Mick Shots: Feeling A Draft

I am Bill Jones and Mickey. I have spent this morning, as I have spent many mornings here in the month of April already, as we are up to April thirteenth, now two weeks and two days away from Draft day, I have then immersed inside mine. Let me get it here, let me get it here, my big green NFL draft scouting notebook. I am into this, Mickey. I'm ready to go. I got a big blue one, your big blue NFL draft scouting notebook. All right, it's thick. That's what I

should have a blue one. I should have a blue one. But going way back in Mickey, you and I have been of course you've been covering the Cowboys since the eighties, but we really started getting into this draft stuff. I want to say two thousand and five, when the Cowboys had two first round draft picks with DeMarcus Ware and Marcus Spears. And that's basically when I started my notebook. And one year I just happened to get a green notebook.

And then people would say once inside that big green notebook and so, and then I thought, you know what, I'm gonna get a green notebook every year. Maybe I can get a title sponsor, I can get the At that time, I got a big green egg on the back porch, and I thought, well, maybe the big green Egg will sponsor my notebook. Well here we are fifteen years later and no sponsor. But I still got my green notebook. So you didn't get another egg. Huh. I

do have the egg. I don't use it enough on the back porch, but since then I've got sunning laws who do use it for me. So but yeah, it's two weeks and two days away and I feel like I got a lot more studying to do. But I feel a lot better about my knowledge of some of the prospects than I did a couple of weeks ago. This is a great month as far as I'm concerned, just getting ready for this thing and learning these players. Yeah. Absolutely, And you know, as for out here, it's been pretty

quiet over the last week. The one thing that should occur this week, I think if all goes well, at some point, Kean O'Neill will actually assign. You know, he's still agree to terms. Uh he doesn't hasn't signed his contract. He evidently had a medical deal going on with his ear and the doctors didn't want him to fly. So uh he hasn't physically come to sign, but uh, they

should get that done. I was told this week and looking at the amped up rehab that Dak Prescott is doing uh, you know three about two three times a week. He has progressed. Now you know how they put those those pylons on the ground and uh the quarterbacks would you know, step up and then back in like they're dropping back and then come back forward. Uh. He's now doing that on the resistant chord and looking pretty darn good.

H backpedaling, coming forward, backpedaling, coming forward. Uh, doing the different exercises Britt Brown is putting him through. So uh he's certainly moving along with his rehab. Along with his rehab buddy Lyle Collins, they seem to work out together. Uh and usually Tuesday morning, actually Monday Tuesday mornings for sure. So his progress is improving greatly. And like I said last week, Bill, uh, I had to kind of remind myself which foot was the one that he injured, because

he seems to be moving that well. It's funny you're talking about dak and and being on the rehab field with the cones on the field. It reminded me of a story I heard. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna say, uh what coach told me this about Nick Saban. But he's gone through so many assistant coaches at Alabama that there's you know, he's got a it's a turnstile there every year where so many so many coaches go there either to rehab their career to honestly just just working

for Saban. But one coach, it was a quarterbacks coach that was there and he was doing quarterback drills whatever and Saban was observing, and uh, they got to talking afterwards, and Saban asked him, Oh, why don't you why don't you use cones with your quarterback drills. And the coach said, well, you know, I don't. I just never have used cones. There's there's no reason now, you know, I can they can see, you know, they can still work on their footwork.

I just don't use cones. And Saban said to him, let's use cones. So they use cones from then on. There was no no rhymeries and to it. But there's cones out there. I wonder if we have Everson Walls with us now I'm seeing still on the live stream, he looks a tad plexed. Yeah, maybe we'd haven't reached communication with him, but there help. He shaking his head. All right, Uh, he's so mickey, he's studying cover two.

I think, all right, your first comments about not much going on there at the Star, I think that that is an alarming comment to some that might be listening, because the draft is two weeks away, and there better be something going on there in regards to the draft at the Star here two weeks before the draft, Well, it's going it's going on on the other side of the demilitarized zone. Okay, not not yeah, not where you

can see it. Not where I'm sure there's plenty. There's plenty going on in the important wing of the Star in Frisco inside Ford Center, right. And my point was they haven't like signed anybody or you know, released anybody. We haven't got any news on personnel. But yeah, I'm sure, I'm sure they're ramping up preparation for the draft, you know. And speaking of that, Bill, I was looking at the roster as it sits right now, and if we include uh Kean O'Neill when he when eventually signs, and the

two guys that got restricted uh offer sheets. Uh, they've got seventy three guys under contract right now, and they still don't know if it's going to be an eighty man roster or a ninety man roster like they expanded last year, uh to help teams get through the pandemic. Uh So, with seventy three guys already signed and ten draft choices, uh, if it's an eighty man roster, then you know, I don't, let's put it this way. I don't see them right uh so that they're pointing towards

ninety at this point, right. Uh, And we'll see where that goes. But I don't see them using all ten draft choices, and you know that, which means that I think in their minds, if they want to they've got enough draft choice power to move around in this draft, if they want to move up to take a player or two obviously, if they want to move back and pick up more picks, or maybe pick up picks for next year, and not. When I say back, I don't mean, you know, more than three to five spots and still

get what they want. So I think that trade there are probably some trade wins brewing, and not before the draft, but during the draft, Like in that first round, if you got somebody you just gotta have and you want to move up two spots, they probably got enough to do that. And especially in the second round. If you look at the second day bill, they've got three picks in the second round forty four, seventy five, and ninety nine.

