2024 NFL Draft Thread

[Dodger12]

I won't really get into this until our season is officially done, but Tyler Biadasz is a free agent and we probably won't be able to re-sign him. C is going to be a huge need next year.

LVE is likely to retire, the team will probably need a legit MLB. Damone Clark aint it.

CB could be a sneaky need. Diggs should be back for camp but as we have seen with recent ACL recoveries with Gallup and Steele, he may not be close to the same player. Jourdan Lewis is a free agent, Gilmore is also a free agent I believe. As bad as the safety spot is, I wonder if the knee injury might cause the Cowboy to think about Diggs at FS somewhere down the road. He has uncanny ball instincts and unlike our current crop of safeties, is tremendous at playing the ball in the air and understands angles. He also has sensational range (another huge differencitator)

No question RB will need to be addressed.

I'll ask you the same question I asked Scot........

 

[dbair1967]

Where's the QB in your draft wish list?

We used our 4th rd pick on one and he's now on the roster.

I think they're gonna wanna see what he can do next training camp and preseason before investing more into the position. Now maybe that changes if they decide after this season they've seen enough in practice to say "we don't think he can ever be the guy" but none of us regular fans knows that yet.

He's got some talent, especially size and arm talent and he showed in college that he also has dynamic running skill too. To me he will be one of the most interesting players to watch next preseason.

What they do with Cooper Rush might also dictate whether they take another QB next yr. If they release or trade Rush to save the cap space, maybe they take another one to be the 3rd guy.

 

[Scot]

Where's the QB in your draft wish list?

Trey Lance anyone?

 

[cmd34]

1st round. I love, love, love Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga. He is such a prick too. He, Tyler, and Zack Martin would make this Offensive Line mean. It would require trading up and the Jones Boys can not move up (or down) the board without being brutally trade raped. Other guys to consider are:

• Tyler Guyton Oklahoma 6’7” 327
• Graham Barton Duke 6’5” 314
• Patrick Paul Houston 6’7” 315
• Jordan Morgan Arizona 6’6” 320

Keep an eye on Washington’s Troy Fautanu (6’4” 317) from Washington. They were very close to drafting Syracuse Guard/Tackle Matthew Bergeron (6’5” 323) in the 1st round last year (they probably wish they had). Fautanu is a very similar player and could be available in range of the Cowboys late 1st rounder.

2nd round. If Texas’ T’Vondre Sweat (6’4” 362 lbs.) is somehow available, he’s your guy. If not, Florida State’s Braden Fiske is 6’5” and only 297 lbs. but he’s got a nonstop motor. He’s basically an actually talented Nick Hayden. This could also be the spot in the draft where they address Linebacker. This is not a great LB draft, but again, since the Jones are awful at draft maneuvering, they have no qualms about reaching. Some possible players are:

• Edgerrin Cooper Texas A&M 6’3” 230
• Payton Wilson NC State 6’4” 238
• Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Clemson 6’0” 230
• Junior Colson Michigan 6’3” 247
• Ty’Ron Hopper Missouri 6’2” 221

3rd round. This will depend on how the board falls. This could be a Linebacker, D Tackle, or even another O-Lineman. I’m grabbing a Running Back if someone like Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen, Michigan’s Blake Corum, or Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson slips here (aka proven, Big10 power runner). Florida State’s Trey Benson is a guy to watch too. These guys are likely to go in the 2nd or early 3rd, but I would wait and see what’s there in the late 3rd.

4th round. They do not currently have a pick. Thanks to your brilliant GM Jerry Jones bailing out the 49ers trading for Trey Lance.

5th round (assuming they get a Compensatory pick this high), I wouldn’t count on them adding a Tight End. One, this thin-skinned FO will never admit this quickly they reached on Schoonmaker. Two, they really like John Stephens, Jr. who missed this year with an injury. I also expect them to bring back Gillmore for 1 more year, assuming he doesn’t want to retire.

