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NFL draft analyst: I love Dallas Cowboys’ third-round pick OL Connor McGovern - SportsDay
Many were scratching their heads when the Cowboys selected Connor McGovern in the third round — not because of the talent, but because of other needs (like safety). However, here is why McGovern could end up being a good pick for Dallas.
Favorite Cowboys draft pick?
Brugler: “I love their third round pick, Connor McGovern. In my opinion he’s the best player that they drafted. And I think there’s a good chance he starts Day 1 at one of the guard spots. He’s that good. He gives you versatility where he can help out at center if need be (and) it’s gonna give you some freedom to possibly kick Connor Williams outside. There third-round pick, in my opinion, was better than their second-round pick.”
Two Hundred Snaps: Evaluating Cowboys third-round gem Connor McGovern - Bob Sturm, The Athletic
Sturm also offers his two-cents on the former Penn State lineman.
FILM STUDY
I certainly was not familiar with McGovern’s tape going into this evaluation. I grabbed three tapes to conduct our study, watching 200 snaps. I wanted to see Penn State’s season opener and then two highly-ranked opponents, so we will start with Appalachian State in week 1, move on to fourth-ranked Ohio State in Week 5, then 18th-ranked Iowa in Week 8.
Put me down as very impressed with McGovern after the film review. I cannot believe he was available at pick No. 90, because he is a plug-and-play starter and there are teams with far greater issues than the Cowboys on the offensive line. McGovern may be the steal of the 2019 NFL Draft throughout the league and could be the best player the Cowboys picked this weekend. Time will tell, but the tools are all there.
Stephen Jones talked contracts, and noted that there is no timetable on getting a deal with Zeke done.
The Dallas Cowboys agreed to a new mega deal with defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence this offseason, but a number of key players will be due for major contract extension in the near future, including quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott and wide receiver Amari Cooper.
Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones spoke about those pending negotiations during an appearance on the Pro Football Talk Live podcast (h/t Grant Gordon of NFL.com):
“Well, I think those are all a work in progress. Certainly we’ve got a couple years there with Zeke to get that done. We certainly want to get him done. He’s the straw, if you will, that stirs our drink. He’s a key part of what we’re about. Those things take time to get done. They don’t happen overnight. Certainly he’s a priority in terms of ultimately getting him signed. There hasn’t really been a timetable put on this.”
That is not the only thing that Stephen addressed...
The league’s 32 owners are scheduled to get together for their annual spring meeting starting May 20, and when that happens, one of the hottest topics is going to be overtime. Back in March, the Chiefs proposed a new rule that would have called for both teams to get an offensive possession in overtime, even if the first team to possess the ball scored a touchdown.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, owners couldn’t agree whether or not to approve the new rule, so the proposal was put on ice until May. This time around, the proposal might have a better shot of passing and that’s because the Chiefs are now getting some serious support from the Dallas Cowboys.
During an interview with Pro Football Talk this week, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said that his team would likely be voting in favor of making the change. However, Jones, who’s on the competition committee, couldn’t say whether or not the rest of the members of the committee agreed with him.
Did the Dallas Cowboys just land themselves another undrafted gem? - Tyrone Starr, The Landry Hat
The Cowboys have had success finding talent. Is there an undrafted gem in this class?
Daniel Wise
As a three-year starter at Kansas, I was shocked he went undrafted, mostly because I had a late fourth, early fifth round grade on Wise. Over the past three seasons, he has totaled 37 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. He has a good pedigree as his both his father and brother made it to the NFL as well. Although a bit undersized as a defensive tackle, he makes up for it with agility, quickness and technique.
Which 5 Dallas Cowboys will shine in their contracts years? - John Williams, Inside The Star
Players typically step up when entering the final year on their contract. Who will that be for the Cowboys in 2019?
La’el Collins, Offensive Tackle
The Dallas Cowboys offensive line continues to be a strength for the team as they head into the 2019 season and a big reason for that is the play they’ve gotten from Right Tackle La’el Collins. He hasn’t been as good as his left tackle counterpart Tyron Smith, but Collins has been good. His ability to hold up against some of the better pass rushers in the league has been a pleasant surprise.
Collins, going into his fifth year in the league, has started 46 games, including 32 straight at right tackle for the Cowboys. Collins will only turn 26 this year and has a lot of years of good football left in him. Given that offensive lineman are at a premium in the NFL, Collins should expect a market for his services when he comes free after the 2019 season.
In 2019, Collins played the third most snaps at right tackle in the NFL. Pro Football Focus credited him with 46 pressures allowed and eight sacks, tied for fifth most at the tackle position.
Collins has a ton of experience, but could use a really good 2019 to solidify himself as one of the top free agents in 2020.
Bigger impact for the Cowboys in 2019: Jason Witten or Randall Cobb?
Randall Cobb or Jason Witten?
Pros and Cons for Cobb
Pros - He is more explosive than Witten and can turn a short catch into a big gain. As the new slot receiver he should get plenty of targets (Beasley got 87 last year). Cobb’s game is more varied, the Cowboys could use him in a variety of ways, including on screens or handing him the ball on occasion.
Cons - Cobb hasn’t played a full season since 2015 and last year only managed to play half the games. His numbers could be inflated by playing with Aaron Rodgers and more of a passing offense than he will see in Dallas. He will be learning a new offense and a new quarterback which could slow his early production. The Cowboys have some other top quality receivers on offense to take some of his opportunities.
Who is surprised? The Cowboys and Eagles are widely expected to be the top challengers to take home the division crown.
Months away from the season, the clear candidates to win NFC East are the Eagles and the Cowboys. After all, they have been the most successful teams within the division in recent years and haven’t gone through big changes. It’s only logical that they’re the favorites in the sports betting world.
According to Oddsshark.com, these are the odds to win the NFC East:
Philadelphia Eagles: +110
Dallas Cowboys: +125
Washington Redskins: +700
New York Giants: +1400
Although the Eagles remain the favorites, there’s not a big gap between them and the Cowboys. Talent-wise, both teams have very solid rosters. With Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott leading these squads, they’ll surely have pretty good seasons and have a big time battle for the division. Both teams have had excellent offseasons and will only be better next time they face each other.