So the Cowboys have four picks in the top ninety nine picks, and that's pretty good draft collateral heading into their draft, you know, and you think about it, how about especially when you look at the fact that there could be five quarterbacks taking ahead of them in the draft, and then you've got these receivers and so you could have the pick of four or five defensive players that you like, not to mention, maybe an offensive tackle, and

I also will include Kyle Pitts. The tight end is one of those that I'm going to assume is going to be picked. If he's a future Hall of Fame tied end, he's not going to make it all the way to number ten in this draft, So that that just clears the board for them where they can have almost the pick of the letter as far as the

defensive board goes. And there's there may be a guy that they really you know, you know, if they've got them rank sort of the same, there may be a guy that they like the better that you know they're intelligence. This is telling them that other teams, you know you can might be able to get them at fifteen instead

of ten. And so you can pick up an extra pick, maybe in the third round, slide down five spots, and then you take your forty fourth pick, and there's another guy lately even late in the first round, where you now have some ammunition where you can really move up and get another guy that you really like, either late first round or early second round. On the second day of the draft. Yeah, they're almost with that tenth pick in a perfect spots, as you mentioned, five quarterbacks, potentially

two wide receivers that's seven. There's been talk of two offensive linemen that's nine. You mentioned pits, that's ten. So yeah, they should have their choice of defensive guys if that's the way they want to go, to take the best defensive player that's on the board at that point. If the draft goes the way we suspect, and I think there's a lot of talk right now of you know,

maybe the draft starts at number four Atlanta. Are they going to take a quarterback or are they going to trade out of that for somebody that wants a quarterback. You know, they've got Matt Ryan for two more years. Do they want a young guy to groom behind him for a couple more years or would they just trade out of there and get something for their trouble. So I think that spot will kind of start this draft going on what happens with the quarterbacks in the in

the top five. But like you said, Bill, you know, they get to number ten and if they're still there, whatever cornerback they want, whatever linebacker they want, if they got a defensive lineman that they like, but they want to move back. I think they've got a lot of variables there that they can take advantage of, at least at this point, as you said, with two weeks and

two days to go before the draft, you know. And the other thing is, you know, we're sitting here this cottage industry, as Parcels put it, back in the day of the of all the mock drafts and all this lead up to the draft, we really don't know for sure what's going to happen, obviously, and it's like it almost becomes a thing where, all right, there's these popular mock drafts out there, and people are afraid to go against the grain, and because they that are even the

analyst on it, because well maybe I'm they think, well, maybe I'm crazy. Why do I think this guy is going to be there? Well, these NFL scouts and teams, they've studied these players a whole lot more than anyone on the outside, and so we really don't know. And we also don't know how they feel about their teams. For instance, in Atlanta at number four, Okay, let's say that they kind of like justin Field, so they kind of like Trey Lance, but they aren't sure about it.

They have to make a decision as far as their team goes. How close are they to getting back to contending again with Matt Ryan as their quarterback or do they quote unquote waste that pick on a guy that they're that's going to be playing behind, like a Justin Fields or a Trey Lance, especially Trey Lance. Well either one of them aren't necessarily ready to come right in right now, but they play behind Matt Ryan for a year or two, Well, you haven't improved your immediate football

team at that point. So Atlanta's got to make that decision, all right, Do I take that future quarterback you know, I've got Matt Ryan here for another year or two, or do I really improve my team right now? And get that tied in that everyone says going to the Hall of Fame Kyle Pitts and we're making a move

now and worry about the quarterback later. Yeah, no, absolutely, And you know, and especially Trey Lance, right he's basically played one season and so he's probably not ready to step in somewhere and take over for level Yeah, yeah exactly. So um that that that's gonna be an interesting spot. Do you think we have Everson now? You do look yes, all rightness, I want to follow a complaint. Man, Who's who runs this show? Who runs this? This? This Pennyanni show? Here?

