Mocking the Cowboys Draft: Four Weeks To Go
by One.Cool.Customer on Mar 28, 2010 12:00 AM CDT
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Four more weeks to go. You still can't stay away from those mock drafts, they're still too much fun.
But by now you are beginning to notice the names of some of the sites featuring mock drafts. And you begin to wonder just how seriously you can take mock drafts.
Mock drafts are a dichotomy. On one hand a mock is supposed to be an accurate representation of something else, as in a mock-up. On the other hand, to mock is to imitate in a derisive or unflattering way, to make fun of. They're begging to be ridiculed by their very name.
Regardless, they're still fun because they focus attention on players or positions that we can sit around and endlessly talk about. Because that's what we do, especially in the offseason.
As always, we recommend starting with Raf's Mock 6.0. This week we look at which of the players projected as possible options for the Cowboys are moving up the draft boards, and which aren't. Enjoy.
Stock watch - Who's up and who's down.
Below is a table from 20 different mock sites showing the draft spots they project for some of the players that have been linked with the Cowboys in recent weeks. The totals at the right show:
A) Avg: The average draft position for each player according to the 20 mocks. Where no position was given, I used the 35th spot to calculate the average. Obvious outliers I removed from the average, and Ive added the averages from last week.
B) In Reach: Number of mocks that see a player "within reach" of the Cowboys, i.e. available by pick 27 or later.
Up: Maurkice Pouncey takes the biggest leap up the draft boards, jumping 3.4 spots. Dan Williams is a close second, up 3.0 notches.
Down: Combine workout sensation Bruce Campbell drops 4.5 spots. Three mocks have moved him out of the first round altogether. Seven mocks see him going to the Raiders. This may be because they see Campbell as a good fit there, or it may be that the mockers are simply banking on more strange decision making in Oakland. If, for arguments sake, we take out those seven Oakland picks, Campbell's average would drop to 26.2. Would you take Campbell with the 27th pick, or would you trade down?
Mike Iuapati (-1.9), Golden Tate (-1.7) and Brian Price (-1.5) also see their stock drop.
Note: I always try to fill these mock summaries with the latest, greatest mocks. This means that the twenty mocks in the summary change from week to week. Comparing week to week changes may therefore be a bit dubious, but it gives an indication of what's going on. Just take it with a grain of salt.
With the 27th pick, the Dallas Cowboys choose...
Out of the 20 mocks, Mike Iupati and Taylor Mays fall to the Cowboys four times each, Earl Thomas and Charles Brown twice.
Wes Bunting picks Morgan Burnett (S) for the Cowboys, Rob Rang picks Roger Saffold (OT) and NEPatriotsDraft pick Nate Allen (S).
Of the 20 mocks, eight have Dallas taking a safety.
Click on the image to enlarge
Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft overview (min. three rounds deep, new picks highlighted in bold)
| Source | last updated | 1st Round | 2nd Round | 3rd Round | 4th Round | 6th Round | 7th Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rafael Vela, Mock 6.0 | 3/27/2010 | traded down | 2A: Vladimir Ducasse, OT U-Mass 2B: Nate Allen, FS, South Florida |
3A: J.D. Walton, C, Baylor 3B: Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida |
Al Woods, DT/NT LSU | Sherrick McManis, CB, Northwestern | Kyle Williams, WR, Arizona State |
| Walter Football |
3/25/2010 | Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho |
Dominique Franks, CB, Oklahoma |
Major Wright, FS, Florida |
Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida |
||
| NE Patriots Draft |
3/24/2010 | Nate Allen, S, USF |
Brandon Lafell, WR, LSU |
Austen Lane, DE, Murray St. |
Chris Marinelli, OT, Stanford |
||
| Fox- sports |
3/24/2010 | Charles Brown, OT, USC |
Reshad Jones, S, Georgia |
Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest |
|||
| Drafttek |
3/23/2010 | Earl Thomas, FS, USC |
Jared Veldheer, OT, Hillsdale |
Carlton Mitchell, WR South Florida |
Arthur Jones, DE, Syracuse |
Shelley Smith, OG, Colorado State |
Kion Wilson, ILB, South Florida |
| Draftsite |
3/23/2010 | Maurkice Pouncey, OG/C, Florida |
Corey Wooton, DE Northwestern |
Donald Butler, LB, Washington |
Selvish Capers, OT W. Virginia |
Brody Eldrige, TE Oklahoma |
Leigh Tiffin, K, Alabama |
| No Off- season |
3/23/2010 | Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame |
Selvish Capers, OT, W. Virginia |
Myron Lewis, CB, Vanderbilt |
|||
| Draft Ace |
3/22/2010 | Taylor Mays, S, USC |
Jacoby Ford, WR, Clemson |
Pat Angerer, ILB, Iowa |
|||
| Sports Agent Blog |
3/19/2010 | Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas |
Nate Allen, S, USF |
Ciron Black, OT, LSU |
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, CB, Indiana |
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Comments
Does anybody else imagine OCC hunched over a table with a slide rule and a protractor making these calculations?
