Cowboys draft board revealed, and what it says about our draft.

The Cowboys offered a peek into their war room for their fans, even releasing pictures which inadvertently (?) led to the revelation of much of their actual draft board. So what does this mean to us?

Well, despite the media hoopla around "the fall" of Jimmy Clausen, the Cowboys had him pegged at a mid-second round level. Now, maybe that reflects their situation and needs at the QB position more than it reflects on Clausen as a player. But what I find staggering is that they actually had him at 48, which was his eventual draft position.

Brandon LaFell, our third round selection, was listed with a third round grade on their board, despite the fact that most draft-niks felt he had second round talent.

That's not to say that the Cowboys were masters of the draft: they have Navorro Bowman (3rd round, 91 overall) with a first round grade.

But maybe our two selections, as well as those guys have performed in minicamp, weren't the amazing value we initially thought?

about 2 years ago r3 29 comments 0 recs |

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I don't see how two teams can be compared to determine our picks value..

I would expect two completely different teams with different needs to have varying prospect grades.

A pure thoroughbred trainer isn’t going to buy a quarter horse unless it’s such a deal that it’s down-right stupid to not. They may have had those players listed at ‘that’ point due to lack of need but overwhelming value.

Or, for the alternative mind, our picks suck. It just depends on which side of the fence you’d like to sit on until the season starts. haha

Overall Panthers Draft Grade: A

by D-Ranged1 on May 12, 2010 12:15 PM EDT reply actions

A pure thoroughbred trainer isn’t going to buy a quarter horse unless it’s such a deal that it’s down-right stupid to not. They may have had those players listed at ‘that’ point due to lack of need but overwhelming value.

(With wide eyed wonder) Mister, are you Jake Delhomme?

If God came down on Christmas Day
I know exactly what He'd say
He'd say "Oi!" to the punks
and "Oi!" to the skins
but "Oi!" to the world and everybody wins.

-The Vandals

by Oi2dwrld on May 13, 2010 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions

haha!

No sir, Jake’s not the only horse trainer around. lol

Overall Panthers Draft Grade: A

by D-Ranged1 on May 13, 2010 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions

If all 32 teams boards were pictured,

other than the first 6-7 players, there would be a wide variation in player rankings. Alot depends on system, need, personnel, etc.

Just google “nfl prospect rankings” and look at the wildly divergent opinions of the “experts”.

IMO, we got great value for all the selections, except for the ___________ pick. Didn’t agree with all of them, but I feel we did get great value, especially Norwood and Hardy, if Hardy can get past his injuries and return to 2008 form.

Knee jerk reaction - adj. 1. an immediate unthinking emotional reaction produced by an event or statement to which the reacting person is highly sensitive. 2. a facilitator of long threads on Cat Scratch Reader and similar blogs.

by Sniff on May 12, 2010 5:24 PM EDT reply actions

Except for the FillInTheBlank pick?

Who’s that? Armanti? The collection of 14 DBs we grabbed in the final two rounds? Our missing first round pick that went for Everette Brown last year?

by r3 on May 12, 2010 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes it was the Armanti pick

He’s got talent, but wasn’t worth giving up a future 2nd rounder for. IMO.

by Sniff on May 13, 2010 7:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Shoot if the Cowboys are saying Clausen's a mid second rounder then I'm thrilled... because they have no clue how to evaluate quarterbacks.

- Quincy Carter (2nd round, 2001)
- Drew Henson (6th round, 2006)
- Isiah Stanback (4th round, 2007)
- Stephen McGee (4th round, 2009)

Sure, they made a blind hit on Tony Romo… but let’s not forget that they lost Matt Moore in 2007 as buried Tony Romo behind Drew Henson on the depth chart for two seasons.

Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at www.realbitsofpanthers.com

by James Dator on May 12, 2010 7:23 PM EDT reply actions

Excluding Carter

all those guys are late rounders. Stanback plays receiver, and Henson was starting over Tom Brady at Michigan. Plus McGee could still be a valuable player. Let’s hold off on condemning the Cowboys ability to evaluate QB’s, they found Romo and Moore first.

