Part two of this week's chat with the National Football Post's Wes Bunting looks at guard and outside linebacker prospects who the Cowboys may consider in the 1st through 4th rounds.
Cowboys Nation: Let's move to guards. We've talked about some of these guys so much I feel I can fill in some of the slots by rote. In the 1st, obviously we have DeCastro and Cordy Glenn. Some guys were borderline, though I'm seeing Kevin Zeitler cool off a bit. What do you see or hear about him?
Wes Bunting: I don't know if he's falling. This happens with the press. Zeitler showed up as a 1st round pick and that baffled me, because I didn't see it on tape. Now, let me say, I like him on tape. But I watched him closely at the Senior Bowl and he's not the most natural pass blocker. I was thinking 2nd or 3rd round. And that's where I still think he comes off the board, somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd rounds.
CN: Amini Silatolu and Brandon Brooks look like solid 2nds to you?
WB: I would say Silatolu is a solid 2nd, and could make a run to the late 1st. Brooks maybe 2nd, may slide to the 3rd.
CN: In the 3rd round, 4th rounds are we talking Lucas Nix, Jeff Allen and Tony Bergstrom from Utah?
WB: That sounds right. Another guy who is getting some pub, who I really like, is SMU's Kelvin Beachem. I would say 4th to 5th right now. He's getting a lot of attention. People like him.
He had some bad games at left tackle for SMU, but he also had some great games at left tackle. And he's not going to play there in the pros. He's going to play inside. He's going to play guard. He'll be covered up and that will help him.
CN: Let's move to outside linebacker. You have Melvin Ingram at the top of your list. What about Courtney Upshaw. I've heard and read some reports that he's sliding. Where is he now on your list?
WB: I gave him one of the lowest 1st round grades and I have not moved his grade since the Senior Bowl. I view him as a late 1st rounder.
CN: Is there a chance he falls into the 2nd?
WB: No, I don't think so. You look at the guys around him, and there's a reason Shea McClellin is getting so much attention now. He's one of the few guys at the position who can rush the passer. So, I can't see Upshaw falling out of the 1st.
CN: So McClellin is a borderline 1st/2nd round guy.
WB: Right.
CN: We've talked about Ronnell Lewis recently. You said he's athletic, but you think he's a bit linear. I want to ask you about another rush prospect who we have not discussed in a while. Cam Johnson is getting some attention from Dallas. I know you like him, but he reads more like a 4-3 guy in your book. Is he a 2nd round guy? In height and weight, he's almost identical to Greg Ellis, who made a successful transition from 4-3 end to 3-4 outside linebacker.
WB: Yeah. I think he's just like Jabaal Sheard from last year. Not talent wise, because they bring different things, but I think that like Sheard he'll be productive against the run and the pass. I think he'll be a solid 2nd round guy who can start in year one.
CN: He's flying under the radar a bit, but Jabaal Sheard had what, 8.5 sacks as a rookie? If Cam Johnson can match or approach that you've got a heck of a 2nd round pick.
WB: Johnson is a bigger guy than Ronnell Lewis. He's developing his pass rushing arsenal and for a big guy, they'll drop him back into coverage and he's big and fluid. He can actually drop, which is what I think makes him so intriguing to these 3-4 teams.
CN: What about the 3rd round? Will any of the edge rushers be left then? It seems the numbers are small, so they may all go early.
WB: I've heard Julian Miller [West Virginia] getting some attention. I don't know if he goes that high. He's a long and lanky guy, who I saw more as a hand-on-the-ground type of player. But these 3-4 teams are desperate, especially in this year's crop. Brandon Lindsey from Pittsburgh is getting attention. I gave him a late-round grade, but one of these teams is going to take this guy in the 3rd round and overdraft, because there are going to be no rushers left.
Cowboys Nation: Let's move to guards. We've talked about some of these guys so much I feel I can fill in some of the slots by rote. In the 1st, obviously we have DeCastro and Cordy Glenn. Some guys were borderline, though I'm seeing Kevin Zeitler cool off a bit. What do you see or hear about him?
Wes Bunting: I don't know if he's falling. This happens with the press. Zeitler showed up as a 1st round pick and that baffled me, because I didn't see it on tape. Now, let me say, I like him on tape. But I watched him closely at the Senior Bowl and he's not the most natural pass blocker. I was thinking 2nd or 3rd round. And that's where I still think he comes off the board, somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd rounds.
CN: Amini Silatolu and Brandon Brooks look like solid 2nds to you?
WB: I would say Silatolu is a solid 2nd, and could make a run to the late 1st. Brooks maybe 2nd, may slide to the 3rd.
CN: In the 3rd round, 4th rounds are we talking Lucas Nix, Jeff Allen and Tony Bergstrom from Utah?
WB: That sounds right. Another guy who is getting some pub, who I really like, is SMU's Kelvin Beachem. I would say 4th to 5th right now. He's getting a lot of attention. People like him.
He had some bad games at left tackle for SMU, but he also had some great games at left tackle. And he's not going to play there in the pros. He's going to play inside. He's going to play guard. He'll be covered up and that will help him.
CN: Let's move to outside linebacker. You have Melvin Ingram at the top of your list. What about Courtney Upshaw. I've heard and read some reports that he's sliding. Where is he now on your list?
WB: I gave him one of the lowest 1st round grades and I have not moved his grade since the Senior Bowl. I view him as a late 1st rounder.
CN: Is there a chance he falls into the 2nd?
WB: No, I don't think so. You look at the guys around him, and there's a reason Shea McClellin is getting so much attention now. He's one of the few guys at the position who can rush the passer. So, I can't see Upshaw falling out of the 1st.
CN: So McClellin is a borderline 1st/2nd round guy.
WB: Right.
CN: We've talked about Ronnell Lewis recently. You said he's athletic, but you think he's a bit linear. I want to ask you about another rush prospect who we have not discussed in a while. Cam Johnson is getting some attention from Dallas. I know you like him, but he reads more like a 4-3 guy in your book. Is he a 2nd round guy? In height and weight, he's almost identical to Greg Ellis, who made a successful transition from 4-3 end to 3-4 outside linebacker.
WB: Yeah. I think he's just like Jabaal Sheard from last year. Not talent wise, because they bring different things, but I think that like Sheard he'll be productive against the run and the pass. I think he'll be a solid 2nd round guy who can start in year one.
CN: He's flying under the radar a bit, but Jabaal Sheard had what, 8.5 sacks as a rookie? If Cam Johnson can match or approach that you've got a heck of a 2nd round pick.
WB: Johnson is a bigger guy than Ronnell Lewis. He's developing his pass rushing arsenal and for a big guy, they'll drop him back into coverage and he's big and fluid. He can actually drop, which is what I think makes him so intriguing to these 3-4 teams.
CN: What about the 3rd round? Will any of the edge rushers be left then? It seems the numbers are small, so they may all go early.
WB: I've heard Julian Miller [West Virginia] getting some attention. I don't know if he goes that high. He's a long and lanky guy, who I saw more as a hand-on-the-ground type of player. But these 3-4 teams are desperate, especially in this year's crop. Brandon Lindsey from Pittsburgh is getting attention. I gave him a late-round grade, but one of these teams is going to take this guy in the 3rd round and overdraft, because there are going to be no rushers left.