Interview with Head Scout, Jeff Ireland

Transcript of Interview with Head Scout, Jeff Ireland, on the draft.
(Thanks to someone at Cowboyszone.com for typing this out)


Can you take a deep breath now?
There's still a little to do, but we can take a little breath.

Just got through talking to Tom and he said I've got a 2008 mock draft for you.

I saw Tom at 5:00 PM on Sunday and he was just getting to work on UDFA.
It's a mad scramble at that time, because you've got 32 teams going at all those kids.

When scouts are out there, do they develop a relationship with those guys incase they're UDFA? To recruit?
Scouts call them during the draft. We give the scouts a list of guys we may go after. We call them throughout the day. Then if we need to close a deal we get Jerry to call them.

What did you think of the draft?
It was a great day. We had targeted a couple players at 22. And a couple players to go up for if they were still available. At pick 11 things started really happening. When Miami didn't take Quinn, we had mocked that situation several times in doing our due diligence. So we were aware of what would probably happen if he fell. And we talked about whether we would consider him. We considered taking him. During the conversation with Phil Savage it became very apparent they were really wanting him. I twas apparent we could leverage them and get what we wanted if we asked for it. We started asking for it and we got it. It's hard to pass up a QB when you have him that high on your board. But we do feel really good about Tony Romo. He went to a Pro Bowl. He's a guy that can take us to the next level. We feel really close. When next year's #1 came to us we felt that really protected us in that if we needed a QB next year or a CB or an OL or a WR, we'll have enough ammunition to get the best player in the draft.

It was a perfect situation for you guys, because you're right ahead of KC who was probably interested in Quinn. Cleveland knew they had to get ahead of KC?
Well, we knew we were in a perfect situation just ahead of KC. From good inside contact, KC was going to take him. That was known. You always worry about managing the QB position, not only your 1st, but your 2nd and 3rd. We want Tony to know that we have a lot of confidence in him. And we have some areas around the team we could better fill. I think it was a really good day for us.

A lot of people probably don't understand the amount of prep you guys put in.
Yeah, a lot of people will say, "You guys probably didn't study Quinn very much because he was a top 5 pick." Are you kidding? The only player you didn't have to study hard was Calvin Johnson. Other than that you have to study every player. I remember when I was at Kansas City as a young scout and Randy Moss was coming out. Everybody thought -- we were picking 23 or 24 -- we didn't interview him or go see him. We just assumed he wouldn't go past 5. When dropped to 22, there was some arguing going on in the draft room. Things were getting very tight about why we didn't interview him and really look at him. I learned from that process. You always have to think that anything is possible. We looked at Quinn and have a very good evaluation of the player. Just as soon as we got that 1st, though, we began working on getting back into the 1st. We actually almost got Kansas City's 1st at #23. We weren't willing to give up too much to get back in there but we almost had it. Spencer was a guy that we coveted. He's an excellent pressure player. He's a good kid. High motor guy. When you watch him, he's all over the place. And for a defensive end -- Wade said this -- to have 26 TFL and 93 tackles those are linebacker numbers. He makes plays all over the field. He'll chase a guy down 30-40 yards downfield and make an explosive tackle. That's what you want from a linebacker. This kids going to provide some pressure. A lot of people talk about drafting Carpenter and Ware. But it's a core position on a 3-4. You can't find those guys very easily. When we look at the OLB in the draft, we only had 6 or 7 guys even on the board in this draft. But we think Spencer can be that guy.

Well, you've gotta be big enough to stop the run and athletic enough to rush and cover?
Well the main thing is that he can rush the QB. We've got other players we can bring in and cover. But that's true he's an athletic kid that can cover. We're not asking him to cover a slot receiver. He'll cover backs in the flat or TEs. Some of the same things you saw Ware do last year, we'll ask him to do. But he's a pressure player. Can't have enough of those guys.

Is it easier for a rookie -- just say there's the QB and go get him?
It's a little more difficult than that but you can really just say, "Pin your ears back and go get him."

When you're with Wade rather than Phillips is there any difference between the type of player that the coaches are looking for in that position?
They're two different personalities for sure. That's obvious. Bill and I got along well. He was looking for a certain type of player. Their defenses are completely different also. So you're looking for a different type of player. Bill defined and gave a blueprint for you, but Wade has a different style and the way he plays his defense, but he definitely has a blueprint. That makes it easier for a scout. It gets you on the same page. When you have a guy like Wade that has been in the league for so long and has had so much success, with so many different types of players, he's a pretty easy guy to work with. I've had a lot of fun getting to know Wade and getting to know the staff, and getting to know what they're looking for. The biggest difference is personality. Both of them have blue prints and both of them know what they're looking for and both are looking for good football players.

E-mail: BP once said that he wanted to give you his eyes. Were you using his eyes or was this in the direction of what Jerry wanted?
I definitely look through Bill's eyes. When I got the position we spent a lot of time together. He took on a mentor position. He knew he wasn't going to be around forever, and he wanted to teach me what he knew. What he meant was he wanted me to know what he knew. You have to cut out your margin of error. You have to know where your margin for error is. Are you seeing the things that makes players successful? Jerry has a vision for it and Bill had a vision for it. But I don't have any problem telling Jerry, "This guy doesn't fit us." Jerry wants to hear that. He wants to be informed. I'm using his eyes, but I'm also trying to find players that fit us.