Good bye #43. Good luck in Chicago.

by Flowing Willow on May 13, 2010 2:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Found Romo and Moore?

Just because you magically hit on two UDFA’s does not a genius make.

Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at www.realbitsofpanthers.com

by James Dator on May 13, 2010 8:50 AM EDT up reply actions

It doesn't, if you "magically" hit on them.

What makes you think that it was a big coincidence? Do you think they said to themselves, “Haha, this guys initials make M&M, let’s sign him to a contract.”? No, they did their research, and thought they could become valuable players for one reason or another. They aren’t any worse at evaluating QB’s than we are.

Good bye #43. Good luck in Chicago.

by Flowing Willow on May 14, 2010 3:18 AM EDT up reply actions

If they showed any discretion in signing UDFA's I might agree with you... but they don't

Here’s a list of UDFA QBs the Cowboys have signed in the last 5 years:

- Jeff Mroz (Yale, 2006) never made team
- Nick Noce (Arkansas State, 2006) never made team
- Matt Moore (Oregon State, 2007) Carolina Panthers QB
- Rudy Carpenter (Arizona State, 2009) never made team
- Matt Nichols (Washington, 2010)

It isn’t exactly like they waited with baited breath until Matt Moore fell all the way through the draft. If they were as smart as you make them out to be they would have drafted him in the 7th round, but they didn’t.

To compare, here are the Panthers UDFA QBs from the last 5 years.

- Brett Basanez (Northwestern, 2006) two year backup for Carolina, now with Chicago
- Taylor Tharp (Boise State, 2008) never made team
- Hunter Cantwell (Louisville, 2009) competing for third string spot for Panthers

The Panthers have shown a lot more discretion than the Cowboys in their UDFA signings, and as such they have had 66.6% of their UDFA signings still competing for positions in the NFL. Whereas the Cowboys at best will have a 40% attach rate if Matt Nichols makes the team.

So, based on looking at their past I’d say it appears that the Panthers are vastly more successful at evaluating UDFA QBs who have success in the NFL compared to the Cowboys.

Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at www.realbitsofpanthers.com

by James Dator on May 14, 2010 8:25 AM EDT up reply actions

You don't ever magically hit on any player.

You always do research, even if you sign a dozen QB’s, you’ve seen something in each that you like. Carolina just happens to sign fewer guys, and do more research on those I assume. Doesn’t make either side better, although the Cowboys signed Moore and Romo, two guys who are starting QB’s. We signed Hunter Cantwell…….

Good bye #43. Good luck in Chicago.

by Flowing Willow on May 15, 2010 4:19 AM EDT up reply actions

They also let Moore go by trying to put him on the PS..

Must not have thought he had too much potential, it would seem. Also, considering Romo didn’t start until his 4th season, I’ll give Cantwell three more years before coming to a decision on him.

Overall Panthers Draft Grade: A

by D-Ranged1 on May 15, 2010 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Point I'm getting at

Is the Cowboys essentially threw darts at a board and were lucky that two of them stuck. I don’t magically think they have some innate ability to pick UDFA quarterbacks.

Romo is supposedly the reason the Cowboys can evaluate QBs, but the list above show that they don’t have some inside track. When 66.6% of Carolina’s UDFA’s over the last 5 years are still in the league and the Cowboys are sitting at 40% it shows that they just bring in whoever and occasionally get lucky.

Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at www.realbitsofpanthers.com

by James Dator on May 15, 2010 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions

You missed my whole point, you don't just bring in whomever.

You do research on EVERYONE you sign. Everyone has something you think would be valuable, but a majority don’t pan out. When it comes to UDFA, you can’t say the Cowboys suck at evaluating QB’s when we haven’t had an original QB since Cantwell.

And as far as their recent track record goes for drafting QB’s, tell me how we have done any better?

Good bye #43. Good luck in Chicago.

by Flowing Willow on May 16, 2010 2:37 AM EDT up reply actions

You're both right. UDFAQB's are as tough to predict ..

as the one’s that actually get drafted. What I think we’ve done better than any other team is stealing the rough diamonds after they’ve been signed. Jake had a few years to mature before we stole him from N’Orleans. And though the juries still out, Moore may be the biggest heist since Atlanta lost Favre.
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by Rick Bates on May 16, 2010 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions

You pick less, you win less

Cowboys have brought in 5 UDFA QBs in the last 5 years. Only one is currently on an NFL roster, ours.

