLB in the 3-4. He played DE at Tech and was part of a line that was very good at getting after the QB.

NFL Draft Countdown had him as the #12 DE and Mel Kiper had him at the top of his list as Best Player Available throughout the later rounds of the draft. Here is NFL Draft Countdown’s profile:

Strengths:
A smooth athlete...Is explosive and quick...Plays faster than he times...Great pass rusher off the edge...Has a rangy frame..Is active and aggressive with a non-stop motor...Excellent in pursuit with a burst to close...Fluid and has some potential in coverage...Offers some versatility..Smart and a hard worker with solid intangibles.

Weaknesses:
Undersized and lacks the ideal bulk you look for...Has trouble shedding blocks...Is not stout at the point of attack and can be run at...Needs to get stronger...On the ground too much...Limited repertoire of pass rush moves...Can be manhandled by massive offensive linemen...He was not all that productive prior to his senior year.

Notes:
'Tweener who will either need to add weight or make a position change..Could be either a situational pass rusher or outside linebacker depending on scheme...Best fit at the next level will probably be with a team that primarily runs a 3-4 defense.

If you know anything about these other guys, please post it in the comments.

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Comments

This is a rumor but...

I have seen on a couple of boards that we signed WR Adarius Bowman. Can anyone confirm this?

by quincyyyyy on Apr 28, 2008 11:08 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Haven't seen anything

www.bloggingtheboys.com

by Brandon Worley on Apr 28, 2008 11:09 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jailtime?

Doesn’t he have to serve jail time for his possession charge?

by WestTxHornFan on Apr 28, 2008 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That never stopped the Cowboys. I kid!

by Dave Halprin on Apr 28, 2008 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I personally would not like the Cowboys to take the chance

Especially for a guy who would never make the starting roster.

www.bloggingtheboys.com

by Brandon Worley on Apr 28, 2008 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You can still be a good guy and do Mary Jane

it just means your stupid, but we can coach that up.

by quincyyyyy on Apr 28, 2008 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not concerned with the charge

more so the time, I am reading it’’s almost 12 months

by WestTxHornFan on Apr 28, 2008 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't even need to be stupid

Talk to Mark Stepnoski.

Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.

by OskieOskie on Apr 28, 2008 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heres what I know about some of these guys

FB Julius Crosslin: He is a tremendous short yardage runner with a nose for the end zone. He had 23 career touchdowns at Ok. State and and has the size and strength to be a great special teams contributor. He is tall for a FB, but always seemed to be able to put a nasty hit out as a lead blocker.

WR Daniel Polk: He is a small school version of Isaiah Stanback. An accurate passer, he was also a very elusive and speedy runner who had over 2,000 passing and 1000 rushing yards his senior year. He played a very small school so the level of competition was not great (his YouTube video looks like it was filmed at a high school game). He will be making the transition to WR and is a bigger project than Stanback was. VERY hard pressed to even make the squad but after a few years on the PS, could make a name for himself on the field later.

SS Dowayne Davis: A very fast safety/corner hybrid who probably would have been drafted if his coaches would have kept him at one position. Dave Campo should have a field day with this kid who has tremendous upside as a defensive back and special teamer.

www.bloggingtheboys.com

by Brandon Worley on Apr 28, 2008 11:08 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I've actually seen Polk play

Brandon, I’ve actually seen Polk play. It is a DII program, but is bigger than that particular youtube video makes it seem. I’m also surprised that they didn’t have any better clips up there.

To start out, he did have a huge senior year. I watched them against ACU in a game that decided which would be going into the DII post-season. It went down to the wire, with some pretty wretched officiating, both ways, and they ended up losing to ACU.

His senior year stats sound pretty solid, but some of the background about the LSC is in order. Last year was not a stellar year, defensively, in the LSC. The top four teams in the conference had huge games against each other with the offenses scoring almost at will. All four had pass-happy, spread formations with enough solid running to keep things interesting.

