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Wes' Weekly Draft Chat: Don't Choke on the Smoke
Posted by Rafael at Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Part One of this week's chat with the Nation Football Post's Wes Bunting looks at the rash of new favorites for the Cowboys pick, the top 20 churn, who the teams immediately after Dallas could pick and how this could affect any trade-down plans.
Cowboys Nation: It appears that my franchise may be laying some thick smoke screens the week before the draft. I want to begin by asking about the top of the draft. I look at the top 20 on the mocks, on the NFL Network and there appears to be more churn than normal. I expect the top 15-20 is hardening. This year there seems to be more ups and downs with names in that range. What's your take on this?
Wes Bunting: What makes this class unique is that there are so many talented players at one position, defensive line. Depending on what team you talk to, one team might have Ryan Kerrigan first, and the next might have him ninth. And when you have a discrepancy like that, if you have him 1st, he's a top-10 pick and if you have him 9th, he's a 2nd-round pick. That's the biggest thing that goes along with it.
You also have a discrepancy at the quarterback position. Teams that need QBs are going to have the top guys highly ranked, in the top ten. Other may not have them high on their boards. I think those are the reasons for the change.
CN: I see a guy like Prince Amukamara who had been a top 10 guy initially fall a few weeks ago. Now, he's back where he's started. I've seen J.J. Watt make a similar yo-yo like move. I know there's a lot of disinformation out there, and from a Cowboys perspective, it seemed that everyone loved Tyron Smith, and in the last few days there's been this drumbeat that the team is not sold on him at 9.
Now, I'm hearing maybe Prince is back in the mix at 9. I've heard J.J. Watt is in that discussion. Yesterday I heard Cam Jordan is the guy they really want. This seems too coincidental. It seems the team is protesting too much. Maybe they are telling the truth and Smith is no longer their top target, but a week before the draft, I find all these new rumors hard to believe.
WB: No one is telling you the truth 8-10 days before the draft. No one. There is no way. So the idea that players who have been high or low in the team's regard for weeks are suddenly going to jump so close to the draft, well, we're not dumb. There's obviously some kind of smoke screen there.
J.J. Watt? I really like him, but I just don't feel he's worth a top 10 pick. Cam Jordan is one guy who could go that high, in my opinion, but that's not a name I've heard linked to Dallas. I've heard Aldon Smith and I've heard Tyron Smith. If they were shouting from the rooftops, ''these are the guys we really like,'' I'd be more suspicious than if they said, ''we don't like these guys,'' and hope that everybody forgets that they liked them three weeks ago.
CN: I also wonder if these names they suddenly like are lures? Take Prince Amukamara. Houston at 11 needs a cornerback. The Vikings at 12 could use corner help. The Lions at 13 definitely need corner help. Now, we're hearing this love for Aldon Smith. There are at least seven teams in that 10-18 range who could take him. I think the Redskins, Texans, Vikings, Lions, Jaguars, Patriots and Chargers might all want to add an Aldon Smith to their lineup.
Might Dallas, in this game of liars' poker, want to spook one or more of these teams to pick up the phone and call them, and trade up to get one of these guys?
WB: Absolutely. That wouldn't surprise me at all. If you held a gun to my head, I'd still say Tyron Smith for Dallas, but with Aldon Smith, that they compare him to Demarcus Ware, that's believable. I don't know about you but I could see the Cowboys taking Aldon Smith at 9, so that could drum up some interest. Detroit I could see coming up to get him. San Diego as well, especially since they have two 2nd round picks.
We've talked about the depth of this D-lineman class and thought the Patriots, the Chargers, they don't have to move up and get a guy. But if they think Aldon Smith is the best pass rusher on their board, and he's there at 9, why wait until pick 18 and get your 4th rated rusher? Why not go up and get him?
CN: Let's talk about the two potential edge rushers, Smith and Robert Quinn, who's visiting Dallas later this week.
WB: Robert Quinn has been visiting every team in the top 10.
