The cries for Jake Long and/or an OL in the first two rounds are ridiculous. There is no Walter Jones or Tony Boselli in this draft so getting a marginal LT or even a standout guard is not going to be as valuable to Miami as a pass rusher or a cover corner. Get real, this defense needs to be rebuilt and the draft, especially the first three rounds is the best way to do that. No offensive lineman in this draft is special enough to take over a defender at any position with a similar or even lower grade. That's how bad the Miami defense is. There might, MIGHT, be two players under 30 on their defense who has a future. The Dolphins would be well served to double that output in late April by spending the whole first day on defense unless Fred Davis or a standout receiver is available in Round 2.
I agrre with you on Jake Long but I disagree on your view of the O-linemen in this draft. Both Clady and Otah are going to be awsome. If we can trade down say with Dallas and pick up Otah along with their other 1st and some more picks I'd love it.
I'll disagree on there being no great LT prospects in the draft. Ryan Clady and Jeff Otah will both be very good as will Chris Williams as will Anthony Collins (if he comes out) Side Note: Boy Sam Baker's stock has really fallen
Ok, Ralph. I'm all for a trade down with Dallas if we can get their two 1's, a 2 and future picks but historically you don't get a great LT at the bottom of the first, usually they are top 10 guys. I'd go best available defender with the first #1 and then Fred Davis with Dallas' pick (probably #31) I'm hoping to get a stud DL a cover corner and a receiving weapon for Beck on the first day (maybe Larry Fitz, Roy Williams or Ocho Cinco for one of our #2's)
First off, there is ZERO chance that Dallas is going to trade with us, why would they? Would you seriously if you were them? Second, I agree with both Clady and or Otah. I think if either are still there at our second 2...then yes. Otherwise probably not a chance I would be VERY surprised if we dont go Dorsey, Long (Chris) or Gholston in the first pick..then probably the best Linebacker on the board (There will still be some VERY good linebackers at 32)...
I would settle for an improvement in Guard with this years draft. We do need to add youth to the D and can do that this draft, but by no means do you avoid the OL completely in this draft. Free Agency will clear up any confusion and remaining needs when it comes to our draft direction.
Actually there is deffinately more then a zero chance Dallas trades with us: 1. Jerry Jones is there gm and is in love with McFadden (both went to Arkansas) 2. If they don't win the superbowl this year, Jerry is going to want a playmaker that can come in and produce right away i.e. McFadden 3. They are pretty much set at everywhere else with young talented players that they don't need the two first round picks. Jerry see's mcfadden/romo/TO as the next aikman/irvin/smith combo. Think about it what else do they really need McFadden is the on;y player that could prolly come in for them and help them win a superbowl. (only thing i really see them need is someone in the secondary but with Asante/Trufant/ the guy from oakland that i can't spell his name, if they sign one of them i don't see any reason for them NOT to want to trade up and take McFadden.
Marion Barber. Your argument has been defeated. If the Cowboys lose a playoff game or the Super Bowl, it will be because of their secondary or receiving corps, not their running back rotation. Jerry Jones may love McFadden, but the man's not a TOTAL idiot: he's not going to ship us basically their entire stock of draft picks simply to add another guy at a position they're set at.
Actually azfinfanmang is correct, there is little chance that the Boys make that trade. It might come as a surprise to some, but the Boys don't need a RB. Barber is more than capable of being their #1. I think alot of people are jumping to conclusions because of the Arkansas connection and hoping that Jerry Jones pulls a "Jerry Jones" and just has to have a big star name. And there isn't a team in the NFL that doesn't need 2 first round picks, the Boys might not have alot of holes to fill, but quality picks will never be turned down by anyone.
I don't think Marion Barber can handle the load. Nor does Marion Baber have the home run ability that Jerry wants. They wouldn't have to send thier entire draft stock to us in order to get the number 1 pick. The 2 number 1's and say a guy like Marcus Spears or somebody else from thier front 7 which is stacked with talent possibly even two players, should be enough to trade.