and FIRST WITH A REAL COMMENT!
Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey
But I couldn't make a real comment
I needed to write first before reading the article :)
RW is the opposite of WR. Coincidence? I think not.
by aussie_cowboy on Mar 28, 2010 12:08 AM CDT up reply actions
To me
Trading down in a year like this seems really, really dumb. But honestly, I think trading down is by and large a dumb idea, because you generally never get enough to compensate for what you’re losing. Unless you’re getting a future 1st out of it, I’m not interested. We waited for guys to fall into our lap in the 3rd last year and what happened? Instead of moving up about 5 spots and getting someone we actually wanted, we traded down and got pretty much nothing. So if there’s a guy who’s falling this year and he’s gotten down to about 20 or so, let’s GO UP AND GET HIM. Don’t wait for him to come all the way down if you want him. It’s not gonna kill your draft to spend some extra picks on moving up 7 spots in the 1st round. There are only a few pressing needs on this team and only someone with a lot of talent will be able to help in the short-term. We are on the verge of a Playoff run and we need to improve NOW! Not in 3 years. We’d be getting some player who’s J.A.G. pretty much from the 4th round on. How is that gonna help our team? We drafted plenty of “depth” last year if those guys all pan out to be at least solid backups. Time to get as much of an impact as we can to get us over the hump. So if Earl Thomas hits the 20s, you better darn well move up and get him. And if Dez Bryant gets even close to 20, you better get him!
It’s time to go all in, Jerry. This current team is essentially about as good as it’s ever going to get without major changes. The O-line will not get any better, it will only decline as age ravages it. Terence Newman is only getting older, and then it will be Jenkins and Scandrick or Jenkins and some other highly-drafted young guy of the future. But to assume that guy will be as good as Newman is a stretch (and I’m a Newman “hater”). We aren’t going to have Marion, Felix, AND Tashard forever. Once one (or more) of them leaves, we’ll be needing another RB. My point is, the team is getting to the point where it’s the best it’s going to be for the most part for the next couple of years. It’s only downhill from where we are now for the most part. UNLESS we draft a high-impact rookie before the wear and tear of time begins to decay this great team that has been built. Get as much as you can out of these guys before they go, because once the older guys are gone, good luck replacing them quickly and keeping the Super Bowl dream alive. It’s certainly possible to keep the train on the tracks, but you might as well go all in now before it’s too late. See where these guys (and a new impact rookie) can take us.
A draft like this year?
It doesn’t have many more players with first round grades than other years. Raf just wrote that a deep draft means that there is a lot of good talent deep into the third and fourth round. Players in the 80-100 are solid players, very talented.
It cost a lot to move up. Earl Thomas might not be anywhere near the 20’s. How much are you willing to give up?
So Eric Berry is all we need to secure a SB.
You dont get high impact rookies at pick 20 and you certainly dont mortgage your future.
Rafs mock draft is excellent. That draft would be smoking good for this team. A OT, S, SILB, and a C/G and all top 100 players.