CN: Let's talk more about Aldon Smith then, because he's not a player we've discussed in great detail before. After I talked to you and other people I said I believe the rumor and there was a split in reception. Some readers think he is an interesting option. Some didn't think he is worth the hype and others wanted to know more about him. Tell us more about Smith's game and why he might have value to a team that already has Demarcus Ware.
QB: I really like Aldon Smith. I'm not a huge fan of him as a 3-4 guy. He's 6'4'' and a half. He's got these long, pterodactyl-like arms. They look so long on tape, and he's got some natural fludity and he's got a good first step. He's got some change of direction skills. He's 21 years old. He looks like he's 240 lbs. and he carries 260 like it's nothing. This is a guy who can keep his athleticism and get up to 270-280 lbs.
Some people have compared him to Demarcus Ware. I think he's more of a Justin Tuck coming out where you can play him on the outside, he can develop into a good run player and you can kick him inside and let him rush as a 3-technique, which he did a lot at Missouri. I think he's more that type of player. I'm not saying he couldn't be an effective pass rusher in Dallas. I just like him more in a 4-3 front.
CN: He played in a 4-3 front at Missouri, correct?
WB: Yes.
CN: He's an underclassman, so he couldn't go to the Senior Bowl, so all teams really have to go on, projecting him to a 3-4, are linebacker drills in workouts, pretty much?
WB: Yeah, that's exactly it. I think he's a leggier guy. He's similar to Jason Pierre-Paul, who came out last year. He's a gifted athlete just like Pierre Paul, but there are not many Willie McGinnest-type OLBs, these 270 lb. guys who could stand up and rush off the edge. Again, I'm not saying he wouldn't work, or not be as good as the players you have there already, but I think he works better in a 4-3.
CN: What's his anticipated range in the draft?
WB: I would say as high as 8 to Tennessee and as lowest team would be around the Jacksonville, New England, San Diego range. I honestly can't see him getting past Jacksonville at 16.
The Vikings need an edge rusher, but I've heard Da'Quan Bowers, I've heard Quinn and I've heard Ryan Kerrigan there. I have not heard Aldon Smith to Minnesota at 12.
I think if Detroit could get him at 13. If I were the Lions, I think he would fit their scheme so well and work with Suh inside. I would take him over Prince or over any other of their needs.
CN: I looked at Detroit's line and they have Suh and Corey Williams as DTs. They have Cliff Avril, who got 8.5 sacks last year. They have Kyle Vanden Bosch, but he's getting up in years. If you add an end like Aldon Smith, the Lions could have one of the best D-lines in the NFL.
WB: Vanden Bosch doesn't have much left. They have Turk McBride as the other guys. If you get Aldon Smith and bulk him up 10-15-20 pounds, and you can put him next to Suh inside in the nickel, with Avril outside, that's scary. They're terrible in the secondary, but that rush could cover up a lot in the future.
CN: Let's talk more about the Vikings' and Lions' needs. Cowboys fans are playing the trade down game, as in, if Dallals drops to 14 and the Rams come up to get a Julio Jones, who could be there at 14. I think we all suspect the Texans at 11 will pick the best pass rusher or cornerback. We know the Redskins are hoping to land a quarterback at 10 and will try to trade down if they can't.
The wild cards are Minnesota and Detroit. Let's start with the Lions. We know they could use a rush end. They could pick a cornerback, if a really good one were available. What other positions might they take?
WB: I've heard Anthony Castonzo. I've heard Aldon Smith and I've heard Jimmy Smith. Those are the three players they really like. I can't see them taking Jimmy Smith at thirteen, no matter how much they like him. I could see Castonzo and I could see Aldon Smith.
CN: If Tyron Smith were on the board would the Lions take him ahead of Castonzo, in your opinion?
WB: Yes. I think the figure Dallas would take him at 9 and if he got past the Cowboys the Redskins could take him at 10 or the Vikings could pick him at 12.
CN: The Vikings are looking for a quarterback. What are the odds they pick one at 12?
WB: I would say about 15%, 10%
CN: Quarterback is in their thinking?