Yes, he can, and yes, he does. Barber is at worst the #8 RB in the NFL. He's a tough, quick, powerful runner who's come on strong in a year when Julius Jones was expected to be The Guy. Not even close. Dallas currently has Cleveland's 1st rounder and their own 1st rounder. For the sake of argument, let's presume Dallas' 1st rounder will be the 31st pick. Dallas' two 1sts then have a combined worth of 1,380 points. Basically what you're saying is that Marcus Spears is worth 1,620 points, or worth more than two 1st round picks combined. Even if they send us two players, those two players will be worth 810 points each, which is still worth more than Cleveland's pick at #22. I'm not a stickler for the draft value chart, but even GMs who hate it will generally use it as a reference when negotiating deals, which means that Dallas doesn't have the firepower to move up to #1. And the idea that they'd trade away not one but two defensive players plus two first round picks all for the sake of drafting a running back they don't need is a little too much for my imagination. Furthermore, a trade like that would knock us so far down the first round that we'd miss out on the truly premium talent at the top of the draft: Glenn Dorsey, Chris Long, Vernon Gholston, and James Laurinaitis. We'd even miss out on the next level of talent: Sedrick Ellis, Dan Connor, Mike Jenkins, and Derrick Harvey. At best we would put ourselves in a better position to draft a low first-round player who we wouldn't believe would be around at #32--at the expense of defensive talent better than anyone Dallas would send us.
Nothing personal to anyone that has posted on this thread BUT, I get a kick out of everyone that even THINKS he has an idea of who we WILL or WONT draft, since we dont even have a HEAD COACH yet. Chill out guys, first things first.
I remember reading something that said both Collins and Aqib Talib from Kansas are expected to announce they're heading into the draft come Monday. I forgot to save the link for your underclassmen watch thread.
The GM has final say, not the head coach. It's practically irrelevant who the next head coach will be in terms of the draft.
His argument is exceptionally sound. Marion Barber is simply not the home run threat that McFadden is. Your overly pompous retort has been thrwarted.
Lets keep it civil in here everyone As for Barber, he is without a doubt the Cowboys #1 back and more than capable of being a top 5 back. They have no need for McFadden and they would be foolish to trade away so much to draft a RB when that position is a strength for them.
Out of RBs with 200+ carries, only Adrian Peterson and Fred Taylor had a higher YPC than Marion Barber's 4.8, which he's done the last 2 years. He's also been a red zone scoring machine and a good receiver out of the back field. Barber's easily one of the 10 best RBs in the league, Dallas doesn't need nor will they want to get someone else to start at RB for them. Even if they did, with guys like Felix Jones, James Stewart and Kevin Smith available, Dallas wouldn't need to trade anything to get another quality RB.
I get a kick out of anyone that thinks the head coach will have much to do with what we're going to do in the first round in this year's draft. It's quite the opposite, Bill/Jeff are going to choose a coach that works well with their type of players, not the other way around. Also, there's only 4-5 guys with realistic shots at going #1, so if we don't trade down you can guess on any of them and have a 20% shot of being correct. Of course, if your guess is Chris Long I think your odds are much higher
TBH I think Jake Long will end up a really good LT. I hear a lot of people saying he will end up on the right side, im not so sure. The man is a mauler and dominator, a nasty guy. His biggest failing is an edge speed rush, but coaching and mechanics work can help that tremendously. I see him, in a lot of ways, as similar to Joe Thomas, where very few people seem to be completely sold on him as a big time T, but a guy who will come through and have a great year. I think he goes KC at #5. As for us, its almost certainly DL at this point. Dorsey, Long, Gholston. Though if he has a big game tonight, and does well in the combine, watch out for Laurenaitis the LB. He might be special.
1. How can you say that his argument is defeated? THey are far from set at RB. Jones is gone after this year and that leaves them with Barber who has never carried a full load much like Ronnie (even in college). Don't get me wrong, I love Marion Barber but he is no McFadden. 2. We all know the man crush jones has on McFadden. 3. Did you ever hear of Mike Ditka and some guy named Ricky Williams? Never say never guy.
Indeed never say never, but this is, at the least, unrealistic. Sure McFadden may be better than Barber, but im sure Dorsey, Chris Long, Jake Long and Laurentitis could all start as well. Why not go for them? They dont NEED that position, it would be a luxury. Barber cant carry the load? Why not? And you can easily find a guy to take some quality carries without giving up the farm for McFadden. Jerry Jones may have a man crush, but hes not an idiot, nor is he Mike Ditka (oh yeah, and that worked out real well for him didnt it?) And didnt Ditka give up his whole draft to move a handful of spots? Now talk about moving 20+ into the NUMBER ONE slot? Yeah, not happening sorry. Dallas NEEDS secondary. They NEED another WR, they NEED a replacement for Flozell Adams. They dont NEED McFadden, certainly not to the entent that they would give up an entire draft to get him. And lets be honest. We arent scaring anybody into thinking we will take him, so who would trade with us? The Rams make much better sense, or really anyone after us tbh. This Cowboy stuff is incredibly unrealistic. Does it have a chance? Yeah, but its so miniscule as to not even be worth mentioning.