What's going on? I'm sorry, Chris, I'm sorry, Chris. How you doing? Body? Nice to see it ever since? It's great we were we were seeing you earlier. It's great to hear you now. Oh good. I hope I hope you didn't. I hope you didn't see my finger. I had a finger, you know. No, that's when they see that. We saw your face and it was a lot of consternation. Looks you were studying that you were you look like a rookie studying that flex DF. That's where it was

like that. I looked on the sideline. Could you? I looked on the sideline after after every series, you know, like, what the hell is this flex defense all about? It's not working? It doesn't work. So could you at least could you at least hear us? Could you hear what we were talking about? How you could not hear you? Okay? Is that a good thing. We weren't talking about you. We were talking about the draft, the possibilities of what the Cowboys can do, and the way everything seems to

be shaking down with those first nine picks. Uh. And the you know they were talking about the tight end, right, talking about us going for a tight end. Well, I don't know, yeah, Florida. You know, everybody's enamored with him. So the fact that, uh, evidently if Jerry said he's intrigued by the tight end, well yeah, he's intrigued. He should be intrigued. Everybody's intrigued by him. And that doesn't

mean you're taking him right. Uh, the he is. You have to admit though, he is that special tight end that that doesn't come along, you know, but once in a while you can tell, not just by his build and his talent, but it's his determination, his confidence, you know, his determination as I spoke of something that was has been evident throughout his entire the entire year last year, and he caught my eye, I must admit. So, yeah,

it's somebody you want to take a look at. But here we are sitting on Jarwin, who I'm hoping comes back. You know, he was one of my favorite tight ends in the league when he was healthy. These facts, so I don't know what is the progress on. I believe it was the ACL injury that he had. Yeah, and let's put it this way. If you're intrigued at number ten,

somebody between one and nine should be equally intrigued. Right, If the guy is as good as advertised, and all I gotta say is tight end play didn't keep this team from finishing five hundred, All right, Yeah, what what you're looking at? Obviously we have to go with defense. Uh. The guy Pitts, I believe that's his name, right, Kyle Pitts, and his names now Kyle Pitts. He can make you change your mind. You know. That's the thing about that kind of generational talent. That's the way I see it

as a generational talent. He will make you change your mind. You know, you're thinking like, Okay, we're set, guys, you know, don't worry about it. Oh, we're not going to be distracted. And all of a sudden, here this guy comes and you're like, oh, man, if I could just get that guy, if he's available, what would this do for my team? And then we think, as you said, Spags, we've got we've got offensive talent. That's nothing that we're not short on offensive talent at all. We have to stick to

the game plan. We have to go for what we go defensively. But if we're gonna go defensively, it better be that pick. You know, we're not gonna come up with some you know guy that you never heard of. Oh, guys, this was a surprise pick by us, and you know, we think it's gonna work. Now, we don't need any of those experiments. We're already experimenting because they're rookies, but we need someone that's gonna come in ready to play.

If we're gonna pass up a Kyle Pitts. Yeah, and that's why that that that tenth pick is pretty valuable real estate in this draft because if there's a team that still sees a quarterback available and they want to move up, who knows how much they give you for a quarterback. And the same thing with Pitts. If he's as good as advertised, you know, somebody around twelve thirteen

might say, oh, I gotta have that guy. Uh. It might give you a buttload and you might have, uh, you know, two or three guys that you say, Okay, either one of those guys I can live with. And it's not just corners, it's the linebackers. As Bill and I talked about last week and Bill linebackers, you guys on linebackers, Yeah, and build it. Don't you think into a couple of them too? By the way, well, don't you think that they're at number ten or going into

the draft. They're going to expect that certain players are going to be there at ten and there is going to be one player that they've graded higher who stands out above the rest and that grouping of say four or five players who are possibilities at number ten, and if that guy is there, they got to take that game. You can't, don't you You can't risk moving back a couple of spots and then not get the guy that

you want. I think the way that you move down is if that guy is already taken and then you've got another handful that you like, but you're not you know, there there he's not the one A on your list, Um, and it's still here's the other linebacker, Bill that you were that you were. Well, there's a couple of the

three that I like. Well, you got Michael Parsons from Penn State who everyone's talking about, and then you know Jeremiah Woosu Coromoa from Notre Dame is a guy that's really very good, Bill, Because I thought he was saying like three or four names. That's I didn't and so there were three names for you right there, Jeremiah Osu Coamoa and then Notre Dame. Notre Dame. Yeah, and he's uh, you know, in contrast to Parsons, uh A Woosu Corromoa. He was his safety. You know. Parsons in high school

was a defensive line. He was like an edge rusher. So he came from the front four and moved to the linebacker spot in college. Okay, Oh, Woosu came from the back end and became a lineback linebacker. He is more one of those hybrid type guys. Only you know, he's a smaller guy two hundred and twenty pounds, but he's and it's what the league is going to right There are time games where you're watching Notre Dame tape

and you're wondering, War's number six, where's he lining up? Well, he's out on the slot, that's out on the perimeter, and then he comes into the action. Uh as a play unfolds. But you take a look at him, he you'll really like his athleticism. He's delivered some of the hardest hits that I've seen on tape from any of these draft prospects. And he's he's got all the intangibles too. I mean, he is just a complete person as well

