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re-post from DCC
NFL Scouts' Comments on Cowboys Draft Picks
Bob McGinn of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is widely considered to have the best connection to NFL scouts across the the league and his information is widely repeated by other (larger) NFL beat writers. I have a family member with access to his reports and I've collected what McGinn gathered from NFL scouts on the guys who eventually became Cowboys this year. I thought it would be interesting to see what scouts were saying about the picks.
Note: McGinn only collected (or at least published) the top 10-15 prospects per positon/category so not all of the Cowboys draft picks are here.
Morris Claiborne
Third-year junior. "Pure cover corner with great ball skills," Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman said. "They're so hard to find." Went to LSU as a WR but moved to CB in 2009, serving as a deep reserve, before teaming with Patrick Peterson in 2010 and then Tyrann Mathieu in '11. "The only thing that would stop him from being great is that he doesn't have a special catch-up gear," one scout said. "In terms of smoothness, athleticism, ball skills, hands, anticipation - he's really good." Started 26 of 33 games, finishing with 11 interceptions and 12 PBUs (passes broken up). Scored just four on the 12-minute, 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test but scouts say he has a reading disability and learns well in other settings. "He can pick it up," another scout said. "Great kid. Can't read very well. He doesn't take timed tests." Peterson, who had a superb rookie season for Arizona, scored nine the year before. Hails from Shreveport, La. "When I think of guys like Deion Sanders and Charles Woodson and Chris McAlister and Champ Bailey, those guys were a league above this guy," a third scout said. "He's not Patrick Peterson, either. He ends up on the ground some, and I've always been afraid of corners that fell out in space for no reason. But he's a solid cornerback in the NFL."
Tyrone Crawford
Played as a prep in Windsor, Ontario. "You don't see many Canadian kids come ready to play collegiately," one scout said. "This guy probably has more 'get-better' in him. Long, kind of thinnish guy. He's a 4-3 D-end who has enough natural strength to hold the point, but he doesn't really overpower the tackle. He's a really smart football player and a good kid." Former junior-college player who started 11of 25 games in Boise, finishing with 76 tackles (27 for loss) and 13½ sacks. "He's a good, solid, 4-3 defensive end," another scout said. "He's got strength, motor, instinct, up side. He's not going to be a dynamic pass rusher, but he will play."
Kyle Wilbur
Overcame a traumatic home situation as a youth. "We had him in for a visit," one scout said. "He's the best kid I've interviewed in 15 years." Generally stood up in the Demon Deacons' unconventional defense that's a cross between a 4-3 and 3-4. "Boy, he's a good-looking athlete," another scout said. "He can run and really close. I thought he was more finesse than power. I wouldn't question his toughness but I kind of wanted him to let loose a little more in that regard. He will be very attractive to 3-4 teams." Finished with 195 tackles (35½ for loss), 13½ sacks and nine "big" plays in 43 games (36 starts). Out of Apopka, Fla. "He's a good project," a third scout said. "He's kind of reminiscent of (Jeremy) Thompson a few years ago. He never panned out, for whatever reason."
James Hanna
Possesses rare straight-line speed. "Pretty much an all-around guy," one scout said. "I was kind of hoping he'd last a little bit longer." Described by another scout as a "workout phenom." Native of Flower Mound, Texas. Caught 52 balls for 720 yards (13.9) and nine TDs. "He's a real good athlete but he's inconsistent blocking and catching," a third scout said. "He reminds people of the kid that came out of Florida (Hernandez) and the guy that came out of Iowa (Dallas Clark)." Led TEs on the Wonderlic with 36.
NFL Scouts' Comments on Cowboys Draft Picks
Bob McGinn of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is widely considered to have the best connection to NFL scouts across the the league and his information is widely repeated by other (larger) NFL beat writers. I have a family member with access to his reports and I've collected what McGinn gathered from NFL scouts on the guys who eventually became Cowboys this year. I thought it would be interesting to see what scouts were saying about the picks.
Note: McGinn only collected (or at least published) the top 10-15 prospects per positon/category so not all of the Cowboys draft picks are here.
Morris Claiborne
Third-year junior. "Pure cover corner with great ball skills," Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman said. "They're so hard to find." Went to LSU as a WR but moved to CB in 2009, serving as a deep reserve, before teaming with Patrick Peterson in 2010 and then Tyrann Mathieu in '11. "The only thing that would stop him from being great is that he doesn't have a special catch-up gear," one scout said. "In terms of smoothness, athleticism, ball skills, hands, anticipation - he's really good." Started 26 of 33 games, finishing with 11 interceptions and 12 PBUs (passes broken up). Scored just four on the 12-minute, 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test but scouts say he has a reading disability and learns well in other settings. "He can pick it up," another scout said. "Great kid. Can't read very well. He doesn't take timed tests." Peterson, who had a superb rookie season for Arizona, scored nine the year before. Hails from Shreveport, La. "When I think of guys like Deion Sanders and Charles Woodson and Chris McAlister and Champ Bailey, those guys were a league above this guy," a third scout said. "He's not Patrick Peterson, either. He ends up on the ground some, and I've always been afraid of corners that fell out in space for no reason. But he's a solid cornerback in the NFL."
Tyrone Crawford
Played as a prep in Windsor, Ontario. "You don't see many Canadian kids come ready to play collegiately," one scout said. "This guy probably has more 'get-better' in him. Long, kind of thinnish guy. He's a 4-3 D-end who has enough natural strength to hold the point, but he doesn't really overpower the tackle. He's a really smart football player and a good kid." Former junior-college player who started 11of 25 games in Boise, finishing with 76 tackles (27 for loss) and 13½ sacks. "He's a good, solid, 4-3 defensive end," another scout said. "He's got strength, motor, instinct, up side. He's not going to be a dynamic pass rusher, but he will play."
Kyle Wilbur
Overcame a traumatic home situation as a youth. "We had him in for a visit," one scout said. "He's the best kid I've interviewed in 15 years." Generally stood up in the Demon Deacons' unconventional defense that's a cross between a 4-3 and 3-4. "Boy, he's a good-looking athlete," another scout said. "He can run and really close. I thought he was more finesse than power. I wouldn't question his toughness but I kind of wanted him to let loose a little more in that regard. He will be very attractive to 3-4 teams." Finished with 195 tackles (35½ for loss), 13½ sacks and nine "big" plays in 43 games (36 starts). Out of Apopka, Fla. "He's a good project," a third scout said. "He's kind of reminiscent of (Jeremy) Thompson a few years ago. He never panned out, for whatever reason."
James Hanna
Possesses rare straight-line speed. "Pretty much an all-around guy," one scout said. "I was kind of hoping he'd last a little bit longer." Described by another scout as a "workout phenom." Native of Flower Mound, Texas. Caught 52 balls for 720 yards (13.9) and nine TDs. "He's a real good athlete but he's inconsistent blocking and catching," a third scout said. "He reminds people of the kid that came out of Florida (Hernandez) and the guy that came out of Iowa (Dallas Clark)." Led TEs on the Wonderlic with 36.
