Dallas Cowboys Post NFL Combine Draft Preview – Cornerbacks

The Dallas Cowboys are in a bit of a sticky situation when it comes to the cornerback position. They are currently in talks with Brandon Carr about restructuring his deal to help free up space. Morris Claiborne is again injured and will not be ready for Training Camp. After trading up in the 2012 draft to take Claiborne, it will be interesting to see how high they value a corner in the draft. The NFL Scouting Combine is now over and I have updated my list and rank of possible picks for the Boys in Round 1 or 2. You kind read the initial list here.

1. Eric Rowe, Utah 6-1 205

Rowe was a 4-year starter at Utah, three years at Free Safety and one at Corner. Eric is a big, physical corner that was very impressive at the Combine. He was a top performer in EVERY category. Ran a 4.45 40 with a 39” vertical. In on-field drills he impressed, showing good, fluid hips and showing he can be a corner at the next level. Worth the risk at pick #27.

2. Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest 6-0 188

Ran well (4.52) and showed impressive vertical (41.5”). Was a Top 5 performer in vertical leap, broad jump, 3-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle at the combine. Was a 3-year starter at Wake Forest.

3. Alex Carter, Stanford 6-0 196

Alex ran a 4.51 40 and had a 40” vertical leap. Looked natural in on-field drills. Has physicality to play outside at the next level. His dad, Tom played nine seasons at corner in the NFL.

4. Jalen Collins, LSU 6-1 203

Showed off his athleticism at the Combine. 4.48 40 with 36” vertical. Was a top performer in 3-cone drill with time of 6.77 seconds. NFL personnel love his upside, but has boom or bust written all over him.

5. Marcus Peters, Washington 6-0 197

Marcus was a little underwhelming at the Combine. Teams thought he would run faster (4.53), but still solid in all other tests, 17 reps of 225 lbs, and 37.5” vertical. His character is still the biggest concern of all.  With a good Pro Day, he could be a 1^st or 2^nd round pick, but if he doesn’t perform well, he could slide to 4^th-5^th range.

Marcus Peters was my number one Cornerback prior to the Combine, but Eric Rowe was that impressive. Rowe is listed as a Free Safety because of playing three years at the position, but wants to play Corner in the NFL. Kevin Johnson moved up to two because he performed well and has been starting at corner for three years. Carter is a solid player, while Collins is a risk because of lack of tape to review and Peters may not be worth the headache. Kevin White from TCU was on the previous list as a 3^rd or 4^th round pick so he’s not listed on this list.

@geoffrey_craig

Dallas Cowboys Post NFL Combine Draft Preview – Running Back’s

Now that the NFL Combine has come and gone it’s time to update the list of potential Running Backs that may have the attention of the Dallas Cowboys. If you haven’t read the initial Running Back preview you can view it here. There are rumors swirling of Adrian Peterson wanting to come to play for the Cowboys, but he has yet to be re-instated and he still may face a suspension when he returns.

So, the original list had eight players, but my top five have changed and a new three at the bottom. Here’s the list:

1. Todd Gurley, Georgia

2. Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin

3. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska

4. Tevin Coleman, Indiana

5. Jay Ajayi, Boise State

6. David Johnson, Northern Iowa

7. Zach Zenner, South Dakota State

8. John Crockett, North Dakota State

The three newbies on the list are all small school guys with big production. The NFL Scouting Combine showed that athletically they are on par with the other top backs available.

Here is a scouting report on the newcomers:

David Johnson, Northern Iowa, 6-1 224

Big, strong kid who showed excellent speed and explosiveness at the NFL Combine. Ran 4.5 40, had a 41.5” vertical and broad jumped 127” while throwing up 25 reps at 225 on bench. Performed well at the Senior Bowl as well, showing he’s not just a small school kid. Has great hands as shown with his 203 yards RECEIVING against Iowa.

John Crockett, North Dakota State, 6-0 217

A patient runner with an explosive lower body. Had a 40” vertical and broad jumped 125” at the NFL Combine. Possesses big, strong hands and can be a threat out of the backfield. An absolute workhorse, had 398 touches in 2014.

Zach Zenner, South Dakota State, 5-11 223

Big, fast, and tough. One of the most complete backs in the draft. Good hands and great blocker who will stick it to a blitzing linebacker. Performed well against better competition as well, running for 202 yards against Nebraska in 2013.  Surprised many at the NFL Combine with 4.6 40, 25 reps on bench, 40” vertical and 121” broad jump.