as a complete player. Now, Jimmy. The third guy is Zaven Collins from Tulsa, and uh, he's a guy now Ooosa Cormoo won the Bukas Award last year at Notre Dame's the top linebacker in the country. Every other defensive award in the country was won by Zaven Collins of Tulsa. This guy, Everson Wow, this guy. This guy played middle linebacker and he was all over the field. He also

was an edge rusher at times. UM he and he had four interceptions last year in eight games UM, including one that clinched the biggest game of the year for me. Ran ninety five yards for a touchdown. He is six five, but get this, he is six five, two hundred sixty pounds and runs four six Yeah. Oh my goodness, Yeah, I mean so he you know, and what was once van direction? What happens to small linebackers? Bill? You just exactly, I mean, you got so here, you got three different

linebackers that are all different. Okay, and you know Parsons is a bigger Parsons is two forty five, yes he is, I remember, but he runs a four to four. Now some of these forty times ever since, as you know, since they didn't have a combine, they're done at Pro days and they're they're all over the lot. But you know, a four four still a four. You know it's time at four three six. So even if you took no, no, even if you took you know, five, it's off. You know,

it's taking a four four six. And that's why you know what I saw. I say we take a linebacker. I say we take a linebacker. Let's just let's just stop right there. We're taking a linebacker, you know. But here's the thing. Ever sing on Zavian Collins, you know, the so called draft experts, they're saying, ah, he's a mid late first round guy. So what the Cowboys took him at number ten, they'd be criticized all over the lot that, oh they reached on it and they took

him too soon. Well nobody knows that. You know, the giants picking right behind them might love them just as much, and they might take them. You don't know giants and known for taking good linebackers. I mean, yeah, lt Aside, you have a cast and you got arms, Jesse Armstead, I mean you got a whole list of of a history of giants taking good linebackers. You know, the thing that distinguishes all three of these guys is their their instincts.

They see what's happening before it happens. Uh. They're not right, They're not late leading reading things. You know. I saw an interview with Jim Morra Junior about uh Coamoa and the last thing he said was the team that passes on him will regret it, and so uh he he thinks he thinks this guy is that. He also said he's as dynamic a defensive player in the draft as there is what I see as a superstar uh in the in today's NFL. So he really likes that guy too.

He kind of according to what you're saying about him, and being that that guy that catches all and does all. It kind of reminds you of a Chase Young pick a little bit coming out of Ohio State last year. Yeah, he did a great job, of course with Washington football team. He's this uh Coamoa seems like he could be that kind of game changer defensively for the Cowboys. Yeah, and you know, and he's he's got you know, you could

play him. He's six one and a half two hundred and twenty one pounds, so you could actually play him at safety. And I mean, he's got that kind of athleticism where he could he could play safety. And then in your nickel, he's in your sub packages as a linebacker. Uh, you know, he just makes so many plays. And Mickey, you're talking about his eye. All these linebackers their eyes

and being able to read the play. There is one phenomenal play that Jeremiah Usakomoa made last year where it was against Clemson in fact, where quarterback is pitching the ball to Travis Etien, the their running back. Koramoa snips it out from the secondary. He sees the play. He basically gets to the ball as soon as it got to the running back. He stripped it away from him and ran and got it and ran in forty yards

for a touchdown. Just a phenomenal play. On the play, you can see his eyes where he sees the quarterback, he sees the play. He had enough athleticism and speed to get to the pitch before it got to at the end and away he goes scores a touchdown, you know, and you know what, that's also an indication that the guy studies, that he had he had seen something that that you know, said okay, this is what's getting ready to happen. I'm going And uh, you can't have enough

of those guys. So you know, when you when you look at them, when you look at the linebacker spot, and as I mentioned, you know, I've got a roster here and here's the linebackers for the Cowboys, Jaylen Smith, Layton Vanderish, Francis Bernard, Luke Gifford, and Azur Kamara. That's it. So linebacker fits in just as well as a corner.

And you know, I started looking at corners, and you know, there was five corners in one one person's top one hundred in in the top forty two picks, five of them and the fifty one was a Sante Samuel Junior at forty two. So again, there could be a really good quarterback cornerback when the Cowboys get to forty four. And with the draft, uh, you know, choices they have, they can move up probably to the low thirties or

to the you know, forty four, thirty eight, thirty six. Uh, and get the corner if they then back, they got a seten. They have a seten, and they also have an Asante Samuel's junior. Yea. And they got Joe Horns kid, Jason. I did not know about j This is my first time hearing about now and Joe Horns got Let's talk corner Yeah, Nicky, let's let's uh, and Everson, let's talk

cornerbacks when we come back here. I want to get ever since thoughts on the cornerbacks and and uh we'll get into the lineage, the family lineage of these guys too. When mix shots continues in just a moment, Honey, big news, Gary, Are you okay? Oh? I'm not Gary anymore. I'm Jackie Flash. What see? I want the latest smartphone, but the best deals are only for new customers. So to get a new customer deal, I change my name to Jackie Flash. Okay, but the best smartphone deals at AT and T are