E-mail: Now that the draft is over, guys are getting cut like Keyshawn Johnson, who is the best NT available?
You got me on that one. I don't know who is the best in pro free agency right now. I don't think the fans need to be worried about nose tackle because we're not playing the same defense we played last year. Our NT position with Fergie last year was a 2-gap defense where he had to take on the guard and center and he wasn't really allowed to penetrate the offense. He had to sit there and take on those two guys and make sure they didn't get to the linebackers so they can make plays. IN that defense you have to have a big strong stout leverage player. We're also looking for that position, but in this position we play 1 and 2 gap. We're looking for a guy that can penetrate. You don't have to have a 6'4" 320 pound guy in there because he's not doing the same thing every down. He needs some quickness. We feel like we've got some players that can fill in that role now as a back up. Ratliff and Stephen Bowen can fill in. We just signed a guy from Nebraska Nolan Dagaduro (sp?) and let me tell you, he's a guy that you need to keep your eyes out for. And Mont Stanley is here. Sometimes it takes a full year for those guys to get going. I don't think fans need to worry about that position.

Don't need to sign Walter Thomas?
We looked at him. Spent some time watching him. Not the kind of guy we're looking for.

Ray in Forth Worth: I was scare when we traded out of the first. Didn't think Spencer would last. Can you tell me about Courtney Brown. Why did he last to the 7th?
We didn't think Spencer would last to 36, so that's why we went back up to get him. With Brown, the draft is a funny thing. When you see a guy like him -- 6'1" 200 pounds, 4.36, high test scorer. He's a "height/weight/speed" guy, but he also had a lot of production in college -- had 7 INTs as a junior playing corner and safety. It's a funny business. Sometimes scouts see certain things. He certainly has all the tangible things you want from a guy that could come in right away and make a spot for him on the roster.

I kept looking at him and looking for the hole. He's big, fast, and sharp. It's not like Cal-Poly was the only place he had to go. He was going to Cal until the pulled the scholarship for some reason. He was pretty productive.
You want a small-school guy to really dominate and be physical. Brown showed those things in flashes sometimes. You saw enough to merit drafting him. We were surprised he was there for us to draft him in the 7th. The draft is a funny thing.

Let's talk about Stanback. I was driving in on Sunday, and I heard Stanback was the pick. I thought it was a little high until I watched the tape of this guy. He just jumps off the screen at you. I told Mickey you gotta see this guy. What do you think?
There's no doubt about it. He's a phenomenal athlete. Our area scout -- I didn't go to Washington this year, but I'd seen this guy player 3 or 4 times over the years, with the trips to Seattle we've had. My area scout came in and say he'd broke his foot so we put him on the back burner, but the area scout put together a tape and said you gotta see this. When I watched that I got chills up and down my arm. I remembered this guy playing WR when Cody Pickett was the QB. So we got that tape together with the other stuff and man. The scouts laugh at me because I'll stop the tape in mid-stride and say that this is my vision for the guy. He's certainly a very intriguing prospect. He was one of my favorite players on the board. He's a great kid. We've had him in here. He really impresses you as a young men. If football doesn't work out for this kid -- and I'm sure it will -- he would be a successful man on and off the field. Tremendous kid and athlete. There's no doubt in my mind that he's going to make the transition to receiver. We may have to use him as a QB at some point. As a returner as well. He's big and fast. He hasn't run yet, but there's no doubt he can fly.

The fact that he's been a QB at a big school in a big market is a good thing. The guy that he reminds me of is a guy that went to Florida State as a QB, Anquan Boldin. Look like that to you?
He's certainly faster than Anquan but he's got those type of moves, and he jumped out on tape like Boldin with his competitiveness. If you can put him in that category with Boldin, then you're really saying something about Stanback. When you're making a projecting you want to see something that makes you think he can do it. He can catch and do all those things. It's going to be a pretty easy transition for him.

He's not able to run yet?
He says he's been running. Not at full throttle. He's been running easy routes. We just need him for training camp. We don't need him for mini-camps. The doctors are saying let's take it slow. He's about 85-90 percent. He's got another week or so before that mini-camp, so he could be at full speed by then. The doctors are saying he'll be ready in time, so I believe them.

Running track at his size. He's 6'2" that's amazing. He doesn't run like a tall guy. You can just see him returning kicks.

Caller: Which of the players signed and drafted, do you think have the best chance to make the team?
We wouldn't draft them if we didn't think they'd make good football players. WE think Spencer will make an impact right away. When you're drafting players, you put them in different categories. Who will make an immediate impact and who will develop? That's the way you look at it. We look at this draft like Spencer will make an immediate impact and Free and Marten will be developmental type guys. We'll look to them in the future as starters. Stanback can make an immediate impact. Folk can as well either in year 1 as a KO specialist. He can help us along with Martin. Deon Anderson is a tough individual. He can run, he's big, with good hands. One of the things we saw was his S/T play. He can go to the game and make plays. He's got a chance to be a starter. The two corners -- we've got Jones and Reeves -- you never know where they'll go in free agency.

