Senior Bowl: Options Emerging at Pick 51
by Rafael Vela on Jan 20, 2009 6:35 PM CST
The Cowboys will have to wait a while before making a pick in April's draft, barring a trade up. Their first pick at present is the 51st overall.
The glut of talented junior entrees means that several seniors originally rated at the bottom of round one and the top of round two are now viewed as mid-2nd rounders, which puts them within Dallas' reach. Maximizing options is key, because at that spot, you can't fall in love with a single player. The odds are too high that he'll be snatched up right in front of you. (Think back to '07, when Dallas liked USC WR Steve Smith as a 2nd round option. The Cowboys picked 53rd and saw the Giants select Smith with the 51st pick. The Cowboys considered CB Eric Wright, but eventually traded out of the round.)
I'm watching three players in particular -- Western Michigan FS Louis Delmas, Oklahoma OT Phil Loadholt and Missouri DT Evander Hood.
I have yet to see a review of Delmas but Hood got good ink from both Scott Wright and the National Football Post's Wes Bunting. Hood isn't a blob in the Jamal Williams mold. He's a 298 lb. high-motor guy who could be a good NT partner for Jay Ratliff in Dallas' one-gap 3-4. Wright was also complementary of Loadholt, who will probably play RT in the pros.
I'd love to add Cal's C/G Alex Mack to the short list, but he's a good bet to be one of the first interior offensive linemen off the board, somewhere in the 30-40 range.
The bad news is that too many more great practices could lift some of these guys a bit higher in the overall pecking order. Still, the more options, the better.
The Cowboys will have to wait a while before making a pick in April's draft, barring a trade up. Their first pick at present is the 51st overall.
The glut of talented junior entrees means that several seniors originally rated at the bottom of round one and the top of round two are now viewed as mid-2nd rounders, which puts them within Dallas' reach. Maximizing options is key, because at that spot, you can't fall in love with a single player. The odds are too high that he'll be snatched up right in front of you. (Think back to '07, when Dallas liked USC WR Steve Smith as a 2nd round option. The Cowboys picked 53rd and saw the Giants select Smith with the 51st pick. The Cowboys considered CB Eric Wright, but eventually traded out of the round.)
I'm watching three players in particular -- Western Michigan FS Louis Delmas, Oklahoma OT Phil Loadholt and Missouri DT Evander Hood.
I have yet to see a review of Delmas but Hood got good ink from both Scott Wright and the National Football Post's Wes Bunting. Hood isn't a blob in the Jamal Williams mold. He's a 298 lb. high-motor guy who could be a good NT partner for Jay Ratliff in Dallas' one-gap 3-4. Wright was also complementary of Loadholt, who will probably play RT in the pros.
I'd love to add Cal's C/G Alex Mack to the short list, but he's a good bet to be one of the first interior offensive linemen off the board, somewhere in the 30-40 range.
The bad news is that too many more great practices could lift some of these guys a bit higher in the overall pecking order. Still, the more options, the better.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:53 PM
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