Cowboys have drafted 4 QBs in the last 10 years. Only one is still on an NFL roster, and never taken a snap as a starter.

Panthers have brought in 3 UDFA QBs in the last 5 years. Two are currently on an NFL roster.

Panthers have drafted 4 QBs in the last 10 years (Weinke, Fasani, LeFors, Clausen) with the exception of Clausen all were 4th round or later selections and out of the former 3 only LeFors never started a game.

We got more production from the guys we did get than the Cowboys did from theirs, hence I think we’re better at evaluating QBs than they are.

Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at www.realbitsofpanthers.com

by James Dator on May 16, 2010 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions

You neglect to mention the Cowboys QB's draft status.

As mentioned above, Quincy Carter, second round. Drew Henson, sixth round. Isaiah Stanback doesn’t count, he plays WR. STephen McGee is still on the roster, and is regarded as the future backup to Romo once Kitna retires. Lets compare directly. They’ve drafted Quincy Carter, Drew Henson, and Stephen McGee to play QB. We’ve draft Chris Weinke, Stefan LeFors, Randy Fasani, and Jimmy Clausen to do the same. If Clausen turns out as good as I think he will, then we’ll have the advantage. However, the Cowboys haven’t had to spend an early pick on a QB due to circumstance. They went from Aikman, to where they had to draft Carter, then they signed Bledsoe and hit on Romo. As opposed to we who have been trying to find Jake’s replacement for the past few years when we finally stole Moore from Dallas. Which brings me to UDFA. As far as successes go, they have Romo and Moore. We have Cantwell and Basanez. It’s not even close. Because they bring in more guys, that narrows the gap a little, but there’s no way you can say the Cowboys suck at evaluating QB’s. And by far no way you can say they are significantly worse than us.

Good bye #43. Good luck in Chicago.

by Flowing Willow on May 17, 2010 4:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Good points there Flow..

But I can’t agree with “As far as successes go, they have Romo and Moore.”

I can’t give a team a “success” rating for letting a QB go. That’s more like a “fail” rating imo, and “success” for us picking him up.

Personally, I’m inclined to give Carolina the edge because they’re my team and the Cowboys can suck it. haha

Overall Panthers Draft Grade: A

by D-Ranged1 on May 17, 2010 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions

haha, no argument there on the last point

I dislike the Cowboys as much as the next guy. But they did find Moore first, they just didn’t have room for him. I think it was either him or Romo.

Good bye #43. Good luck in Chicago.

by Flowing Willow on May 18, 2010 3:08 AM EDT up reply actions

They only carried two QBs into that season Brad Johnson and Tony Romo

You’re right, it was between him and Romo, but Dallas could have easily kept both if they had 3 quarterbacks.

Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at www.realbitsofpanthers.com

by James Dator on May 18, 2010 7:25 AM EDT up reply actions

We don't know how the rest of their roster would have shaken out had they kept Moore.

I thought it was Drew Bledsoe though? In fact I’m sure of it, cause Romo got his first start against us, and we lost to Johnson and the Vikings earlier that season on the infamous “Gamble” on a punt return.

Good bye #43. Good luck in Chicago.

by Flowing Willow on May 19, 2010 3:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Bledsoe's final season with the Cowboys was in 2006

Romo’s first start was indeed against us in week 8 of 2006 on MNF

Brad Johnson was in Minnesota for 2005-06 then went to the Cowboys in 2007-08.

Matt Moore was a UDFA in 2007, which was after Bledsoe left and Johnson arrived to backup Romo.

Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at www.realbitsofpanthers.com

by James Dator on May 19, 2010 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions

Ah yes, I remember now.

But I still maintain that they had someone else they kept that last roster spot for instead of a third QB. Miles Austin perhaps, or Orlando Scandrick, two guys who are starting now.

Good bye #43. Good luck in Chicago.

by Flowing Willow on May 20, 2010 3:19 AM EDT up reply actions