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GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
Cameron Jordan (97) of California works out during practice for the Senior Bowl.
MOBILE, Ala. — If the Cowboys use their first-round pick in the April draft on a defensive lineman, the decision will stem from what they saw in Senior Bowl workouts.
As fellow Cal defensive lineman Tyson Alualu did last year, Cameron Jordan has started a push into the draft’s top 10 with consistently strong showings in Senior Bowl practices. That puts Jordan within the realm of realistic possibilities for the Cowboys, who hold the ninth pick and need all the defensive help they can get.
Alualu wowed teams last year at the Senior Bowl with his brute strength and explosiveness inside. Jacksonville selected him with the 10th pick, and Alualu had a strong rookie season.
Jordan, who checked in at 6-4 and 287 pounds, is a more versatile player than Alualu. At Cal, Jordan’s duties included pass coverage, pass-rushing from the outside and run-stopping on the inside. He has shown all of those skills this week during dazzling practices, done at an NFL pace.
Take the word of Boston College offensive tackle Anthony Costanzo for that. Costanzo, expected to go late in the first round, said Jordan “is going to be a great player” after facing him in a series of drills.
“If it improves my stock, I’m blessed for it and happy about it,” Jordan said of his standout work in practices. “I’m here trying to showcase my talents and prove to teams that I am versatile. There’s a reason Cal used me in so many positions. I can be used the same way in the league for any team that wants me.”
Jordan carries the extra attraction of a high rating in the hard-to-define area of character.
He is smart, charismatic and well-grounded. His father, Steve, has refused to let agents get near his son to sweet-talk him. Steve Jordan, an Ivy Leaguer out of Brown, was a six-time Pro Bowl tight end during a 13-year career with Minnesota.
After football, Steve Jordan moved on to a second career as a civil engineer. He insists his son finish his degree in legal studies. The son will be a complete work.
“My father has given me a lot of input on how to handle different situations,” Cameron Jordan said. “He’s the best mentor I’ve ever had.”
In 2009, with Alualu receiving the attention of double-team blocking, Jordan had six sacks, 91/2 tackles for a loss and one broken up pass. Jordan took on the double teams this season and had 51/2 sacks, 121/2 tackles for a loss and four passes defended.
Jordan’s senior season also included one game that teams will hold against him in the final evaluation. USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith dominated Jordan in a 48-14 victory, holding him to three tackles and no sacks. Smith is in the draft as an underclassman and therefore not included in the Senior Bowl.
Jordan’s performance in that loss was so out of character that some teams may be willing to file it away under the heading of “one of those games” in their file on Jordan. Nothing he did before or after approached the level of the USC disaster.
Jordan called the USC game “a bump in the road” that reinforced to him what must be done to be a high-quality defensive player. His confidence did not suffer for the experience.
“If there’s an offensive guy against me, I’m going to beat him,” Jordan said. “I don’t know how or where, but if he puts his hand down against me, I’m going to beat him.”
Jordan has done that this week. The Cowboys have noticed, along with every other team.
Cameron Jordan (97) of California works out during practice for the Senior Bowl.
MOBILE, Ala. — If the Cowboys use their first-round pick in the April draft on a defensive lineman, the decision will stem from what they saw in Senior Bowl workouts.
As fellow Cal defensive lineman Tyson Alualu did last year, Cameron Jordan has started a push into the draft’s top 10 with consistently strong showings in Senior Bowl practices. That puts Jordan within the realm of realistic possibilities for the Cowboys, who hold the ninth pick and need all the defensive help they can get.
Alualu wowed teams last year at the Senior Bowl with his brute strength and explosiveness inside. Jacksonville selected him with the 10th pick, and Alualu had a strong rookie season.
Jordan, who checked in at 6-4 and 287 pounds, is a more versatile player than Alualu. At Cal, Jordan’s duties included pass coverage, pass-rushing from the outside and run-stopping on the inside. He has shown all of those skills this week during dazzling practices, done at an NFL pace.
Take the word of Boston College offensive tackle Anthony Costanzo for that. Costanzo, expected to go late in the first round, said Jordan “is going to be a great player” after facing him in a series of drills.
“If it improves my stock, I’m blessed for it and happy about it,” Jordan said of his standout work in practices. “I’m here trying to showcase my talents and prove to teams that I am versatile. There’s a reason Cal used me in so many positions. I can be used the same way in the league for any team that wants me.”
Jordan carries the extra attraction of a high rating in the hard-to-define area of character.
He is smart, charismatic and well-grounded. His father, Steve, has refused to let agents get near his son to sweet-talk him. Steve Jordan, an Ivy Leaguer out of Brown, was a six-time Pro Bowl tight end during a 13-year career with Minnesota.
After football, Steve Jordan moved on to a second career as a civil engineer. He insists his son finish his degree in legal studies. The son will be a complete work.
“My father has given me a lot of input on how to handle different situations,” Cameron Jordan said. “He’s the best mentor I’ve ever had.”
In 2009, with Alualu receiving the attention of double-team blocking, Jordan had six sacks, 91/2 tackles for a loss and one broken up pass. Jordan took on the double teams this season and had 51/2 sacks, 121/2 tackles for a loss and four passes defended.
Jordan’s senior season also included one game that teams will hold against him in the final evaluation. USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith dominated Jordan in a 48-14 victory, holding him to three tackles and no sacks. Smith is in the draft as an underclassman and therefore not included in the Senior Bowl.
Jordan’s performance in that loss was so out of character that some teams may be willing to file it away under the heading of “one of those games” in their file on Jordan. Nothing he did before or after approached the level of the USC disaster.
Jordan called the USC game “a bump in the road” that reinforced to him what must be done to be a high-quality defensive player. His confidence did not suffer for the experience.
“If there’s an offensive guy against me, I’m going to beat him,” Jordan said. “I don’t know how or where, but if he puts his hand down against me, I’m going to beat him.”
Jordan has done that this week. The Cowboys have noticed, along with every other team.
!!! I wanted Tyson Alualu last year---as a second rounder. The Jags picking him at #10 was a complete surprise. For me it's any of the Big Four and in no particular order: Amukamara, Bowers, Fairly, and Peterson. If we end up with Peterson, he should be our safety, I think Amukamara grades out better as a CB than Peterson. But if either of the Big Four is gone, then I am totally in favor of moving down and getting Jordan, been saying this.