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your event is canceled guaranteed. Download the Seki gap today and when the time is right, let's go see geek. Back back to Mick Shots and we are back here on Mick Shots and Mickey. This is when I am supposed to do a read and I dropped the ball on the read. So let me read. Let me come in red, Let me come in off the bench, right I care? Let me come in. The Star District is the perfect place for the whole family to enjoy. Support local Frisco businesses by visiting us to dine, shop, and

explore the Dallas Cowboys Them campus. For more information on the all All. For more information on all the Star has to offer, visit the Star District dot com Where that goes bags. That was Roger starback coming in for Cligmoreton, Way to go back exactly? That was like and don't forget this. This big blue notebook is available now if you go to Dallas Cowboys dot com to get the Dallas Cowboys twenty twenty one official Draft Guy Guy Cowboys

Star Magazine. Good job this bags. It's funny you said that. Ever said, I had that flashback to that quarterback shuffle, and yah quarterback Caunsel, Yeah, Greg Morton and Roger star back. And then finally the next Monday, Landry Is settled on starback and they won five straight games and won the Super Bowl, and the rest, as they say, is history.

This history, right, all right, let's uh. We talked about the linebackers, and we all liked the idea of some of these linebackers because of that talent at the linebacker position in this draft. But we've got a pretty good cornerback back here, Mickey that uh, I want to pick Everson's brain here on the importance. And we touched on three cornerbacks who are sons of NFL players, Pro Bowl

type players too, and and Everson. Those those three guys, Patrick Certen the second from Alabama, who is the son of Patrick in fact, he played for his dad in high school, American Heritage Academy and Fort Lauderdale. He was the head coach there, and you know, and so certain he's been He's been groomed to be a NFL cornerback ever since he was born, basically h And then you got J. C. Horne at South Carolina, who is the son of former four time Pro Bowl wide receiver Joe Horn,

and he played receiver growing up. Imagine that because his dad was an NFL receiver and then converted to cornerback, and so he has not been groomed to be a cornerback all his life. He's certainly been groomed to be an NFL player. And then Mickey Mincha de Sante Samuel Junior, who is projected probably a second rounder, could sneak into

the late first round. Different type cornerback than those other two because the other two are basically six one two hundred five pounds and Samuel's more in the five ten, five eleven range. But those are three guys. But and of course the ones that the Cowboys will be considering at number ten or so ten and Horn and then Caleb Farley, a guy that had back surgery, is probably going to now be a late first round guy. It'd

be a tough call. When you have got those other cornerbacks available, especially to pick with the tenth pick in the draft, take a guy who's had recent back surgery and actually has had a couple here. So, but how important do you think it is to take a cornerback that early in the draft? Well, you know, when it comes down to the NFL, I could say one thing, but the film is always looking in another direction. You got no more running backs being taken in the first round.

Everything is predicated on a quarterback and offensive talent, and it seems like the running back position is kind of suffering. So if you ask me, everything is turned on his head to be considering a cornerback before a running back in the first round of the NFL. Spass can tell you that's something that ten years ago, fifteen years ago, never would have even been considered. You had your exceptions, of course, like the Sean Springs. You had Charles Woodson

that came in and they were they were studs. But for the most part, the running back position was always that position. Now Here we are ten fifteen years later, no one's looking at running backs. Everybody's looking at quarterbacks and now cornerbacks. All of a sudden, they're this premium position. I think the Cowboys them sales went for that. Of course, last year, a year ago, we start getting the guy

from Alabama. That's one thing, Trey Von Diggs, and you know, I still the verdict is still out of course on him. I don't know when you're talking about the choice between linebackers and defensive backs, I can't believe I'm saying this, but that linebacker position, that linebacker position is just so much more dynamic and important for the Cowboys defense. I think if you just get some pressure, you get some guys that are making plays in the not just secondary

position or up front. When you have a linebacker that can control so much and impact the game so much from that position of the defense, I think that's something that can help out any cornerback. You don't have to be a stud cornerback to get, you know, to operate

under pressure. And if that lineback or the defensive lineman can give me some pressure, then I would I definitely would prioritize those positions over the cornerback position because if you just get back there with Trey Bon Digs, this guy can make some plays if you just give him some pressure. We never had that luxury for the Cowboys while he's been here. So I'm looking forward to hopefully we're looking at a linebacker position to make that move.