More updates from the NFL Scouting Combine to come.

@geoffrey_craig

Cowboys Free Agency blog Part 5 of 5: Running Back

Hey there Cowboys fans, I’ve saved the best for last. Running Back is the last in the Free Agency series. With DeMarco Murray coming off of 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns, he will be asking for a contract in the $11-13 Million/year range. I don’t believe you can give ANY running back a five-year contract anymore. Running backs don’t hold up over time like they used to. This draft class is rich with talent and there are some very capable backs available in free agency. Let’s assume DeMarco bolts in free agency and Joseph Randle is released, then these three could be targets for 1-2 year contracts with the Cowboys along with drafting a back for the future.

C. J. Spiller 5-11 200

78 carries 300 yards 0 TD (8 games)

C.J. has the speed that every team covets. In 2012 amassed 1,700 total yards. The Cowboys showed interest for Spiller at the trade deadline last year. Still a good kick returner as well. Could fill multiple needs for the Cowboys should they move on from Dwayne Harris as the return specialist. I would really like to see what C.J. could do running behind Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, and Travis Frederick. Contract should be around $3-4 million.

Darren McFadden 6-1 218

155 carries 534 yards 2 TD’s

Similar size and speed of DeMarco Murray but that’s where the comparison ends. The hope is that McFadden has the drive prove he was a high draft pick in 2008. He has rushed for 1,000 or more yards only once in seven seasons. McFadden does have good hands out of the backfield and is a capable blocker. He still possesses good straight-line speed. May be worth a shot for $1-2 million.

Mark Ingram 5-9 215

226 carries 964 yards 9 TD’s (13 games)

Coming off of a career year in 2014, Ingram finally got the chance to get most of the carries for New Orleans and it paid off. Ingram has battled injuries throughout his career, having played 16 games once (2012). A different style back compared to McFadden and Spiller, Ingram doesn’t have the same speed, but does have better power and vision. He would give the Cowboys a solid goal-line back and would allow them to draft a speed back in round 3 or 4. Should cost somewhere around $3-4 million.

I like all three of these backs for different reasons. With the assumption that the Cowboys will be using running back by committee instead of one lead back; you could pair any one of these backs with your draft pick and have a good combination of speed and power. The bad news about these backs is they each have had injuries, but the good news is they don’t have many miles on the tires. The Cowboys have been linked to each of these players over the years so we will see what happens in the near future.

Check out my other blogs here: http://talkinsportswithgeoff.blogspot.com/

@geoffrey_craig

Cowboys Free Agency blog Part 4 of 5: Defensive Tackle

I hope everyone had a great Valentine’s Day, but it’s time to get back into the football mindset. We’ve looked at possible free agents for the Dallas Cowboys at Defensive End, Offensive Tackle and Cornerback. Here’s three Defensive Tackles for the Cowboys to take a look at.

Jared Odrick 6-5 304

29 tackles 1.0 sacks

Jared started 15 of 16 games for the Dolphins this past season. Good pass-rusher who has played 3-4 End and 4-3 Tackle. Depspite just one sack in 2014, grades out as a top pass-rusher as a DT. Would give the Cowboys size and more pass rush next to Tyrone Crawford. Ranked as a top-19 DT by Pro Football Focus.

Tyson Alualu 6-3 295

30 tackles 2.0 sacks 

Has played Nose Tackle in a 3-4 and Run Stopping End in a 4-3 with the Jaguars. Started for four years before being replaced by Red Bryant last year. Has never lived up to expectations with Jaguars. A change of scenery/coaching could re-invigorate Alualu. Had microfracture knee surgery prior to 2013 season. Not a big name, but could be a good rotational player.

Nick Fairley 6-4 304

14 tackles 1.0 sacks (8 games) 

Inconsistency with his weight was one of Fairley’s problems with the Lions. Has had off the field troubles as well. He still is one of the better pass rushing Defensive Tackles in the free agency class. Rod Marinelli could turn Fairley into a Pro-Bowl Defensive Tackle overnight. Could be a bidding war for his services, which could leave the Cowboys out.

Fairley and Odrick still both have huge potential. Alualu could be a cheaper alternative and would play 400 snaps as a rotational player. Odrick is my pick based on Fairley being a bigger name. The Cowboys may be content just bringing back Nick Hayden to play the 1-technique and look for DT’s in the draft instead.

@geoffrey_craig