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BySportsDayDFW sports
12:10 AM on Tue., Feb. 28, 2012
The Dallas Cowboys could certainly use some offensive line help next season, so when the name David DeCastro came up as a potential draft target came up, no one seemed to outright question whether the Stanford guard was worth a spot in the first round ... except one writer.
After watching footage of DeCastro and talking to coaches, CBS NFL insider Pat Kirwan came to the conclusion that while a team couldn't be faulted for taking the big guard in the middle of the first round, his current skill set could make him a second round player.
The film indicated DeCastro is a physical guy who really likes to punish a defender when he gets the chance, but saying that, he gets himself in trouble with his overaggressiveness. DeCastro was on the ground six times during the game, usually from an overaggressive technique, and as the line coach pointed out, "That could wind up being 8-10 times in an NFL game."
I know David is a smart player and understands he must control his tempo and trust his technique. Easier said than done, especially for first-round picks who line up as starters in Week 1.
Even though the Kirwan didn't mention the Cowboys by name, he did mention that while teams with offensive line issues could use DeCastro, because he's the top player at a relatively thin position, that could be the main reason why his stock is going up. And if a team like the Cowboys does decide to draft DeCastro with the 14th pick, they could be missing out on a potential franchise corner or pass rusher.
My good friend Gil Brandt and I talked about taking a guard in the first round. As he pointed out, it isn't the guard you are taking but rather the guy you will be passing up at a franchise position like pass rusher or cornerback that makes it tough to take the guard. His point was: The pass rusher or corner you see in the second round might be much worse than the guard you will see in the second round. It's the value of the pick and the big picture that comes into play when considering a player like DeCastro.
It remains to be seen what the Cowboys are going to do with the draft quickly approaching, but Kirwan's opinions should give the Cowboys some food for thought before they make a decision.
12:10 AM on Tue., Feb. 28, 2012
The Dallas Cowboys could certainly use some offensive line help next season, so when the name David DeCastro came up as a potential draft target came up, no one seemed to outright question whether the Stanford guard was worth a spot in the first round ... except one writer.
After watching footage of DeCastro and talking to coaches, CBS NFL insider Pat Kirwan came to the conclusion that while a team couldn't be faulted for taking the big guard in the middle of the first round, his current skill set could make him a second round player.
The film indicated DeCastro is a physical guy who really likes to punish a defender when he gets the chance, but saying that, he gets himself in trouble with his overaggressiveness. DeCastro was on the ground six times during the game, usually from an overaggressive technique, and as the line coach pointed out, "That could wind up being 8-10 times in an NFL game."
I know David is a smart player and understands he must control his tempo and trust his technique. Easier said than done, especially for first-round picks who line up as starters in Week 1.
Even though the Kirwan didn't mention the Cowboys by name, he did mention that while teams with offensive line issues could use DeCastro, because he's the top player at a relatively thin position, that could be the main reason why his stock is going up. And if a team like the Cowboys does decide to draft DeCastro with the 14th pick, they could be missing out on a potential franchise corner or pass rusher.
My good friend Gil Brandt and I talked about taking a guard in the first round. As he pointed out, it isn't the guard you are taking but rather the guy you will be passing up at a franchise position like pass rusher or cornerback that makes it tough to take the guard. His point was: The pass rusher or corner you see in the second round might be much worse than the guard you will see in the second round. It's the value of the pick and the big picture that comes into play when considering a player like DeCastro.
It remains to be seen what the Cowboys are going to do with the draft quickly approaching, but Kirwan's opinions should give the Cowboys some food for thought before they make a decision.
