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Outside The Box
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
(Editor's Note: As the April 28-30 NFL Draft approaches, DallasCowboys.com's 12-part Draft Series will analyze every position, the Cowboys' needs at each, who might be available for their eight picks and some interesting draft nuggets. Part 8 features outside linebackers.)
Position Outlook:
Considering the Cowboys have two former first-round picks at the starting positions, and two young draft picks manning the backup spots, you wouldn't think outside linebacker would be a strong position of need this year.
Factor in the part about DeMarcus Ware being arguably the best defensive player in the game - having led the league in sacks two of the past three years, including last season - and one can assume this position is set for a few years to come.
But as new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has pointed out already this offseason, a good 3-4 defense must rely on a consistency from the outside linebackers. Having too many quality pass-rushers is not something that will come out of the mouths of many defensive coaches, especially in what has now turned into a pass-happy NFL.
That being said, the Cowboys don't exactly have to pick up an outside linebacker in the upcoming NFL Draft. It depends on Ryan's evaluation of guys like Anthony Spencer, who is entering the final year of his original contract, and Brandon Williams and Victor Butler, who haven't received much playing time at the position. Butler has played a few more snaps in his two seasons and has made the most of limited opportunities.
The key component in this situation is Spencer, who didn't have the 2010 season we all expected after he finished so strong in 2009. Actually, the majority of his four-year career has been below expectations considering his first-round draft status and having played opposite of Ware, who receives constant double-teams.
In February, Ryan said he was very impressed by Spencer on the film he watched from last year, and it sounds as if the Cowboys are heading into this season again with Spencer as the expected starter, opposite of Ware. This could be the year we see more rotation at this position, likely involving Butler, who had two sacks last year.
Draft Prospects:
This isn't an easy position to evaluate in terms of players jumping from the college ranks to the pros. Not many teams use the 3-4 scheme in college and the 3-4 defenses in the NFL tend to vary. So that means some players who were listed as defensive ends in college will actually play outside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme.
Then again, some teams who run a pro 3-4 actually prefer to use college outside linebackers and have them transition to a new defense, albeit keeping the same position. So finding out which players will be good fits for Ryan's 3-4 scheme isn't an easy chore.
However, if you start at the top, prospects such as Texas A&M's Von Miller seem to be able to play in any scheme, on any level. The knock on him (and there haven't been many) is that Miller would be a hybrid in the NFL. Having played end in college, he would be too small to play end in the pros and too big to be an inside linebacker.
Miller (6-3, 240) will probably be a 3-4 outside linebacker or a situational pass-rusher in a 4-3. Wherever he goes, he figures to be an instant upgrade on defense. Miller had 26 sacks in the last two years, including an NCAA-leading 16 in 2009.
Missouri's Aldon Smith has quietly increased his stock during the draft process. Smith had 11 sacks in 2009, but his production dipped to just four last season when he missed three games due to injury. Still, the 6-4, 260-pound pass rusher is a perfect fit for a 3-4 scheme.
Other projected 3-4 pass-rushers are UCLA's Akeem Ayers (6-4, 255), who might one of the better athletes at this position. Ayers had 14 sacks in three seasons for the Bruins. Georgia's Justin Houston, Bruce Carter of North Carolina and Mississippi State's K.J. Wright are both potential standouts as well at the position.
Eventual Available Vets:
It's unlikely the Cowboys will explore this option unless they believe there is good value for an inexpensive, yet experienced veteran. A name that could fit the bill is Browns' free agent Matt Roth, who played for Rob Ryan the last two years. Oakland's Kamerion Wimbley also played for Ryan with the Raiders, but might warrant a hefty price tag.
Pittsburgh's LaMarr Woodley seems to be the best of the bunch this year and fits the 3-4 scheme, obviously. Minnesota's Chad Greenway is another outside linebacker that should get a nice new deal.
Look Back:
Lots of good things can happen when a team has two first-round picks. The Cowboys had that scenario in 2005, with the No. 11 and No. 20 overall selections. While packaging both to trade up was a possibility, getting two players to help Bill Parcells transition the defense to a 3-4 scheme was a bigger priority.
With the No. 11 pick, the Cowboys had their choice between either DeMarcus Ware or Shawne Merriman. Actually, rumor has it that Parcells really wanted to draft Marcus Spears at No. 11, but was ultimately overruled by the room. It came down to Ware and Merriman and the Cowboys obviously went with the small-schooled Ware, who dominated the Sun Belt Conference at Troy University.
While Merriman's career started out stronger than Ware's, things have since turned around dramatically. Ware has led the NFL in sacks two of the last three seasons, including a 20-sack effort in 2008 and 15.5 last year.
As for Spears, he went to the Cowboys with their second pick at No. 20.