When I saw Polk, he scored more than once using his feet. He’s fairly quick, though I would class him more as elusive than as having break-away speed. Their primary weapon appeared to be the sort hand-off option play as was shown in the video. Several times, when coverage was good and protection was breaking down, he would use his feet and head upfield. No scrambling around, no heading for the edges, he seemed to be able to find the gaps and would go between the tackles. He generally got good yardage on those runs as the ACU secondary was playing very soft. He also generally took hits as opposed to sliding. If I remember correctly, he got 300 something yards passing and over 100 running that game.

I would agree that he’s likely a bigger project than Stanback. If he is able to make the squad, I hope that elusiveness out of the backfield is matched in the open field. I don’t remember him impressing me with his size, so he could likely be man-handled by aggresive safeties at the pro level.

Fear is just frozen adrenaline.

by abileneblues on Apr 28, 2008 2:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

here's a youtube on Dowayne Davis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_qRjDc4Cdo

by sublimezg on Apr 28, 2008 11:25 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow....

Impressive catching that runner from behind like that.

www.bloggingtheboys.com

by Brandon Worley on Apr 28, 2008 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Looks like quite a great find

Talk about a heat-seeking missile, Davis seems to always find the guy with ball. He’s got some serious jet-speed and man, can he lay some lumber on opposing players.

I can’t wait to see him, Scandrick, and Jenkins on the field.

I’m actually excited about the DBs brought in over the last few days.

Thanks for sharing that vid, sublime.

Can’t wait to read the Daily Shangrizz Reports from Training Camp this Summer!!!

www.brainfriednetwork.com [NEWS/SPORTS/FOOTBALL]

by silverblue5 on Apr 28, 2008 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

DT Marcus Dixon, Hampton

I’ll be pulling for this kid, it got an absolute raw deal, I remember watching his story on Dateline a few years back, this was nothing more than a witch hunt. I hope dateline runs this story again then you’ll see what a garbage deal this kid got. There was no rape, nothing more than two teens having consensual sex, he was 18, she was 15, this was a racist father that found out his daughter slept with an african american and he wasn’t going to stand for that and forced his daughter to change here story and say she was forced to have sex.

by Deke on Apr 28, 2008 11:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Not as big of a story, but it was along the same lines

I went to a party my senior year in high school just after graduation before going to the Navy. My best friend was also there and he was going into the Navy as well. Well, at the party my friend and this girl he liked got EXTREMELY drunk (well, we all did, but they were much more so). We spent most of the night trying to pull them off of each other and at one time had to physically pull HER off HIM. They were just too drunk to know what was happening.

A week later, my friend gets charged with sexual assault and attempted rape. The girl claimed that he took advantage of her in her intoxicated state. It all started because she felt guilty for what happened, told her ultra-conservative parents, and voila! she was assaulted. I had to go to court to testify what really happened. It was sad because my friend almost wasn’t allowed to go into the Navy and he was harassed non-stop in our town. The charges were eventually dropped when our testimony cleared him.

It’s sad that things like this happen, when it comes down to his or her story. It is even worse when race gets injected into it when it isn’t needed. Everytime you think this country has taken big leaps in civil rights, you hear a story like Dixon’s.

www.bloggingtheboys.com

by Brandon Worley on Apr 28, 2008 12:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

From the Sporting News Draft Site - Some prospect pages have videos noted as well

Darrell Robertson
DE, Georgia Tech
War Room analysis
Strengths: Is a great athlete and impact defender against both the run and the pass. When bull rushing aggressively and with leverage, delivers violent punches to offensive tackles and has the strength to drive them back into the quarterback. Shows quick footwork and explosiveness to break back underneath linemen with an inside pass-rush and shows a great finishing burst for sacks. Gets inside backside run blocks, comes down the line fast and makes plenty of tackles. When keeping knees bent and using hands aggressively, jolts run blockers, stays free and makes tackles. On zone blitzes, is smooth dropping into coverage.

Weaknesses: Production does not match talent. Lacks explosiveness as a pass rusher. Is often a beat late moving off the snap. Tends to get upright as a pass rusher and lacks moves, struggling to defeat offensive tackles. Gets too upright against the run; hinders strength at point of attack, causing him to get tied up and eliminated. Does not use hands well to protect legs, getting cut to the ground. Must get stronger and add 10-15 pounds.