WB: If Newton or Gabbert is there, I would say yes.
Posted by Rafael at Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Part One of this week's chat with the Nation Football Post's Wes Bunting looks at the rash of new favorites for the Cowboys pick, the top 20 churn, who the teams immediately after Dallas could pick and how this could affect any trade-down plans.
Cowboys Nation: It appears that my franchise may be laying some thick smoke screens the week before the draft. I want to begin by asking about the top of the draft. I look at the top 20 on the mocks, on the NFL Network and there appears to be more churn than normal. I expect the top 15-20 is hardening. This year there seems to be more ups and downs with names in that range. What's your take on this?
Wes Bunting: What makes this class unique is that there are so many talented players at one position, defensive line. Depending on what team you talk to, one team might have Ryan Kerrigan first, and the next might have him ninth. And when you have a discrepancy like that, if you have him 1st, he's a top-10 pick and if you have him 9th, he's a 2nd-round pick. That's the biggest thing that goes along with it.
You also have a discrepancy at the quarterback position. Teams that need QBs are going to have the top guys highly ranked, in the top ten. Other may not have them high on their boards. I think those are the reasons for the change.
CN: I see a guy like Prince Amukamara who had been a top 10 guy initially fall a few weeks ago. Now, he's back where he's started. I've seen J.J. Watt make a similar yo-yo like move. I know there's a lot of disinformation out there, and from a Cowboys perspective, it seemed that everyone loved Tyron Smith, and in the last few days there's been this drumbeat that the team is not sold on him at 9.
Now, I'm hearing maybe Prince is back in the mix at 9. I've heard J.J. Watt is in that discussion. Yesterday I heard Cam Jordan is the guy they really want. This seems too coincidental. It seems the team is protesting too much. Maybe they are telling the truth and Smith is no longer their top target, but a week before the draft, I find all these new rumors hard to believe.
WB: No one is telling you the truth 8-10 days before the draft. No one. There is no way. So the idea that players who have been high or low in the team's regard for weeks are suddenly going to jump so close to the draft, well, we're not dumb. There's obviously some kind of smoke screen there.
J.J. Watt? I really like him, but I just don't feel he's worth a top 10 pick. Cam Jordan is one guy who could go that high, in my opinion, but that's not a name I've heard linked to Dallas. I've heard Aldon Smith and I've heard Tyron Smith. If they were shouting from the rooftops, ''these are the guys we really like,'' I'd be more suspicious than if they said, ''we don't like these guys,'' and hope that everybody forgets that they liked them three weeks ago.
CN: I also wonder if these names they suddenly like are lures? Take Prince Amukamara. Houston at 11 needs a cornerback. The Vikings at 12 could use corner help. The Lions at 13 definitely need corner help. Now, we're hearing this love for Aldon Smith. There are at least seven teams in that 10-18 range who could take him. I think the Redskins, Texans, Vikings, Lions, Jaguars, Patriots and Chargers might all want to add an Aldon Smith to their lineup.
Might Dallas, in this game of liars' poker, want to spook one or more of these teams to pick up the phone and call them, and trade up to get one of these guys?
WB: Absolutely. That wouldn't surprise me at all. If you held a gun to my head, I'd still say Tyron Smith for Dallas, but with Aldon Smith, that they compare him to Demarcus Ware, that's believable. I don't know about you but I could see the Cowboys taking Aldon Smith at 9, so that could drum up some interest. Detroit I could see coming up to get him. San Diego as well, especially since they have two 2nd round picks.
We've talked about the depth of this D-lineman class and thought the Patriots, the Chargers, they don't have to move up and get a guy. But if they think Aldon Smith is the best pass rusher on their board, and he's there at 9, why wait until pick 18 and get your 4th rated rusher? Why not go up and get him?
CN: Let's talk about the two potential edge rushers, Smith and Robert Quinn, who's visiting Dallas later this week.
WB: Robert Quinn has been visiting every team in the top 10.