We would absolutely nail the the 2 areas were we are the oldest with Oline and a thumper at ILB. We also get a Safety that we have neglected for years. This also completely opens us up for next years draft for WR, CB and Dline.
KICK ASS every day!!!
Sometimes their undrafted.
Who is the missing player who will come in and deliver this year that worth over paying for.
KICK ASS every day!!!
i was being sarcastic
i love berry though but tah would be one of the dumbest trades ever, hopefully jerry will not do that
i disagree, every draft should foucus on the future
that is how you become a perennial powerhouse. with Ware and Romo this team could dominate for seven years. IMO we need to keep getting younger and try to have a shot for a long time. If we want to get risky impact players, do that in FA
+1
to make the jump to the next level, Odrick said today he needs to work on one area. "Just being more violent overall,'' Odrick said. "Play the game and play it right, violently.''
by APerfectStar on Mar 28, 2010 9:26 PM CDT up reply actions
I couldn't agree more.
The Cowboys don’t need quantity; there was plenty of that in last year’s throw away draft. I would be perfectly happy with three picks—one first rounder, 5-7 picks higher than the one we now have—and two second rounders. One of those second rounders would be the upper third of the round, plus the current one. That should do it. We would likely have to trade the remainder of the picks in this year’s draft—but that’s okay.
This would get a free safety in the first round who can start—not star—from day one, an offensive lineman who can back up early in the year, and start—not star— by the end of the year, with the first pick in the second round. Then, a second offensive lineman—one of the two linemen must be a tackle—who can backup all of year one and start in year two.
Drafted this highly, all three could become pro bowlers at some point fairly early in their careers.
Unlike a Cowboys' season, in life, there may not be a next year.
Actually trading down this year makes more sense
The deeper a draft is, the more picks you would want. I really don’t understand why anyone thinks it’s a bad idea. It’s not like starters will only come from the top 20 picks.
You aren’t just drafting for one run at the SB, you want the team to maintain it’s talent pool.
to make the jump to the next level, Odrick said today he needs to work on one area. "Just being more violent overall,'' Odrick said. "Play the game and play it right, violently.''
by APerfectStar on Mar 28, 2010 9:24 PM CDT up reply actions
This Year, a trade down like Rafe proposed is a good idea
The draft is deep, which means you’re getting very good players into the third and even early 4th rounds. So in this case, unlike last year, the more picks within the first 3-4 rounds the better off you will be.
Get a Clue
I can tell you that the cowboys have 22-24 players with 1st rd. talent on their board. If all are gone they will trade down several spots.
3 safeties have 1st. rd. grades: Thomas, Terry, Mays.
They will not draft a wr early , if golden tate is their they move down.
They would draft Kyle Wilson and they would absolutely get slap happy if Brandon Graham falls to them. Yes another OLB, this time someone who could actually spell Ware and Spencer.
They do have 1st. rd. grade on Pouncey and probably would take him. He is one of the few 1st. rd. players that could actually start and be solid from day one either at G or C.
Get a clue?
So we’re all coming to you for answers? Pssh.
BTB League Consolation Ladder Champ...thought you knew.
by Aaron Novinger on Mar 28, 2010 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions
lol
BTB League Consolation Ladder Champ...thought you knew.
by Aaron Novinger on Mar 28, 2010 6:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Sorry, maybe I need a clue too ...
Exactly who are you telling to get a clue? the mocks?
Because all O.Cool is doing is reporting about various mocks…
Which brings to mind one of his comments:
to mock is to imitate in a derisive or unflattering way, to make fun of. They’re begging to be ridiculed by their very name.
… this is about the value of the various mocks… including yours.
Doomsday returns... Wade Phillips style.
Yeah I don't really understand who he is talking too.
Anything said above is purely the opinion of AFB unless said otherwise.
by The Immortal Iron Fist AKA AFB on Mar 28, 2010 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions
I think he is responding to Key19
to make the jump to the next level, Odrick said today he needs to work on one area. "Just being more violent overall,'' Odrick said. "Play the game and play it right, violently.''
by APerfectStar on Mar 28, 2010 9:01 PM CDT up reply actions
Well the fact you think Mays is 1rst round talent says it all.
