The Landry Hat » Manti Te’o

Should The Cowboys Draft Manti Te’o If He Falls in the Draft?

Steven Mullenax — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 11:00:51 +0000

Here at The Landry Hat, we care about what our readers think. Our entire site is dedicated to you, the die-hard Dallas Cowboy fans. And there is no better way to gauge your opinions then through our poll questions. Please submit your choice below, leave your thoughts in the comments section below, and come back to check to see what the bulk of Cowboy fans feel is the right answer.

Feb 23, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te

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Things for Cowboys Fans to Pay Attention to during the Combine

Dietz — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 17:00:38 +0000

This weekend the NFL holds its version of the job interview process. The NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, is where Coaches and General Managers are able to view the best collegiate players entering the NFL Draft process. 300 players will go through various scouting techniques including 40 yard dash, 225 pound bench press, 3 cone drills, vertical jump, broad jump, shuttle drill, and position specific drills. The performance in these drills is just another piece of the puzzle that gives the team an idea of where to go when it is their turn to pick a player in April’s draft. This year’s Combine has many interesting story lines that are important to Cowboys fans and fans of the entire NFL altogether.

Feb 27, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Dont

Each fan enters the draft with their own perceptions of what their team needs and Cowboys fans are no different. You could probably poll 10 different Cowboys fans and get 10 different players that they want to get drafted for the Cowboys at 18. The needs for the Cowboys even before any of the current roster is cut to save cap room are offensive lineman, defensive tackle, safety and wide receiver. At each position there are various players that the Cowboys could look at with the 18th overall pick in the Draft. As far as evaluating talent, most people like to talk and discuss the first round, because it grabs the most attention, but the Combine is more about the other six rounds and separating the talent and finding gems in the later rounds. The Combine will be used for three reasons for the draft personnel. The performance of a player at the Combine will either affirm the assessment of players, both good and bad, it can completely nullify any preconceived notion about a player based on their previous assessment, or it will shock and awe the scouts and cause them to re-evaluate a player and re-focus on game tape and reasons to draft or not draft a player.

Entering the 2013 NFL Combine there are 5 major stories that every Cowboys fan and fan of the NFL should be watching. This post will discuss those stories and give an idea of what to look at when watching the coverage of the Combine this weekend, and reviewing the scores and performances of the players.

Dallas Cowboys: Risky Buisness

Jason Rodriguez — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:00:44 +0000

Every year there are multiple players that are highly sought after in the NFL Draft, and based on their qualities they can either rank high or low in the draft. Some high caliber athletes which may seem likely to have a good ranking sometimes end up falling in rank. Yet that what makes this even so suspenseful because of the unpredictability and uncertainty of a players fate. So with many variables that are always changing, managers around the league try to sort out different scenarios and predict which players will be available to suit their needs.

When players fall further down in the draft than expected, it can be for a number including, off the field issues, under performing, absence in the combine, or even just misevaluations. It’s no mystery that a majority of players will get snubbed in the draft, and it’s the teams that pounce on the opportunity to draft a player like this that luck out a majority of the time. The Cowboys have had opportunities like this in the past which they have capitalized on, and well other times they haven’t been so lucky.

Players like Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, and Dez Bryant who fell to some extent in the draft have been some of the best opportune picks from the Cowboys. Bruce Carter and Sean Lee were both potential first round picks but both had significant injuries that drop them to the second round. The Dallas Cowboys took a chance on them and their patience paid off. In addition, Dez Bryant was projected as a potential top 15 pick instead he dropped to the bottom of the first round where the Cowboys took a chance on a talented but highly troubled wide receiver. Dez Bryant finally broke out as a preliminary target for quarterback Tony Romo this season despite struggling during the offseason and the first half of the regular season.

This year there are chancy players that maybe on the Cowboys radar. One cant help but wonder if the Cowboys would be willing to take a shot at a player like Matt Barkley or Manti Te’o now that their stock has fallen. Heres a scenario that may not be too far fetched: Either Manti Te’o or Matt Barkley falling within range for the Cowboys to make a move on them in the second round, is it worth it? H

In Matt Barkley’s case he would be more of a value pick than a necessity because Tony Romo will be the starting quarterback for quite a while. Also, Matt Barkley would most likely be the third quarterback because of Kyle Orton’s presence on the roster. Furthermore, a guy like Barkley can possibly grow behind a veteran like Tony Romo as Aaron Rodgers once did behind Brett Favre in Green Bay.

As for Monte Te’o, I believe he can fit an immediate role along side Sean Lee and Bruce Carter in the new 4-3 defense
and possibly push this linebacker core over the top. But in the end maybe neither player will fall to the 2nd round and although the Cowboys can draft either of these guys in the 1st round, they have other holes on the roster to fix, specifically with the offensive line. The draft comes with risks and rewards, but the most important thing for the Cowboys is to be prepared for any situation. All in all, Te’o and Barkley can be good value picks for Dallas if they fall to the second round. The question is which players do you think the Cowboys should pick? And what are some situation they should prepare for?