CN: Let's talk more about Aldon Smith then, because he's not a player we've discussed in great detail before. After I talked to you and other people I said I believe the rumor and there was a split in reception. Some readers think he is an interesting option. Some didn't think he is worth the hype and others wanted to know more about him. Tell us more about Smith's game and why he might have value to a team that already has Demarcus Ware.
QB: I really like Aldon Smith. I'm not a huge fan of him as a 3-4 guy. He's 6'4'' and a half. He's got these long, pterodactyl-like arms. They look so long on tape, and he's got some natural fludity and he's got a good first step. He's got some change of direction skills. He's 21 years old. He looks like he's 240 lbs. and he carries 260 like it's nothing. This is a guy who can keep his athleticism and get up to 270-280 lbs.
Some people have compared him to Demarcus Ware. I think he's more of a Justin Tuck coming out where you can play him on the outside, he can develop into a good run player and you can kick him inside and let him rush as a 3-technique, which he did a lot at Missouri. I think he's more that type of player. I'm not saying he couldn't be an effective pass rusher in Dallas. I just like him more in a 4-3 front.
CN: He played in a 4-3 front at Missouri, correct?
WB: Yes.
CN: He's an underclassman, so he couldn't go to the Senior Bowl, so all teams really have to go on, projecting him to a 3-4, are linebacker drills in workouts, pretty much?
WB: Yeah, that's exactly it. I think he's a leggier guy. He's similar to Jason Pierre-Paul, who came out last year. He's a gifted athlete just like Pierre Paul, but there are not many Willie McGinnest-type OLBs, these 270 lb. guys who could stand up and rush off the edge. Again, I'm not saying he wouldn't work, or not be as good as the players you have there already, but I think he works better in a 4-3.
CN: What's his anticipated range in the draft?
WB: I would say as high as 8 to Tennessee and as lowest team would be around the Jacksonville, New England, San Diego range. I honestly can't see him getting past Jacksonville at 16.
The Vikings need an edge rusher, but I've heard Da'Quan Bowers, I've heard Quinn and I've heard Ryan Kerrigan there. I have not heard Aldon Smith to Minnesota at 12.
I think if Detroit could get him at 13. If I were the Lions, I think he would fit their scheme so well and work with Suh inside. I would take him over Prince or over any other of their needs.
CN: I looked at Detroit's line and they have Suh and Corey Williams as DTs. They have Cliff Avril, who got 8.5 sacks last year. They have Kyle Vanden Bosch, but he's getting up in years. If you add an end like Aldon Smith, the Lions could have one of the best D-lines in the NFL.
WB: Vanden Bosch doesn't have much left. They have Turk McBride as the other guys. If you get Aldon Smith and bulk him up 10-15-20 pounds, and you can put him next to Suh inside in the nickel, with Avril outside, that's scary. They're terrible in the secondary, but that rush could cover up a lot in the future.
CN: Let's talk more about the Vikings' and Lions' needs. Cowboys fans are playing the trade down game, as in, if Dallals drops to 14 and the Rams come up to get a Julio Jones, who could be there at 14. I think we all suspect the Texans at 11 will pick the best pass rusher or cornerback. We know the Redskins are hoping to land a quarterback at 10 and will try to trade down if they can't.
The wild cards are Minnesota and Detroit. Let's start with the Lions. We know they could use a rush end. They could pick a cornerback, if a really good one were available. What other positions might they take?
WB: I've heard Anthony Castonzo. I've heard Aldon Smith and I've heard Jimmy Smith. Those are the three players they really like. I can't see them taking Jimmy Smith at thirteen, no matter how much they like him. I could see Castonzo and I could see Aldon Smith.
CN: If Tyron Smith were on the board would the Lions take him ahead of Castonzo, in your opinion?
WB: Yes. I think the figure Dallas would take him at 9 and if he got past the Cowboys the Redskins could take him at 10 or the Vikings could pick him at 12.
CN: The Vikings are looking for a quarterback. What are the odds they pick one at 12?
WB: I would say about 15%, 10%
CN: Quarterback is in their thinking?
WB: If Newton or Gabbert is there, I would say yes.
