Cowboys' Small-School Success Unmatched

[sbk92]

Posted by rphillips at 4/21/2011 5:57 PM CDT on truebluefanclub.com


It's amazing, really, when you think about it: three of the Cowboys' most important players came from unheralded college programs.

Tony Romo from Eastern Illinois. DeMarcus Ware from Troy. Miles Austin from Monmouth. Romo and Austin went undrafted, while Ware's dominance in the Sun Belt conference got him noticed.

It's hard enough for teams to accurately rate draft prospects. It's even harder when a player looks the part, but hasn't faced elite competition. There's some projection required. Sometimes it works (Patrick Crayton - Northwest Oklahoma), sometimes it doesn't (Jason Williams - Western Illinois). Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (Indiana Pa.) is their most recent pick, and his impact is still unknown.

Will the Cowboys find one this year? Temple's Muhammad Wilkerson, from the Mid-American Conference, is the top small-school guy this year.

 

[Midswat]

Clearly a testament to our amazing GM.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Mark LeGree of Appalachia State... come on down!

 

[sbk92]

It seems odd that a team that can't draft can have so much success in UDFA.

Odd. To most. But this is why you brought me here. To fill you in on what nobody else can figure out.

Here's my theory. It's probably balls on accurate.

Undrafted free agency isn't sexy enough for Jerry to pretend he's a GM. He doesn't know those players, doesn't really care, doesn't have the time. I think the scouts get far more say on who we get there than they do, or did at least, in the actual draft. When the cameras are on and Jerry can get his face time.

Plus, now that I think about it....Romo, Austin.....both came under the great Bill Parcells. That's probably not a coincidence.

 

[cmd34]

I'm not sure about giving us too much credit for finding undrafted guys like Romo and Austin. Those same years we had higher grades on BJ Tucker and Zuriel Smith over Tony Romo and on Skyler Green and EJ Whitley over Miles Austin.

"Luck" should not be our main draft strategy.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

A lot of small school players are boom or bust though. That's why a guy like Romo or Austin can go undrafted, and then flourish in the pros. It's also why guys like Jason Williams can get drafted fairly high and bust once they reach the NFL.

It's not luck, just the nature of their situation. Some respond to the coaching that they didn't receive at their small school, while some don't.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

It seems odd that a team that can't draft can have so much success in UDFA.

Odd. To most. But this is why you brought me here. To fill you in on what nobody else can figure out.

Here's my theory. It's probably balls on accurate.

Undrafted free agency isn't sexy enough for Jerry to pretend he's a GM. He doesn't know those players, doesn't really care, doesn't have the time. I think the scouts get far more say on who we get there than they do, or did at least, in the actual draft. When the cameras are on and Jerry can get his face time.

Plus, now that I think about it....Romo, Austin.....both came under the great Bill Parcells. That's probably not a coincidence.

And what UFDAs have the Dolphins brought in under Parcells?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

And what UFDAs have the Dolphins brought in under Parcells?

You're dumb.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Plus, now that I think about it....Romo, Austin.....both came under the great Bill Parcells. That's probably not a coincidence.

Sean Payton and John Garrett, respectively, had more to do with those two than Parcells. Sorry to interrupt your slurping though. Continue on.

 

[sbk92]

Excuse making.

I can go through Landry's career and discredit him the same way. It was his staff. Not him.

It's all nonsense.

 

[sbk92]

The bottom line with the great first ballot hall of famer Bill Parcells is wherever he goes, the team immediately turns around.

The greatest team builder in NFL history.

I just call it like it is.

 

[marionbarberthe4th]

The bottom line with the great first ballot hall of famer Bill Parcells is wherever he goes, the team immediately turns around.

The greatest team builder in NFL history.

I just call it like it is.

No one disagrees.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Plus, now that I think about it....Romo, Austin.....both came under the great Bill Parcells. That's probably not a coincidence.

And both Austin and Romo have thrived once Parcells had left. That's probably not a coincidence as well.

 

[sbk92]

And both Austin and Romo have thrived once Parcells had left. That's probably not a coincidence as well.

No. It's probably not.

They'd be like every other player in the league, especially small school players, they mature and reach their peak 4 or 5 years into their pro careers.

You thought you had a point. Turns out you had none.

Keep your chin up though.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

No. It's probably not.

They'd be like every other player in the league, especially small school players, they mature and reach their peak 4 or 5 years into their pro careers.

You thought you had a point. Turns out you had none.

Keep your chin up though. I mean, if you can lift those lips.

Parcells had nothing to do with their success. You want to hype him up for turning around teams, then they should have came out the gate for the great one.