But if we were going to do this, you know, is Patrick certain going to even be around and pick number ten? You know, that's just how important people are looking at the cornerback position now, especially when Winfield were making all those plays in the Super Bowl spags. You know, that influences a lot of other gems and head coaches to say, hey, maybe we could look at a young defensive back that can make a an immediate impact on the defense. Yeah, there's this assumption that he's going to

be there for the Cowboys. I've seen some drafts where Denver takes him at number nine. Then you're gonna say, okay, do I take the next best cornerback on my board or do I go linebacker? And look, what was the biggest problem this defense had last year? They couldn't stop the run. Couldn't stop the run? Right, I just had to remind myself. I just looked it up. They gave up two thousand, five hundred and forty one yards rushing and twenty rushing touchdowns. Teams average five yards a carry

against this team five yards a carry. Now I'm gonna I'm gonna play. You think about that before you go on. Fact, I just gotta think you had commentators. It was so bad. Commentators was saying, why are apponent's throwing the ball? Yes against the Yeah, exactly, that's crazy. That's a half of first down every time they touched the ball on average, half a first down. Uh. If you can't stop the run, you don't earn the right to rush the quarterback because

they ain't gonna throw it. So to me, you just can't assume that the cornerback's gonna solve what they have. Now, again, there might be linebackers, like I pointed out with the corners that in the second round you can get a good guy that can step in. But they need another starting quality linebacker on this team. You know, if if worst came to worst, I can I can start tomorrow with Treyvon Diggs, Anthony Brown, and Jordan Lewis as my top three corners. All right, now, I'm in trouble if

one of them gets hurt. Uh, and and so but at linebacker, Jalen Smith, Layton Vanderish and as I said last week, and what because it doesn't work, that's very good and what. And so you know that that linebackers spot when you can't stop the run, and they and I'll blame some of it on alignment, some of it on scheme, but they need another guy up there for sure. So either first or second round, I got to see

a linebacker on this team. And when you look at at the picks, though, okay, if you're number ten, all of these promising players that you guys have mentioned, whether it was last week or today, I can't see all of them being gone. And we're just talking defensively. We're just talking defensive players that are could be uh, you know, in the top ten by the time we get there.

They can't all be gone. I look forward to us really filling up a spot, an important spot doing the draft with one of these guys that we're talking about. They're not all gonna be gone. And especially when you're looking at teams that are looking at offense in the

top ten as well, so we'll see. Oh yeah. The other thing ever since, is it's possible that all of the defensive players will be there for the Cowboys too, because when you're talking about the speculation is that five quarterbacks might be taken in the top seven picks or so, and then you got someone will be there for us, someone that we need will be there. Oh yeah, for sure. But you might have the pick of the litter. You might have the whole thing there for you. Just pick.

As far as defensive players go, all right, let me ask you about offensive lineman. Obviously, the Cowboys had issues last year with injuries in their offensive line, both tackle spots, with Tyrn Smith playing only two games and Lyle Collins missing the whole season. What about an offensive tackle? There are two guys that have been mentioned Penna School as well as Rashaun Slater as guys that could be in the mix at number ten. What would you think of

an offensive tackle? I would think of an offensive tackle late in the second round or in the third round, a guy that could is maybe not ready to start immediately, but has starting capabilities in his future and can step up and be my backup swing tackle. And I think there's guys in this draft that you know that kind of fit that description that you don't have to have the top guy in the draft. Maybe you get the

third or fourth or fifth best offensive tackle. You know, I've seen a couple names that kind of intrigued me as I look in my big blue notebook. Here, there's a guy Tevin Jenkins at Oklahoma State. He's six five, three seventeen and he bench pressed get this, he bench pressed two twenty five and I thought it was a miss print thirty six times? How does that happen? Can't do that? That's Larry a status, right, that's Larry Allen's territory right there, you know. And then there's a couple

other guys that are guards that could play tackle. Uh that that might be intriguing. Uh so yeah, but again to me, you want that guy, uh maybe third round, but they need they do need a young offensive offensive tackle because I don't know, and we'll see how they, um, you know what they think of the guys that took over uh last year? You know, do they like Brandon Knight? Uh? You know, is Terrence Steele? Uh? You know? Do they think they can sink their teeth into these guys as

as grooming them? Or do you need a young guy uh to come along and help out you know when you're talking about uh, my goodness, lifting two twenty five for thirty thirty plus times that is ridiculous, but used to comparing him to people like Larry Allen like I just did, and that's kind of dangerous. So I was I almost wanted to just just take that back because Larry Allen wasn't just strong. Larry Allen was an athlete.