6th round is where the team should gamble on athleticism or may even character or injury concerns. Two guys I love here are:

• Tony Grimes, CB Texas A&M – Fast kid (ran a 6.64 55-meter dash in high school and a 11.09 100-meter PR), he was a 5-star out of Virginia Beach, VA. He was good, not elite at North Carolina (36 games, 97 tackles, 19 passes defended, 1 INT) He transferred to Texas A&M last season but looks like he was injured all year. If he doesn’t return to college, he’s the type of high-trait DB Will McClay has targeted in the past.
• Kendall Bohler, CB Florida A&M – Speaking of high traits, Bohler made this year’s annual Bruce Feldman’s Freak List for his 4.34 40 time and ability to squat 530 lbs. I actually like him as a Safety; he graded out 90.2 in Run Defense and 82.5 in Tackling by PFF.

I wouldn’t mind the Cowboys adding a Day Three Running Back. Blake Watson from Memphis showed some flashes this year, putting up 1044 yards and 14 TD on the ground, with 50 receptions for 458 yards and 3 TD.

 

[Dodger12]

Trey Lance anyone?

So we're going to hinge our future on the guy that (arguably) the best team and (arguably) HC in the league gave up on?

No issue with letting the kid develop. But I want a QB if Dak can't get it done again this year.

 

[cmd34]

No issue with letting the kid develop. But I want a QB if Dak can't get it done again this year.

The problem with trading for him this late in the game is you only get two years, one training camp to develop him before he's a free agent and is no longer "affordable"

Not to mention there was no real plan to develop him here and Jerry didn't even consult with his alleged QB-guru McCarthy before making the deal.

 

[Scot]

So we're going to hinge our future on the guy that (arguably) the best team and (arguably) HC in the league gave up on?

No issue with letting the kid develop. But I want a QB if Dak can't get it done again this year.

We both know Dak ain’t going anywhere unless he completely shits the bed again vs the Niners in the Playoffs.

And to be honest, that may not even be enough for them to move from Dak or for them not to make him the highest paid player in NFL history again.

It would take a meltdown of epic and historical proportions for them not to pay Dak again.

Trey is just a bargaining chip. If he somehow honestly can compete against Dak next training camp to be the starter it would be a miracle

Not a bad deal to give up a 4th rounder IF Trey somehow beat out, then supplanted Dak as our franchise QB.

 

[Dodger12]

We both know Dak ain’t going anywhere unless he completely shits the bed again vs the Niners in the Playoffs.

And to be honest, that may not even be enough for them to move from Dak or for them not to make him the highest paid player in NFL history again.

It would take a meltdown of epic and historical proportions for them not to pay Dak again.

Trey is just a bargaining chip. If he somehow honestly can compete against Dak next training camp to be the starter it would be a miracle

Not a bad deal to give up a 4th rounder IF Trey somehow beat out, then supplanted Dak as our franchise QB.

No issue with a 4th round pick for Trey. And no issue if he doesn't pan out. We need to keep churning the position.

Of course, Dak could go into the playoffs and play lights out and carry this team. I'm not going to hold my breath but who knows.

 

[Dodger12]

The problem with trading for him this late in the game is you only get two years, one training camp to develop him before he's a free agent and is no longer "affordable"

Not to mention there was no real plan to develop him here and Jerry didn't even consult with his alleged QB-guru McCarthy before making the deal.

I didn't know that McCarthy was in the dark about the trade. But maybe the Jones Boys will give the kid a shot if Dak shits the bed. I mean....that would have required some forward and long term thinking but you never know.

 

[Scot]

No issue with a 4th round pick for Trey. And no issue if he doesn't pan out. We need to keep churning the position.

Of course, Dak could go into the playoffs and play lights out and carry this team. I'm not going to hold my breath but who knows.

I see that as likely a scenario as Trey stealing the starting job from Dak

But we can all hope…..

 

[cmd34]

I get that we are all so divisive now and there are many in the anti-Dak camp.

He is literally in the discussion, odds-wise for the MVP right now, and the extension discussion is also out there.

Do people really think they are going to have an open competition between him and a guy who could not beat out Sam Darnold or Cooper Rush?

 

[cmd34]

I wouldn’t mind the Cowboys adding a Day Three Running Back. Blake Watson from Memphis showed some flashes this year, putting up 1044 yards and 14 TD on the ground, with 50 receptions for 458 yards and 3 TD.

Playing now on ESPN if anyone is interested.

He's going against one of my favorite offfensive playcallers in Iowa State HC Matt Campbell.

