Posted by Rafael at Thursday, February 09, 2012
Part one of this week's chat with the National Football Post's Scouting Director Wes Bunting examines the game of Georgia center Ben Jones, a definite Cowboys player of interest. If the team does not pursue a veteran center when the free agent window opens in five weeks, Jones could find his name on the Cowboys' draft short list, perhaps in the 2nd round.
Cowboys Nation: News has filtered out that the Cowboys have major concerns about their center play. They've apparently concluded that the Phil Costa experiment didn't work. The team spoke to Ben Jones at the Senior Bowl. You said he was the best center there. You've given him a 6.8 grade, second on your center board. He's a top 40 player on your board.
Compare him to Penn State's Stefan Wisniewski, who had a similar grade last year.
Wes Bunting: Okay. I'd say Jones is a little naturally stronger. I'd say they're similar athletes. I'd say Wisniewski uses his hands a little better, slides a little better through contact. I liked Wisniewski a little bit better coming out. I think I gave him a 7.0 grade
I think Ben Jones will struggle a little more laterally, but he's a strong guy who has a snap, who can get under people, run his legs through contact. It's not like he's some scrub or anything like that. He's a good player. And he's one of the few senior centers who I can see starting, if not during his rookie year then definitely in his second season.
CN: That was the next question -- how soon can he start? I know Wisniewski took over at center, what, about six games into the Raiders season?
WB: I know the Raiders were using him both at guard and center. I think they were just trying to figure out where he fit best.
CN: You've seen the Raiders a lot. How did Wisniewski measure up against Samson Satele, who is headed for free agency?
WB: I thought he was much better than Satele. He's much more balanced, more technically sound. Wisniewski is not a plus athlete, or a plus physical guy, but he can gain leverage. He uses his hands well. He plays hard. He understands angles and, is he ever going to be a perennial Pro Bowler? No, but he's going to have a good NFL career. He's a starter you can win with, and in a good year he might end up in the Pro Bowl.
CN: Is Ben Jones projected ceiling similar to Wisniewski's?
WB: Yeah. I would say Ben Jones could end up being a solid NFL center, who can play for a long time in the league and who can anchor inside. That's the big thing.
CN: That's important, because that was Costa's failing. He couldn't anchor and guys would put him on skates regularly. I think watching Brandon Spikes jack him up in the Patriots game convinced a lot of fans that they couldn't count on Costa as the long-term answer. That certainly did it for me.
Going back to Wisniewski. He was taken in the mid-2nd. Is that where Ben Jones projects?
WB: I would say that's fair.
Part one of this week's chat with the National Football Post's Scouting Director Wes Bunting examines the game of Georgia center Ben Jones, a definite Cowboys player of interest. If the team does not pursue a veteran center when the free agent window opens in five weeks, Jones could find his name on the Cowboys' draft short list, perhaps in the 2nd round.
Cowboys Nation: News has filtered out that the Cowboys have major concerns about their center play. They've apparently concluded that the Phil Costa experiment didn't work. The team spoke to Ben Jones at the Senior Bowl. You said he was the best center there. You've given him a 6.8 grade, second on your center board. He's a top 40 player on your board.
Compare him to Penn State's Stefan Wisniewski, who had a similar grade last year.
Wes Bunting: Okay. I'd say Jones is a little naturally stronger. I'd say they're similar athletes. I'd say Wisniewski uses his hands a little better, slides a little better through contact. I liked Wisniewski a little bit better coming out. I think I gave him a 7.0 grade
I think Ben Jones will struggle a little more laterally, but he's a strong guy who has a snap, who can get under people, run his legs through contact. It's not like he's some scrub or anything like that. He's a good player. And he's one of the few senior centers who I can see starting, if not during his rookie year then definitely in his second season.
CN: That was the next question -- how soon can he start? I know Wisniewski took over at center, what, about six games into the Raiders season?
WB: I know the Raiders were using him both at guard and center. I think they were just trying to figure out where he fit best.
CN: You've seen the Raiders a lot. How did Wisniewski measure up against Samson Satele, who is headed for free agency?
WB: I thought he was much better than Satele. He's much more balanced, more technically sound. Wisniewski is not a plus athlete, or a plus physical guy, but he can gain leverage. He uses his hands well. He plays hard. He understands angles and, is he ever going to be a perennial Pro Bowler? No, but he's going to have a good NFL career. He's a starter you can win with, and in a good year he might end up in the Pro Bowl.
CN: Is Ben Jones projected ceiling similar to Wisniewski's?
WB: Yeah. I would say Ben Jones could end up being a solid NFL center, who can play for a long time in the league and who can anchor inside. That's the big thing.
CN: That's important, because that was Costa's failing. He couldn't anchor and guys would put him on skates regularly. I think watching Brandon Spikes jack him up in the Patriots game convinced a lot of fans that they couldn't count on Costa as the long-term answer. That certainly did it for me.
Going back to Wisniewski. He was taken in the mid-2nd. Is that where Ben Jones projects?
WB: I would say that's fair.