Deon Anderson, after he missed his junior year, he paid his own way -- slept in the football gym because he had no money. Stored his clothes in a friends car. He really wanted to play football.
We look at whether a guy is hungry. He's hungry -- literally and metaphorically. He's going to do everything he can to make this roster. It's small detail, but it's something that impresses you.

There are so many players with equal athletic ability. That's the stuff that can propel someone -- that hunger.
No doubt about it. As scouts we've become private investigators. It's about relationships you have with people all over the nation. You have to have people you trust to get the information you want. There are a lot of variables. We want good football players, but we also want good character guys. We want guys that have the makeup. I'd say for the most part we drafted makeup type players.

Deon Anderson -- rushed for 78 yards and caught 15 yards -- yet he was voted MVP on the team.
This is going to be an interesting position to watch. Hoyte will knock the dog crap out of someone. Lousaka does things too. He can catch and you can't hurt him with an ax. Deon's the same way. It'll be interesting.

Receiving ability?
Real good hands. You don't draft a guy that doesn't have the things you need.

Caller: Very please with what happened in the draft. People are concerned with safety, but pressure is the key. (Ireland: that's true) We have Matt Moore. If he's on the practice squad won't another team sign him?Well, this is a different staff here, so you don't know whether we'll keep 2 or 3 QBs on the roster. If Matt's on the PS someone else can claim him, but we're going to bring him in and he'll compete with Baker and Berlin. We've got some decisions to make.

Stanback, saw a Youtube, he threw the ball 70 yards in the air. I hope Garrett's imaginative enough to use him like Randle-El.
We think we will too. With Stanback, get your popcorn. [laughter]

One of the guys that intrigues me is Rodney Hannah.
He was a late bloomer for us. Didn't start a lot of games. We have a young lady named Nancy Prowls that works for us. Her dad Art talked to me and told me about him. John Garrett told me about him too. He's got ability. He's got size (6'8", 245) and we're going to try to make that transition. He's got upside.

Ronny in New York: Great draft. Curious to know about Bill's philosophy. With the 1-gap vs. 2-gap. I was concerned with the young players adjusting. Can you give me a brief summary of how the 1-gap works?
First of all the 1-gap is more of a penetrating defense. You're trying to get upfield and cause havoc. The 2-gap is more reactionary. If it's a single block you've gotta control the lineman enough to get your head on both sides. That's a 2-gap. You're leveraging and you have to control him to get your head in either gap. In a 1-gap you don't know which way that defender is going to go. We'll slant to a gap either left or right. We're dictating the penetration. So the offense has to react to us. When you're blitzing, that creates some problems. We're going to penetrate. Create TFL and fumbles off the snap and obviously sacks. With regards to Hatcher, Spears, and Canty. They're excited. These guys fit Bill's defense, but it's harder to teach a 2-gap than a 1-gap defense. With the way Wade teaches, he may go 1-gap or 2-gap. These guys will know how to play both. Hatcher and Ratliff will certainly have play time. When defensive line is a strength of your team you're going to wear people down.

Easier to make the transition from 2-gap to 1-gap?
It is. It's very difficult to transition to a 2-gap defense. You have to read the block and then all of a sudden the guard will drop down on you. It's difficult to play. Those guys did a tremendous job last year, because it's hard.

Ware had to play a lot last year. With Spencer you can bring him in on the nickel.
No doubt about it. We've got a lot of weapons on defense. Let's not forget about Bobby Carpenter. We drafted Carpenter with the 18th pick. He was really coming on as a player. I've got tremendous respect for him as a player. You're going to see him line up at a lot of spots. You're going to see Ware line up at a lot of spots. The whole philosophy is that the offense isn't going to know where the pressure is coming form. We're going to get a lot of TFL and sacks.

That's sorta like Pittsburgh had when they went to the Super Bowl. You never knew where those guys were coming from. It was like a bunch of flies or pests. You never knew where they were coming from.
When I started studying -- started helping Jerry study coaching candidates I looked at the Ravens defense and Wade's defense. I tell you this Wade Phillips -- he brings them from everywhere. It's going to be fun to watch.

E-mail: Can you give a report on the corners we brought in?
Courtney Brown, he's big, fast, and very explosive. He's played corner and safety. He's gotta learn some technique -- how to get out of his pedal a little better. Work with his reads and zone awareness. When you're drafting in the 7th, you're looking for upside. He's really got a chance to make a mark on the back-end of the roster. With the Ball kid, he's 6'1" about 182 pounds. Runs well, very instinctive. He's a little more polished as a CB right now than Brown. You really hope both of those guys can compete at one of those back-end corner positions. I promise you this, Reeves and Jones aren't going to give it up easily. We really fine-tuned this draft. It's going to be hard to make this roster. When you can create competition at certain positions, that's when you can create some good stuff. when it's night and day between your starter and back up then you've got a problem.

Ball weighed 168 at a bowl game. That was red flag, but we looked and he had a stomach flu so you can throw that out. He's a skinny guy so he has some work to do.