Bottom line: Robertson has the talent to perform much better than he did at Georgia Tech, and he most likely will be drafted higher than his production warrants. He might be best suited to play defensive end in a 4-3 defense, but he has the athleticism to make it as a rush linebacker in a 3-4.

Marcus Dixon
DE, Hampton
War Room analysis
Strengths: Is huge. Shows good leadership skills, and is a tireless worker. Moves well laterally, and shows good short-area burst to finish plays. Shows strength to hold up at the point of attack. When firing off the snap low, is tough to block. Drives legs as a bull rusher to push blockers back into the quarterback. Is a good tackler. Is quick to diagnose plays.

Weaknesses: Is raw. Lacks flexibility and speed. Tends to get upright off the snap, exposing chest to blockers. Must bend knees more to gain better leverage. Lacks explosive first step, and does not use hands well to shed blocks. Has the size to dominate but does not. Gets beat too often by lesser players.

Bottom line: Dixon has the tools to play in the NFL but is a long way from being productive enough to stick. He would be a good free-agent pickup, with an eye towards developing him on the practice squad for a season or two.

Nothing on Polk, Crosslin, Hale, the Punter or Davis

Danny Amendola
WR, Texas Tech
War Room analysis
Strengths: Is amazingly consistent. Shows good hands to make tough catches look easy. Is a solid blocker downfield, which is rare for wide receivers. Runs precise routes to separate and finds holes in zone coverage. Also returns punts.

Weaknesses: Is thin. Must get stronger to escape jams and become a productive special teamer. Lacks elite speed and athleticism.

Bottom line: Amendola plays much like fellow former Red Raider and current Patriot Wes Welker, except for the lack of Welker’s elite athleticism. Amendola, a coach’s son, understands the game inside and out. He fits best in the NFL as a third-down slot receiver who quietly makes catch after catch.

Drew Atchison
TE, William & Mary
War Room analysis
East-West Shrine Game Dish: Atchison had a good opening day in Houston. He ran sharp, precise routes, showed a knack for getting open and caught the ball extremely well, making tough catches in traffic. One thing that raised concern, though, was his lack of burst: He is adequate at best in that area and must showed improved speed to make it in the NFL.

Bum's Boy Boyz

by JerrodWheeler on Apr 28, 2008 1:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Not exactly a glowing review of Amendola

Basically, he has Welker’s size and hands, but is slow and skinny instead of tough and fast. Awesome.

by Baked Potato Soup on Apr 28, 2008 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

suggestion re FanShots

Grizz, a small suggestion to pass up the chain in SB Nation…

With video Fanshots, it would be nice to show a short description of the video on the home page, even just the name of the player featured. Just from looking at the frame that’s shown on the home page, there’s no way to know what each video clip is about without clicking on it.

by scottmaui on Apr 28, 2008 2:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed, I thought the same thing.

I’ll pass it on.

by Dave Halprin on Apr 28, 2008 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mark Bradford

had a bad combine but more than atoned with his pro day.

From nfldraftsout.com:

Combine Invite: Yes Height: 6006 Weight: 211
40 Yrd Dash: 4.69 20 Yrd Dash: 2.66 10 Yrd Dash: 1.57
225 Lb. Bench
Reps: 19
Vertical Jump: 36 1/2 Broad Jump: 1000” 20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.47 3-Cone Drill: 7.12
Pro Day Results
Dates: 03/20/08 Height: 6006 Weight: 211
40 Yrd Dash: 4.49 20 Yrd Dash: 2.61 10 Yrd Dash: 1.58
225 Lb. Bench Reps: Vertical Jump: 41 Broad Jump: 1101” 20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.26 3-Cone Drill: 6.93

A huge leaper receiver with long arms (32 5/8”) and big soft hands (9 3/4”) also lettered twice in basketball for the Cardinal. He scored 22/25 on his Wonderlick! Must be why he went to Stanford.

by lee3022 on Apr 29, 2008 1:19 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs