Are Bama receivers just dumb? Ruggs, Ridley, and now Jameson Williams.

Sources: NFL suspended 5 players, including #Lions WR Jameson Williams, for violations of NFL gambling policy. #Lions’ CJ Moore & Quintez Cephus, plus #Commanders' Shaka Toney, are suspended indefinitely (at least 1 year). Williams & DET’s Stanley Berryhill are suspended 6 games. pic.twitter.com/Jnmzn8iKzj

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 21, 2023

Probably my favorite mock draft... got completely wiped out in the 1st round and traded way back to 45 with GB (got their 3rd and next years 2nd). Hated to trade back that far, but needed a reset.

RB Gibbs at 45... OT/OG Mauch at 58... TE Musgrave at 78... LB Henley at 90... OSU Kicker Ruggles in the 4th

Happy Draft week!

I'm leaning OG, TE, or CB (in that order) first pick.

Southlake said:

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With the 17 game schedule and offensive linemen playing virtually every down and getting hit every down I personally think o-line depth is even more critical. Coupla years ago, the Chiefs got to the superbowl and 3 starters out.

Just get the best O-linemen available. Then get another later.

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I tend to agree.

It's weird that about 70% of the mock drafts I see have the Cowboys taking a LB with the first pick. I'm obviously not an expert but it seems like there will be more quality OL at 26 than LB. The test will be if on of the top TEs is still available. That might be hard to pass up.

Yeah, I'm def on board w an OL there.

I think there will be a very good football player there. They've set themselves up good because there isn't really a position of dire need that they have to over reach there. Just sit tight and let things come to you.

Ideally, a trade back scenario probably works best if we are going Oline with our 1st pick... if we are talking Guard specifically, we might find ourselves in a spot where 26 is a bit early, but 58 will be too late to get the guys we'd target.

Then again, we thought we'd have our pick of the top 2 guards last year and they were both gone before it was our turn. Worked out cause Tyler Smith was pretty stinking good as a rookie.

O'Cyrus Torrence
John Michael Schmitz

Luke Wypler

I'm ok with any of these and think they'd start year 1

And don't underestimate a TE pick at 26 either. I had sorta brushed it off until recently... there is some real talk that the Cowboys wouldn't hesitate to take Mayer. I'm not so sure about Kincaid... he gives you virtually nothing in the running game and McCarthy specifically said they want to run the ball.

Don't sleep on Darnell Washington out of GA either. That guy is a blocking monster and, when called upon, did some nice things for them as a receiver also. He was an official Cowboys 30 visit guy.

Would not be surprised with either guy.

Mayer is my first choice for those that may be there.

If we can't get him one of those interior OL would be nice. I just don't want a WR or RB.

If there was a one of the top DTs there, I'd be ok with that.. on the off chance Nolan Smith is there then you run to the podium for that chance

Talk me into Myers.

My impression is that he is good to Solid at everything so he really has no weaknesses, but he also doesn't excel at anything either. Am I wrong?

He's labeled a no-risk guy. A professional in college that you don't have to worry about can he handle the the NFL, will he work, will he learn and improve"

He's not Kincaid as a receiver but we don't need that and he's not Washington as a blocker. But he's good at both and doesn't have a weakness in his game. As a blocker, I'll take the technician over the mauler all day. Same at receiver. Give me the technician over the athlete.

McShay:
"Most importantly, his instincts and understanding and feel in the pass game, his ball skills and then after the catch, he's a bulldozer. He's like a mini Gronk. That was his nickname. He'll just run over guys. He lacks elite speed, but that's it. Outside of that, he's a complete player. If you're drafting a quarterback at one and then, you get an opportunity to bring in that security blanket, I would love that combination if you get Bryce Young at one and then, Michael Mayer at 12."

I've seen comparisons to Jason Witten, Gronk, and TJ Hockenson.

Give me that guy. Dak desperately needs that guy and he'll be a ++ blocker

Macarthur said:

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Talk me into Myers.

My impression is that he is good to Solid at everything so he really has no weaknesses, but he also doesn't excel at anything either. Am I wrong?

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I heard he was the best player at ND the last couple years. Gets knocked for not being this crazy athlete and yet, nobody could stop the guy from catching a ton of passes even though he was the only legitimate passing threat they had.

I'm a lot more open to him in recent weeks. And when you see guys like Kyle Pitts have NFL struggles, it's enough to scare you off of guys like Kincaid that are not well rounded TEs. Mayer would be a solid pick at 26.

Woods Ag said:

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Mayer is my first choice for those that may be there.

If we can't get him one of those interior OL would be nice. I just don't want a WR or RB.

If there was a one of the top DTs there, I'd be ok with that.. on the off chance Nolan Smith is there then you run to the podium for that chance

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I'm with you on WR... any of them worth taking at #1 are most likely gone before 26. And our WR is pretty crowded to be honest. We've got too much invested in Gallup & Cooks to have them sit.

I'm still all aboard the RB train if it's Bijan or Gibbs, but I don't think it's going to happen. This is not a strong/top heavy draft, I can't imagine 25 teams passing on a consensus top 10 player in Bijan. And I haven't heard anything connecting Dallas to Gibbs so I doubt that happens unless he falls to them in the 2nd (no way).

Solidifying the O-line has to be a top priority and a TE like Mayer or Washington can certainly be part of that equation.

okay, I'll go look some more....I do think TE is strong possiblity there.

FWIW, Schrager and McShay both reported today that they have heard Gibbs will go in the first round. Schrager listed NYG, Dallas and KC as possible landing spots late in the first.

McShay:

Quote:

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When I'm making calls and decision-makers start asking me what I've heard on certain players, that typically means there is growing interest around those guys. And look, I don't know where Gibbs ends up going, but I do know I've heard his name a lot this week. Some teams don't even have that big of a gap between Robinson and him, which is telling because Robinson is a star. The thinking is even if you get Gibbs for limited carries each Sunday -- he's only 5-foot-9 and 199 pounds, and isn't thought to be a volume-heavy back -- he can still make a very big impact. And with a down wide receiver class, teams might be thinking about drafting Gibbs and giving him snaps out of the slot. Bottom line: I'd be surprised at this point if he doesn't go in Round 1.

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I get the Bijan hype. I'll just never be a guy that wants a RB early, RB by committee works well and limits you're exposure to injury of 1 guy that ruins your offense. And there are examples every year of guys drafted very late that are stars early on.

I used to hate RB by Committee too. I wanted my bellcow back. Maybe I was just stuck on having Emmitt Smith #2.

No matter how much McCarthy wants to run the ball we aren't going go run it more than we throw it. Dak needs the safety blanket

I'm against it in the 1st. I'm resistant to it in the 2nd but I'd be happy with Gibbs there. Pollard/Gibbs or Pollard/Achane would be awesome.. but there are RBs late that should be able to take effective reps next year

Just praying Bijan isn't there in the first. Lol

I've been desperate for a dude at DT for YEARS..

What are y'all's thoughts on Kancey. He's small and there's a huge risk in comparing him to Donald. And we have Osa that plays the same role.

Is he the kid from Pitt?

Yeah.. 6' 280lbs. Fast, strong, etc.

Love him. Super explosive and in a game wrecker mold. That being said, i don't know if he makes it to us.

Woods Ag said:

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I get the Bijan hype. I'll just never be a guy that wants a RB early, RB by committee works well and limits you're exposure to injury of 1 guy that ruins your offense. And there are examples every year of guys drafted very late that are stars early on.

I used to hate RB by Committee too. I wanted my bellcow back. Maybe I was just stuck on having Emmitt Smith #2.

No matter how much McCarthy wants to run the ball we aren't going go run it more than we throw it. Dak needs the safety blanket

I'm against it in the 1st. I'm resistant to it in the 2nd but I'd be happy with Gibbs there. Pollard/Gibbs or Pollard/Achane would be awesome.. but there are RBs late that should be able to take effective reps next year

Just praying Bijan isn't there in the first. Lol

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I want to challenge this narrative, a bit.

The data does show that decent RBs can be had later in the draft, but it still holds true that, for the most part, the best RBs in the NFL are guys that were drafted early.

Now, I think we as Cowboys fans are jaded by the Zeke pick. I think we all agree that while Zeke was great, we should not have taken him that high, but the bigger mistake was giving him the 2nd contract. If the Cowboys had stuck to their guns and used him for 4 or 5 years, he would have justified his draft position.

The real benefit some are forgetting to a first rounder is that the club gets that 5th year option.

To my comment about the best backs in the league:
J. Taylor - 2nd
N. Harris - 1st
D. Henry - 1st
D. Cook - 2nd
J. Mixon - 3rd (but most argue he had first round talent but fell due to off field issues)
Kamara - 3rd
Chubb - 2nd
McCaffrey - 1st

I still think RB holds value in the first, especially in the later half if you think he's a stud. That's why I've always felt Bijan would be great value at 26 because you get that extra year versus some guy that you draft later that is probably not as good.

So, I think the comment about just get a guy later is pretty risky because while there is a better hit rate there than other positions, it's still a high risk play to just wait and think you're going to get a good player.

Those start RBs are all holding out after 3 years for a new contract. You'll be lucky to get the 4th year, but the 5th year ain't happening.

Maybe the 2nd round is the sweet spot if you have a guy that you think is special. Taylor, Chubb, Kamara, Cook, Dobbins, and I still think Swift are all special guys. Some more special than others, but all guys I liked in the 2nd round of recent drafts.

I only knew of Kamara bc of what he did to us after their "star" RB was out and all us Ags were stoked he wouldn't be available. Little ****er was a revelation and better than Hurd or whatever his name was.

We could praise the Cowboys for not taking a RB at 26 and we wouldn't be wrong. Then 5 picks later we are throwing up in our mouths when Philly takes that same RB we just passed on and we wouldn't be wrong about that either!

It 100% is a relevant position when the dude is a stud that is head and shoulders above the rest (which Gibbs and Bijan are)... waiting on RB may be the right move for Dallas, but at the same time, Philly getting one of those guys scares the $*** out of me.

They do hold out but the teams have 100% leverage. Why teams continue to give up that leverage baffles me.

And let me say, if you find a stud in the 5th, he might hold out on you too.

100% he will. He's probably groaning after year 2. I was just countering that 5th year option isn't coming into play for a RB.

There's no difference in the 26 or the 33 pick. If you love Bijan there then you take him. I just want a plug and play OL or the next Jason Witten over that position for the Cowboys.

Just for arguments sake, the Giants got Saquon on the 5th year option and now they have given him the franchise tag (which he hasn't signed).

He plays for the G-men or he doesn't play at all. Since the Zeke debacle, RBs haven't had any leverage. And they would be fools not to take that tag considering what free agent RBs made this year (not much!).

Incorrect on Derrick Henry. He was the 45th pick in the 2nd round in 2016.

This was the same draft where we took Zeke #4 overall. The Cowboys could instead have picked Ramsey in the 1st and Henry 2nd. What could have been.

But it's not just a siloed event. That battle wages thru the rest of the locker room especially if he holds out and you get off to a slow start.

That's the other issue with a star RB.. as soon as they do good they want a new contract and when you give it to them you're really ****ed.

2-3 RBs that are serviceable and a built OL is still the better option. Are we sure Zeke was that great or was the OLine all world and he knew how to hit the right hole?

Vinny said:

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Incorrect on Derrick Henry. He was the 45th pick in the 2nd round in 2016.

This was the same draft where we took Zeke #4 overall. The Cowboys could instead have picked Ramsey in the 1st and Henry 2nd. What could have been.

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Ok, that correct.

Still think the point holds that the best RBs in the league are guys that are taken in the top 2 round or so.

The cowboys would have used him more early and he probably would be toast by now.

It was laughable the way the titans used him in a backup role the first few years. At Alabama it was obvious that he got better with evey carry. By the second half of games he was the best player on the field and no defense wanted any more to do with him.

The titans ran him 5-10 times a game for like 3-4 years if I remember correctly. Then (was it Fred Taylor?) got hurt and Henry got all the carries and ran for like 300 yards that first game and everyone was like "well, what is this?" Like it was some kind of surprise.

Woods Ag said:

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But it's not just a siloed event. That battle wages thru the rest of the locker room especially if he holds out and you get off to a slow start.

That's the other issue with a star RB.. as soon as they do good they want a new contract and when you give it to them you're really ****ed.

2-3 RBs that are serviceable and a built OL is still the better option. Are we sure Zeke was that great or was the OLine all world and he knew how to hit the right hole?

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Prime Zeke was really good, man.

Zeke was a 1 year wonder. 2 at best

Talent wise he was, between the ears he is and always has been a train wreck.

Woods Ag said:

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Zeke was a 1 year wonder. 2 at best

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Agree to disagree.