Posted by Rafael at Monday, February 18, 2013
Today, Cowboys Nation begins a series on the up-coming NFL draft Combine in Indianapolis. Our draft expert TD provides a list of offensive and defensive linemen to consider in the middle rounds, the 3rd through the 5th.
Cowboys Nation: Let's move to defensive linemen after round two. Let's say the board breaks in such a way that Dallas takes an offensive lineman and a safety in the first two rounds. Who might they consider on the defensive line going forward? Talk to us about defensive tackles and ends.
TD: At tackle, one guy carrying a lot of buzz is Illinois' Akeem Spence. I've heard his name a couple of times from NFL sources. He's 6'1", 305, gets off the football, creates negative plays.
Bennie Logan, is an underclassman from LSU is 6'4", 295. He got some good production this year and I think he should be there in the 4th round. He's a good athlete.
Brandon Williams from Missouri Southern is the small school guy intriguing teams right now. He's 6'2", 341. I think he's going to have a really good Combine. If he can run a 40 around 5.0 seconds, he could shoot up into that 2nd-3rd round range.
Some later prospects are William Campbell from Michigan. He's a taller guy about 6'5", 318. Add Kapron Lewis-Moore from Notre Dame. He's the player who got hurt in the national title game, 6'4", 306. A.J. Francis from Maryland is 6'4", 321. He's a 4-3 nose tackle type.
There is some good depth overall and some good juniors declared.
CN: What about 4-3 defensive end?
TD: One intriguing guy is Devin Taylor from South Carolina. He's 6'7", 275 and has some short-area quickness. He can probably play two downs, but it's a question right now of how good he can be? He could play 3-downs early if you just let him bull rush, but can he develop beyond that?
Michael Buchanan from Illinois is 6'2", 253. There are some teams who give him a 1st round grade on athleticism, but there are questions about why he's not producing consistently. When you go just off performance he should have a low-round grade. I think teams will split the difference and he'll go in between there.
William Gholston from Michigan State has a chance. Corey Lemonier is more of an edge rusher, but I think all of these guys start coming into play in the 3rd and 4th rounds.
CN: Let's flip it over. Once we get past Warmack, Cooper and Warford, who are some guards who should come into consideration in the 3rd, 4th and 5th rounds? You've said and some of the other draft people I've spoken to say this is a good guard class.
TD: It is, but last year was one of the best guard classes in recent memory. This one isn't that good,but it is good. Larry Warford from Kentucky is a 2nd-3rd round player. Syracuse's Justin Pugh looks like a 3rd round player. He could move up just a bit but he's 6'5", 301 and looks like he could be a solid pass protector right away.
Arkansas' Alvin Bailey is an underclassman. He's 6'5", 315. These are the type of guys who sound like tackles, but you're seeing more of these body types, the taller guards, moving inside because they can pass protect well. Eric Herman from Ohio is another one. Jeff Baca from UCLA is 6'3", 305. Hugh Thornton from Illinois is a bit squattier, at 6'3", 315. All of these guys that I mentioned have the athleticism to slide laterally and hold up.
When you're looking for linemen in that 3rd or 4th round that interior pass protection skill is what you look for over a guy who's simply going to come off the ball and try to maul you.
CN: Dallas fans know this. They've seen the abuse that Tony Romo has taken from interior pressure and the need for this team to get linemen who can keep a pocket clean.
TD: I mentioned Chris Jacobson from Pitt before. He's about 6'2", 315 lbs. He's not a great pass protector but he's a very good run blocker with a history of injuries. Those are two two knocks against him.
Today, you can be a so-so run blocker, but if you can pass protect you can play early because teams can teach you to run block. If you can't pass block, it's going to be hard for you to get drafted.
Today, Cowboys Nation begins a series on the up-coming NFL draft Combine in Indianapolis. Our draft expert TD provides a list of offensive and defensive linemen to consider in the middle rounds, the 3rd through the 5th.
Cowboys Nation: Let's move to defensive linemen after round two. Let's say the board breaks in such a way that Dallas takes an offensive lineman and a safety in the first two rounds. Who might they consider on the defensive line going forward? Talk to us about defensive tackles and ends.
TD: At tackle, one guy carrying a lot of buzz is Illinois' Akeem Spence. I've heard his name a couple of times from NFL sources. He's 6'1", 305, gets off the football, creates negative plays.
Bennie Logan, is an underclassman from LSU is 6'4", 295. He got some good production this year and I think he should be there in the 4th round. He's a good athlete.
Brandon Williams from Missouri Southern is the small school guy intriguing teams right now. He's 6'2", 341. I think he's going to have a really good Combine. If he can run a 40 around 5.0 seconds, he could shoot up into that 2nd-3rd round range.
Some later prospects are William Campbell from Michigan. He's a taller guy about 6'5", 318. Add Kapron Lewis-Moore from Notre Dame. He's the player who got hurt in the national title game, 6'4", 306. A.J. Francis from Maryland is 6'4", 321. He's a 4-3 nose tackle type.
There is some good depth overall and some good juniors declared.
CN: What about 4-3 defensive end?
TD: One intriguing guy is Devin Taylor from South Carolina. He's 6'7", 275 and has some short-area quickness. He can probably play two downs, but it's a question right now of how good he can be? He could play 3-downs early if you just let him bull rush, but can he develop beyond that?
Michael Buchanan from Illinois is 6'2", 253. There are some teams who give him a 1st round grade on athleticism, but there are questions about why he's not producing consistently. When you go just off performance he should have a low-round grade. I think teams will split the difference and he'll go in between there.
William Gholston from Michigan State has a chance. Corey Lemonier is more of an edge rusher, but I think all of these guys start coming into play in the 3rd and 4th rounds.
CN: Let's flip it over. Once we get past Warmack, Cooper and Warford, who are some guards who should come into consideration in the 3rd, 4th and 5th rounds? You've said and some of the other draft people I've spoken to say this is a good guard class.
TD: It is, but last year was one of the best guard classes in recent memory. This one isn't that good,but it is good. Larry Warford from Kentucky is a 2nd-3rd round player. Syracuse's Justin Pugh looks like a 3rd round player. He could move up just a bit but he's 6'5", 301 and looks like he could be a solid pass protector right away.
Arkansas' Alvin Bailey is an underclassman. He's 6'5", 315. These are the type of guys who sound like tackles, but you're seeing more of these body types, the taller guards, moving inside because they can pass protect well. Eric Herman from Ohio is another one. Jeff Baca from UCLA is 6'3", 305. Hugh Thornton from Illinois is a bit squattier, at 6'3", 315. All of these guys that I mentioned have the athleticism to slide laterally and hold up.
When you're looking for linemen in that 3rd or 4th round that interior pass protection skill is what you look for over a guy who's simply going to come off the ball and try to maul you.
CN: Dallas fans know this. They've seen the abuse that Tony Romo has taken from interior pressure and the need for this team to get linemen who can keep a pocket clean.
TD: I mentioned Chris Jacobson from Pitt before. He's about 6'2", 315 lbs. He's not a great pass protector but he's a very good run blocker with a history of injuries. Those are two two knocks against him.
Today, you can be a so-so run blocker, but if you can pass protect you can play early because teams can teach you to run block. If you can't pass block, it's going to be hard for you to get drafted.