Secondly it is Berry. Brandon Graham is very similar to the kid we drafted from Texas Tech Brandon Williams. They have almost identical measurables. So why draft another one?
never thought of that
you are right. I watched B. Will at least 8 games in college and I think he’s going to be a very good player in a year or so.
He’s the kind of guy you could throw as a DT in 3rd and long just to get another pass rusher in there ala nyg.
We don’t need to take Graham or a tweener OLB in the 1st. But, I would not be opposed to getting a DE like Odrick that can play 3 downs.
Ich bin ein Berliner--JFK
I couldn't even get to your opinions
because I was so turned off by your disrespect for the author. You’d fit right in at the DMN blog. Go there.
Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.
You have two posts on this blog...
and both are carried out with a rude behavior.
Anything said above is purely the opinion of AFB unless said otherwise.
by The Immortal Iron Fist AKA AFB on Mar 28, 2010 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions
What makes you think this is even close to where the Cowboys have them slotted?
I surely do wish I had your sources inside the Cowboys scouting department.
Unlike a Cowboys' season, in life, there may not be a next year.
Question for the draftniks ... if we traded this year's 1st AND next year's ... where do we land?
If that’s into the teens, I’d seriously consider it…
Though I don’t get why a team would WANT to trade out of an area where “first round grade” prospects abound, and into an area where 1st round-grade talent is a bit sparse.
Doomsday returns... Wade Phillips style.
I don't know what it would cost either, Dalai.
But I do know there’s evidence that teams drafting from 20-30 are getting better value than teams with top 10 picks. I do think there are teams out there that may take a chance on two picks in the 20-30 range, as opposed to say a 9 or 10 pick now. Teams that are not one player away. You propose a bold move, and sometimes those are the ones that work, especially for a team like the Cowboys that are perhaps one player away. I would definitely consider a trade like that if it landed us Earl Thomas or Dez Bryant. We probably could still get our O-line recruits in the 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th round.
When I die I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my Grandfather -- not screaming like the passengers in his car.
Future picks are generally de-valued a full round
If you assume/project Dallas finishes with a similar record next year and our draft picks are in similar position within each round, trading this year’s and next year’s 1st round picks would be akin to trading #27 and #59 this year.
Based on an older ‘Draft Pick Value Chart’ I have, that would be enough to move the ’Boys up to around pick #16 or 17.
How'd that work last year.
We had a bunch of low draft picks that turned out to be nothing.
We need a Superstar safety. The only team that won a Superbowl the last decade that did not have one is the NY Giants.
The Colts missed their superstar safety when it counted the most. In the Superbowl.
That safety position is turning into the QB position on the defensive side.
You can’t win it if you don’t have one.
Aaaaah
so happy you’re back.
Last year they didn’t have a first rounder, and it was a super weak draft. It’s uncomparable.
Anything said above is purely the opinion of AFB unless said otherwise.
by The Immortal Iron Fist AKA AFB on Mar 28, 2010 10:14 AM CDT up reply actions
Agreed
You absolutely can’t compare this draft year to last. Last year’s class was pretty mediocre after round 2. This year is going to be still good at the end of the third round.
For the record, the Giants won that Super Bowl with their defense ... their front 7 to be specific
… and the Saints just won a Super Bowl because of their offensive prowess.
… and the Patriots have been doing it with TEAM defense and offense, not because of a superstar at safety.
Doomsday returns... Wade Phillips style.
Geez, the Colts missed Freeney, their pass rusher.
When his ankle was loose they were fine.
KICK ASS every day!!!
As much as I like Raf's mock
what I like most is that many various players have been picked for the Cowboys in different mocks and only a couple are what I would consider horrible. The Patriots, No offseason and Draftace are poor drafts. In the others it appears depending how the board fell could reasonably happen. Some are not my favorite players, but filling needs.
Overall
I would not be p.o.‘ed at any of those mocks. They all have some good players in there. I’d rather have Allen than Mays though, but that’s just my opinion.
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