I don't know how athletic this guy from Oklahoma State is, but that is promising when you're talking about lifting that many times. Hopefully he would have the account of ability that Larry Allen had. And let's look at the importance in regard to the Cowboys and getting an offensive tackle. I'm sure you've thought of this. Facts. You've got a quarterback who was extremely vulnerable right now, you know, and

we just paid him all of this franchise cash. So should we change our priorities in the draft and say, you know what, we do need defense? Like you said, Bill, we might have, but man, we just paid Dak Prescott. We just brought the entire bank to him, and now we're not considering protecting him. When you're talking about two offensive tackles that we've had who have been long standing experts and professionals at their job, but now they're looking

a little vulnerable. Okay, so do we consider protecting our quarterback first? Because yes, we need defense, Yes we need that, but we need our quarterback who we just paid a boatload of money. So do you consider your priorities to change in regards to offense Vesion's defense? Because right now when I talking about a tight end, now we're talking about protection for your number one quarterback, you know Tyrone. Of course what we're looking for him to come back,

but man, he's been having some issues lately. When you're you know, you're talking about a big man like that, trying to solve some of these problems over the off season. For the last few off seasons has been a real problem. So do we roll the dice and say we got to prot a debt over the defensive responsibilities? Do we go with a guy that's gonna protect debt? Well, here's the way boys would compromise themselves. Here's the way I look at that. They extended the contracts of Tyrann Smith

and Lale Collins. They restructured him to save cap space. If they had any any worry about those guys near future, meaning this year, they wouldn't have done that. Yes, so from a medical standpoint, they must have a very good feel for where those guys are. And I can tell you watching Lale Collins do his rehab with Dak, he's doing some of the same things Dak is doing, and

he's doing them awfully well. He's running really well. Now there's a difference between running and rehabbing and then trying to block a two hundred and ninety pound, you know, defensive end. But he seems to be working well, so to me, if they had any worry whatsoever, then they would make that move at number ten. But I think they feel like these guys are good. So to me, you go back into maybe the second day and you find yourself maybe a tackle or a guard that can

play tackle. You know, I saw this. I was reading up on a guy from Michigan, Jalen Mayfield six two six five three twenty six, and it says that he could survive at tackle but probably will end up at guard. But if I can have a guy survive at tackle and be able to be my swing guy as a rookie, I'd have to look at that, especially on the second day. Well. And the reason they say that about Jalen Mayfield is

because of his arm length. It's just thirty two and a half at arms, and that's one of you know. Ray Shawn Slater is a guy from Northwestern. You talk about Tevin Jenkins with thirty four bench reps, Slater had thirty three bench reps. He ran a four eight eight at three hundred and four pounds with a ten yards split on one sixty eight. His numbers are off the charts, very athletic. But there's one negative. His arms aren't aren't

thirty six inches long like Tyrn Smiths are. He's three inches shorter at thirty three inches, and that's he's little t Rex. There you go. Is the same way you know if you're taken, if you're taken, I think if you're taking an offensive tackle at number ten, you need to have the same the same parameters on that that you had when you took Tyrant Smith at number nine nine years ago, however long ago it was ten years ago. And that is that this guy is gonna be holding down.

He's gonna be Tyrn Smith's replacement at left tackle for years. To forget about right tackle, because you can get a right tackle the second round, but for a left tackle, you got to know that this guy is going to be Tyrn Smith's replacement whenever Tyran decides to retire, and in the meantime he can play guard. And I'm not sure that Slater is going to be a left tackle in this league. He may be a right tackle in this league. Yeah, he has to That guy has to

be a left tackle. Bill. And here's the other thing. And I know Tyran's had some injuries. His biggest problem has been the next thing. Right, Well, they took care of that, so you hope that that all worked. But I'll take Tyrn Smith for thirteen of seventeen games before I put any other joker out there, Okay, especially one. All right, we continue with more mixed shots. In just a moment, We're backing a tasty treat that's sweeping airwaves

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to mixed shots. Get the ultimate fan experience for the Ultimate Cowboys and joined Dallas Cowboys United presented by Globe Life, starting at just twenty dollars. Joined now and get your exclusive fan pack and member benefits. Visit Dallas Cowboys dot com slash United for details. We are two weeks and two days away from the NFL Draft, and Mickey, we are what six days away from the Cowboys players being back at the Star for the start of the official

start of the offseason, right, yeah, absolutely. I think it was the nineteenth uh there there, and we're not sure how it's going to open. Uh, if it's going to be oh, that's right, that's the other part of it. It could be virtual. It could back on that, it could be virtual, that's right. Yes, So that's why This is like they're not going to be back at the Star until right before training camp is a matter. You must have both of your doses already. Bill, you ready

to go? Man, Slow you roll, Buddy, slow you brow. That's exactly right. I've got mine. I've got mine, But I don't know if I trust everybody else. So I just I'm just hanging in there. Hey, I'm gonna give you one mix shot before we move on. I was trying to see the last time the Cowboys would have taken a player at number ten, Right, It never happened. They've had nine, They've had eleven twice, but never ten. Wow about that? All right? It was Michael Urvan number eleven.