Fun fact, the Iowa State QB, Rocco, is the son of former NFL Tight End and 1st round draft pick, Anthony Becht.

 

[dbair1967]

The problem with trading for him this late in the game is you only get two years, one training camp to develop him before he's a free agent and is no longer "affordable"

Not to mention there was no real plan to develop him here and Jerry didn't even consult with his alleged QB-guru McCarthy before making the deal.

They traded for him after two seasons, I don't know you can say that's "late in the game". They have him fully under contract next yr and could potentially exercise the 5th yr option on hi the following year if they so choose.

I also don't know how you could say there was "no plan to develop him" either. They traded for him and decided he would use this entire year to learn the offense, work on his mechanics and then come into the next offseason program, training camp and preseason and play him then. Barring injury, there's no doubt he will see a ton of playing time next preseason. From there they can decide if he has a real future here as a potential starting QB or at the least be a high quality backup for a season or two. You said he couldnt beat out Cooper Rush in another post, but he wasn't brought here now to beat him out from day one. It was always about next season with him.

Lastly, Brock Purdy got on the field because of injuries to Lance and Garrapolo. If neither had gotten hurt, the Niners likely never would have known what they had.

 

[cmd34]

They traded for him after two seasons, I don't know you can say that's "late in the game". They have him fully under contract next yr and could potentially exercise the 5th yr option on hi the following year if they so choose.

I also don't know how you could say there was "no plan to develop him" either. They traded for him and decided he would use this entire year to learn the offense, work on his mechanics and then come into the next offseason program, training camp and preseason and play him then. Barring injury, there's no doubt he will see a ton of playing time next preseason. From there they can decide if he has a real future here as a potential starting QB or at the least be a high quality backup for a season or two. You said he couldnt beat out Cooper Rush in another post, but he wasn't brought here now to beat him out from day one. It was always about next season with him.

Lastly, Brock Purdy got on the field because of injuries to Lance and Garrapolo. If neither had gotten hurt, the Niners likely never would have known what they had.

The 5th year option, which they will have to make a decision on very soon, is just over $25M guaranteed. They would have to make that decision before training camp, and they have already indicated they will not be exercising his option.

Next year his cap hit jumps from about $900k to $5.3M. Cooper Rush's 2024 cap hit is $2.8M.

They get one Training Camp to figure out what he can do because he is getting no meaningful snaps now. They are using him for scout team purposes now only when they are going against mobile quarterbacks.

The 49ers gave up a ton to get Lance. Yet, they were perfectly fine moving on from him after 2 seasons and were going to cut him had no one traded for him.

You seem to be acting like he will be the back-up for a long time, but he will be an unrestricted free agent after 2024.

This was not a good trade. Had the Cowboys acquired him for the 6th round pick other teams were offering for him, I'd say no big deal. They overpaid, and they didn't do any research. Jerry literally said they liked him coming out and had a second-round grade on him. When they asked what he thought of his recent struggles, he said he hadn't seen him play. When another media member asked about him only throwing 519 passing attempts (99 high school, 318 college, 102 NFL) his entire football career, Jerry said he didn't think that was true.

Professional. General. Manager.

I very much wanted to like Trey Lance in college. I love the FCS story. However, when I watched him, I saw him run at will, not throw, against future truck drivers and ranchers playing for the South Dakota's and Montana's of the world.

He may be Logan Thomas (former Virginia Tech QB at one time thought to be the top overall pick) and needs to be a Y Tight End slash big Receiver. Great athlete. I just don't think he's capable of progressing through his reads and processing the information quick enough to make the right throws.

 

[dbair1967]

Wow I had no idea the 5th yr options was that much. I did google it and saw where apparently the Cowboys have already said they will not do the 5th yr option and instead hope to sign him for a much more affordable contract extension after next season. It does seem from the article I saw that they see him more as a talented long term backup option more than a threat to ever take the job from Prescott. Of course with injuries in the NFL, things could change in a hurry.

And we still have to see how this postseason plays out. Most likely, Prescott is safe here. But if he has another major playoff clunker in the first, or potentially even the 2nd rd you have to wonder how much more they really want to invest in a guy that hasnt been able to get us past the divisional round, and in each of the last two yrs was the main reason they were eliminated.