Up Next: Inside Linebacker
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
(Editor's Note: As the April 28-30 NFL Draft approaches, DallasCowboys.com's 12-part Draft Series will analyze every position, the Cowboys' needs at each, who might be available for their eight picks and some interesting draft nuggets. Part 8 features outside linebackers.)
Position Outlook:
Considering the Cowboys have two former first-round picks at the starting positions, and two young draft picks manning the backup spots, you wouldn't think outside linebacker would be a strong position of need this year.
Factor in the part about DeMarcus Ware being arguably the best defensive player in the game - having led the league in sacks two of the past three years, including last season - and one can assume this position is set for a few years to come.
But as new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has pointed out already this offseason, a good 3-4 defense must rely on a consistency from the outside linebackers. Having too many quality pass-rushers is not something that will come out of the mouths of many defensive coaches, especially in what has now turned into a pass-happy NFL.
That being said, the Cowboys don't exactly have to pick up an outside linebacker in the upcoming NFL Draft. It depends on Ryan's evaluation of guys like Anthony Spencer, who is entering the final year of his original contract, and Brandon Williams and Victor Butler, who haven't received much playing time at the position. Butler has played a few more snaps in his two seasons and has made the most of limited opportunities.
The key component in this situation is Spencer, who didn't have the 2010 season we all expected after he finished so strong in 2009. Actually, the majority of his four-year career has been below expectations considering his first-round draft status and having played opposite of Ware, who receives constant double-teams.
In February, Ryan said he was very impressed by Spencer on the film he watched from last year, and it sounds as if the Cowboys are heading into this season again with Spencer as the expected starter, opposite of Ware. This could be the year we see more rotation at this position, likely involving Butler, who had two sacks last year.
Draft Prospects:
This isn't an easy position to evaluate in terms of players jumping from the college ranks to the pros. Not many teams use the 3-4 scheme in college and the 3-4 defenses in the NFL tend to vary. So that means some players who were listed as defensive ends in college will actually play outside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme.
Then again, some teams who run a pro 3-4 actually prefer to use college outside linebackers and have them transition to a new defense, albeit keeping the same position. So finding out which players will be good fits for Ryan's 3-4 scheme isn't an easy chore.
However, if you start at the top, prospects such as Texas A&M's Von Miller seem to be able to play in any scheme, on any level. The knock on him (and there haven't been many) is that Miller would be a hybrid in the NFL. Having played end in college, he would be too small to play end in the pros and too big to be an inside linebacker.
Miller (6-3, 240) will probably be a 3-4 outside linebacker or a situational pass-rusher in a 4-3. Wherever he goes, he figures to be an instant upgrade on defense. Miller had 26 sacks in the last two years, including an NCAA-leading 16 in 2009.
Missouri's Aldon Smith has quietly increased his stock during the draft process. Smith had 11 sacks in 2009, but his production dipped to just four last season when he missed three games due to injury. Still, the 6-4, 260-pound pass rusher is a perfect fit for a 3-4 scheme.
Other projected 3-4 pass-rushers are UCLA's Akeem Ayers (6-4, 255), who might one of the better athletes at this position. Ayers had 14 sacks in three seasons for the Bruins. Georgia's Justin Houston, Bruce Carter of North Carolina and Mississippi State's K.J. Wright are both potential standouts as well at the position.
Eventual Available Vets:
It's unlikely the Cowboys will explore this option unless they believe there is good value for an inexpensive, yet experienced veteran. A name that could fit the bill is Browns' free agent Matt Roth, who played for Rob Ryan the last two years. Oakland's Kamerion Wimbley also played for Ryan with the Raiders, but might warrant a hefty price tag.
Pittsburgh's LaMarr Woodley seems to be the best of the bunch this year and fits the 3-4 scheme, obviously. Minnesota's Chad Greenway is another outside linebacker that should get a nice new deal.
Look Back:
Lots of good things can happen when a team has two first-round picks. The Cowboys had that scenario in 2005, with the No. 11 and No. 20 overall selections. While packaging both to trade up was a possibility, getting two players to help Bill Parcells transition the defense to a 3-4 scheme was a bigger priority.
With the No. 11 pick, the Cowboys had their choice between either DeMarcus Ware or Shawne Merriman. Actually, rumor has it that Parcells really wanted to draft Marcus Spears at No. 11, but was ultimately overruled by the room. It came down to Ware and Merriman and the Cowboys obviously went with the small-schooled Ware, who dominated the Sun Belt Conference at Troy University.
While Merriman's career started out stronger than Ware's, things have since turned around dramatically. Ware has led the NFL in sacks two of the last three seasons, including a 20-sack effort in 2008 and 15.5 last year.
As for Spears, he went to the Cowboys with their second pick at No. 20.
Up Next: Inside Linebacker
