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NFC East draft grades Dallas Cowboys gamble on raw talent
NFC East draft grades Dallas Cowboys gamble on raw talent
Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks is performing a division-by-division a se sment of the 2015 , spotlighting notable picks and handing out grades for each team. Below is his review of the NFC East. (NOTE: Click on the tabs to see other divisional breakdowns.)Notable selectionsBEST PICK: , Round 1, No. 20 overallChip Kelly's system is designed to quickly get the ball into the hands of electric weapons capable of creating big plays on the perimeter. It's easy to see Agholor as a WR1 in the ' scheme, based on his precise route running, strong hands and dynamic running skills. The 6-foot, 198-pound pa s catcher shined at USC as a multi-purpose threat. He should kill it in an ' offense that routinely creates one-on-one opportunities in the open field.MOST SURPRISING PICK: , Round 2, No. 33 overallSurprising, to me, because
Enes Kanter Jersey he was still available at the outset of Day 2. Credit general manager Jerry Reese for shooting up the board to land the top safety in the draft. Collins is the most complete deep-middle player in this cla s; he exhibits the instincts, awarene s, ball skills and physicality to float between the hashes or come up and play in the box. Thus, the landed a young safety with the versatility to fill the void created by 's departure.BIGGEST SLEEPER: , Round 2, No. 60 overallOK, it's kind of weird to call Gregory a "sleeper," considering many saw him as a first-round talent through much of the pre-draft proce s. Still, I do think the label applies to the 60th overall pick of this draft. The red flags surrounding Gregory's off-field behavior led to an extended slide down the charts, but the 6-5, 235-pound pa s rusher might've landed in the best place po sible for his on-field development. Despite his freakish athleticism and movement skills, Gregory never quite reached his full potential as a dominant edge rusher at Nebraska due to an inconsistent motor. In Dallas, he will play under a demanding defensive coordinator (Rod Marinelli) with a reputation for helping young defenders find their "A" game under his watch. If Gregory heeds the me sage and avoids temptation off the field, he could develop into one of the NFL's premier edge rushers.Team gradesNOTE: Draft hauls are ranked from best to worst within the division. Although many a sume Stephen
Al-Farouq Aminu Jersey Jones has replaced Jerry Jones as the primary football decision maker in Dallas, the are still prone to gamble on intriguing talents. The "high risk, high reward" approach helped the land three prospects who carried first-round grades on draft boards around the league. The
Moses Brown Jersey team took a flier on the ultra-athletic , who , as a potential CB1. While he is an unfinished product on the island, Jones could slide inside and blo som as a free safety. is arguably the most natural pa s rusher in the 2015 cla s, but character concerns scared teams off in Round 1. If he plays to his potential and avoids trouble off the field, he could give the a premier rusher to build around. And this week, in , who went undrafted after he became involved in the murder investigation of a former girlfriend. (That investigation is ongoing and Collins has not been named as a suspect.) The ex-LSU standout adds another dimension to a young, gritty offensive line that overpowers opponents at the point of attack. GRADE: A The aren't flashy on draft day, but the team has put together strong cla ses in back-to-back years. General manager Jerry Reese added three players with the potential to start from Day 1 while addre sing critical needs in multiple areas. is a rough and rugged edge blocker adept at moving bodies off the ball. He not only upgrades the physicality at the point of attack, but allows the to reshuffle the offensive line (kicking to guard). and could crack the lineup as rookie
Rodney Hood Jersey starters based on their athleticism and skills. Collins, in particular, gives the an athletic safety with the potential to blitz, cover and roam around the box or deep middle. Lastly, is capable of earning a roster spot solely based on his athleticism and special teams potential. All in all, the significantly upgraded their roster over the weekend. GRADE: A- Chip Kelly has all of the power in Philadelphia, and he is using it to build a championship-caliber squad full of guys who fit the system and culture of his locker room. is a no-nonsense receiver with all of the tools to blo som into an electric WR1. From his precise route-running ability to his explosive running skills, the ex-USC star should shine in an system that creates plenty of home-run chances on the perimeter. , and were brought in to shore up the ' porous pa s defense. Rowe should immediately contend for a starting job opposite and give Philly a long, rangy bump-and-run corner to challenge the slick receivers in the NFC East. Shepherd and Evans could earn jobs as sub-package defenders while adding speed and playmaking to special
Harry Giles III Jersey teams units. Pay close to attention to as a utility player with big-time potential. GRADE: B The ' new general manager, Scot McCloughan, wanted to put his stamp on the roster by adding a number of hard-nosed football players with prototypical physical dimensions. He definitely shook up the draft on Day 1 when he elected to take with the fifth overall pick instead of grabbing a blue-chip interior defender or edge rusher. Although the ex-Iowa standout shores up a huge hole at right tackle, the ' leaky defense needs a dominant front-line player to enhance Joe Barry's scheme. might fill that role as a big-bodied defensive end/outside linebacker with solid run-stopping and pa s-rush skills. His skills should complement 's blue-collar game on the back side. and could carve out key roles as spot players early. Crowder, in particular, is a dynamic return man who boasts home-run potential with the ball in his hands. GRADE: BFollow Bucky Brooks on Twitter .