 

[dbair1967]

Kiper Big Board and Positional Rankins, version 1 I guess.

This will obviously change a lot as we dont even know who has officially declared for the draft yet.

Big Board
1. Caleb Williams QB USC
2. Marvin Harrison Jr. WR Ohio St.
3. Drake Maye QB North Carolina
4. Jayden Daniels QB LSU
5. Brock Bowers TE Georgia

6. Rome Odunze WR Washington
7. Olumuyiwa Fashanu T Penn St.
8. Malik Nabers WR LSU
9. Joe Alt T Notre Dame
10. Laiatu Latu OLB UCLA

11. Dallas Turner OLB Alabama
12. Keon Coleman WR Florida St.
13. Cooper DeJean CB Iowa
14. Troy Fautanu OL Washington
15. Jared Verse DE Florida St.

16. Jer'Zhan Newton DT Illinois
17. Xavier Worthy WR Texas
18. Nate Wiggins CB Clemson
19. Taliese Fuaga T Oregon St.
20. JC Latham T Alabama

21. Kool-Aid McKinstry CB Alabama
22. Amarius Mims T Georgia
23. Kamara Lassiter CB Georgia
24. Jordan Morgan T Arizona
25. T'Vondre Sweat DT Texas

-

Position Rankings

Quarterbacks
1. Caleb Williams, USC
2. Drake Maye, North Carolina
3. Jayden Daniels, LSU
4. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
5. Michael Penix Jr., Washington
6. Bo Nix, Oregon
7. Michael Pratt, Tulane
8. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
9. Jordan Travis, Florida State
10. Joe Milton III, Tennessee

Running backs
1. Jonathon Brooks, Texas
2. Trey Benson, Florida State
3. Audric Estime, Notre Dame
4. TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
5. Blake Corum, Michigan
6. MarShawn Lloyd, USC
7. Jawhar Jordan, Louisville
8. Rasheen Ali, Marshall
9. Bucky Irving, Oregon
10. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

Fullbacks/H-backs
1. Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina
2. Ben Sinnott, Kansas State
3. Jaheim Bell, Florida State
4. JJ Pegues, Ole Miss
5. Jared Wiley, TCU
6. Dallin Holker, Colorado State
7. Rivaldo Fairweather, Auburn
8. Brant Kuithe, Utah
9. Trey Knox, South Carolina
10. Hayden Large, Iowa

Wide receivers
1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
2. Rome Odunze, Washington
3. Malik Nabers, LSU
4. Keon Coleman, Florida State
5. Xavier Worthy, Texas
6. Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
7. Adonai Mitchell, Texas
8. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
9. Xavier Legette, South Carolina
10. Ladd McConkey, Georgia

Tight ends
1. Brock Bowers, Georgia
2. Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas
3. Cade Stover, Ohio State
4. Luke Lachey, Iowa
5. Theo Johnson, Penn State
6. Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
7. Tyler Warren, Penn State
8. Erick All, Iowa
9. Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss
10. AJ Barner, Michigan

Offensive tackles
1. Olu Fashanu, Penn State
2. Joe Alt, Notre Dame
3. Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
4. JC Latham, Alabama
5. Amarius Mims, Georgia
6. Jordan Morgan, Arizona
7. Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
8. Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
9. Patrick Paul, Houston
10. Blake Fisher, Notre Dame

Guards
1. Troy Fautanu, Washington
2. Zak Zinter, Michigan
3. Christian Haynes, Connecticut
4. Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
5. Javion Cohen, Miami
6. Joshua Gray, Oregon State
7. Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
8. Christian Mahogany, Boston College
9. Dominick Puni, Kansas
10. Sataoa Laumea, Utah

Centers
1. Graham Barton, Duke
2. Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
3. Zach Frazier, West Virginia
4. Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
5. Matt Lee, Miami
6. Drake Nugent, Michigan
7. Tanor Bortolini, Wisconsin
8. Beaux Limmer, Arkansas
9. Dylan McMahon, NC State
10. Eli Cox, Kentucky

Defensive ends
1. Jared Verse, Florida State
2. JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
3. Adisa Isaac, Penn State
4. Darius Robinson, Missouri
5. Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State
6. Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
7. Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
8. Keith Randolph Jr., Illinois
9. Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
10. Gabriel Murphy, UCLA

Defensive tackles
1. JerZhan Newton, Illinois
2. T'Vondre Sweat, Texas
3. Leonard Taylor III, Miami
4. Kris Jenkins, Michigan
5. Braden Fiske, Florida State
6. Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
7. McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M
8. Byron Murphy II, Texas
9. Mekhi Wingo, LSU
10. Ruke Orhorhoro, Clemson

Off-ball linebackers
1. Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
2. Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson
3. Deontae Lawson, Alabama
4. Jaylan Ford, Texas
5. Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia
6. Cedric Gray, North Carolina
7. Junior Colson, Michigan
8. Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
9. Tyrice Knight, UTEP
10. Marist Liufau, Notre Dame

Outside linebackers
1. Laiatu Latu, UCLA
2. Dallas Turner, Alabama
3. Chris Braswell, Alabama
4. Chop Robinson, Penn State
5. Jonah Elliss, Utah
6. Payton Wilson, NC State
7. Bralen Trice, Washington
8. Javon Solomon, Troy
9. Seth Coleman, Illinois
10. Jaylen Harrell, Michigan

Cornerbacks
1. Cooper DeJean, Iowa
2. Nate Wiggins, Clemson
3. Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
4. Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
5. Terrion Arnold, Alabama
6. Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
7. Denzel Burke, Ohio State
8. T.J. Tampa, Iowa State
9. Kalen King, Penn State
10. Josh Newton, TCU

Safeties
1. Kamren Kinchens, Miami
2. Tyler Nubin, Minnesota
3. Javon Bullard, Georgia
4. Jaylin Simpson, Auburn
5. James Williams, Miami
6. Tykee Smith, Georgia
7. Cole Bishop, Utah
8. Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
9. Calen Bullock, USC
10. Josh Proctor, Ohio State

Kickers and Punters
1. Tory Taylor, Iowa (P)
2. Cam Little, Arkansas (K)
3. Austin McNamara, Texas Tech (P)
4. Will Reichard, Alabama (K)
5. Jack Bouwmeester, Utah (P)
6. Joshua Karty, Stanford (K)
7. Ryan Rehkow, BYU (P)
8. Jose Pizano, UNLV (K)
9. John Hoyland, Wyoming (K)
10. Spencer Shrader, Notre Dame (K)

 

[dbair1967]

One thing that surprises me a little (again, havent studied this much at all so far) is that Missouri RB Cody Shrader isnt even in Kiper's Top-10 at RB's. I can probably guess why, but all this kid does is gain yards. He has quick feet and runs with power. His last 6 games:

South Carolina: 26/159, 2 tds
Georgia: 22/122, 1 TD
Tennessee: 35/205 1 TD, 5 receptions 116 yards (326 total yards)
Florida: 23/148, 1 TD
Arkansas: 27/217 1 TD
Last night v Ohio State: 29/128 1 TD

For the season he had 1627 yds rushing, averaged 5.9yds per carry and scored 14 tds. Finished 8th in Heisman.

He's listed at 5'9, 214lbs. I am just going to guess that at the Combine he'll run in mid to high 4.5's.

 

[Dodger12]

I get that we are all so divisive now and there are many in the anti-Dak camp.

He is literally in the discussion, odds-wise for the MVP right now, and the extension discussion is also out there.

Do people really think they are going to have an open competition between him and a guy who could not beat out Sam Darnold or Cooper Rush?

I don't expect an open competition and I don't even think Lance is a better QB. But this Dak for MVP talk is just is just "click" fodder. Dak may not even be the MVP on the team, let alone the league.

We know what we have with Dak. A good QB who outplayed his draft status. But he wont' carry this team to the promised land. Knowing that, there's really no need to extend him and we should start looking for his replacement. Of course, if he can lead the team to the SB, then you can't argue with extending him. But right now, I doubt we make the SB unless the D plays lights out and we don't ask Dak to carry the team.

 

[dbair1967]

Would make a great Cowboy C for us for long time.

 

[yimyammer]

Would make a great Cowboy C for us for long time.

FSU made the national championship committee look great today