He was where eleven? Where? And Michael Irvin were eleven and Tyron Smith was nine. You know what they need to do. They need to either trade up to number nine and take a Tyron Smith because nine eleven wearing Michael Vin, all three of those, Uh, if they know you, I was thinking about something else, Bat and saying, now, I'm nervous. Now if they pick a nine or eleven, they're getting the Hall of Famer number ten. Jury's out,

all right. Everson was not with us last week, and Everson, if you can fill us in on where you were last week, and let's pay tribute. Let's pay tribute to coach Ernest Sterling and as he has known in this household as Uncle Ernest. This was Cherrell's only uncle. That it's her mother's baby brother. Believe it or not. Her mother is five four he's six feet. He was six feet seven inches tall. And they called him the big cat.

And I told people all the time, I call him big Monster because he scared the living the hell out of me, you know, But I have to give him love because when I was looking for a place to go to college and get further my education. Now, I guess people know the story. My wife at the time, my girlfriend, she knew what she was going. So, hey, young fellow, if you want to come, fine, If not, I'm moving on and I'm gonna make something to myself. So I'm like, okay, I better follow this chick. I

don't want to lose her. So I'm like, okay, I'm going I want to go to Grambling. What do I do? She ended up giving my video at that time canister of film or my guy were old Big took my canister film from Burtner High School, and he vouched for me to coach Eddie G. Robinson. And if it wasn't for that, you know, I wouldn't be talking to you guys. You know, I probably wouldn't be married to Hurelle. You know,

my relationship probably never would have lasted. I never would have gone to college if it wasn't for coach Ernest Sterling vouching for me to coach Eddie Robinson and my mom I took that drive up there. That was the opportunity literally of a lifetime, because if it wasn't Coach Sterling, I would not be married to Hirell. Probably I probably would not have further my education. And as much as he and I didn't really talk much because he knows that I owed him my entire life, he knew that.

But he was a guy that I have to contribute all of my success and all of my happiness. I have to contribute it to him because if it wasn't for him, I would not be where I am today. Coach Sterling actually had a little stint with the Dallas Cowboys and it just so happened. Raphael Wright calls me to talk about his golf tournament coming up in Weatherford.

I think it is around October leveth, and I asked him, I said, do you remember a big six foot seven inch, very fair skinned young man from Graham May State University And they called him also Big Cat, And of course Rayphiel remembered him right away because I'm sure they had

many battles together in practice. And even though coach Sterling was only there for just a quick cup of coffee, he was really happy with his career because he went back to Grambling and he coached at Grambling doing two stints I would imagine cumulatively over thirty plus years under the two ledge of coach Eddie Robbins, and so he lived the life that he wanted to live. It was a dream life for him. He survived by Irene and

his kids. And I just had to put that out there for him, because you know, we're talking about hbu HBCUs nowadays and how you know, we've kind of been ignored throughout the annimals of recent history in the NFL. And to me, Coach Sterling had his own legacy, and he also contributed to another legacy, which was mine. So I gotta give him love and he will truly be missed.

I'm ever so I'm reading up on Ernest here and there was a standout defensive lineman for Grambling and then went to the Cowboys, as you mentioned, was here briefly and then h you know, he started his college coaching career as a defensive line coach for Eddie Robinson, first for twenty one years, then stepped away for a couple of years, and then came back. And Eddie Robinson once said of Sterling, Ernest coach with me for twenty four years. He had played for me, and then in the NFL.

He was like a rock and my foundation guy. You know. You know, obviously Eddie Robinson a Hall of fame coach, but even a hall of fame coaches need a rock in their found and that's why Ernest Sterling was to Eddie Robinson. That is so true, coach Sterling. He actually came to a couple of Cowboy camps. You know how they bring in the whole staff of a particular university HBCU and not bring in some staff so they can learn on how things are done in training camp from

the pros. I think that was an official program with the NFL to bring in college coaches and let them see how professional coaches get it done and how they go through practices. And it was very odd and strange to have the Grambling coaching staff there. I tried to stay the hell away from them. I don't want those flashbacks anymore. You know. I had my own problems here with the Cowboys with Eddie Robinson, but that coaching staff was just like coach Landry's in regards to We wore

suits and ties everywhere we went. We tried to represent our HBCUs with nothing but class because Eddie Robinson would not have it any other way. We traveled all the time. We had three home games a year. Any other time we were on the road for eight games. We had to take our books with us everywhere we went because the culture at Grambling was to graduate players, not just tried to sending him through the NFL through with some

type of draft. And Coach Sterling was the We call him the educational supervisor because he was the one that made sure all players stayed eligible. He was the one that did that and that's why Eddie Robinson called him his rock because he kept players eligible by hooker coup. He wanted to make sure that we were studying, that we stayed in class, and we stayed focused, not just on the field, but also on the campus. What a legacy. Thanks for sharing that ever since, Yes, sir, yes, sir,

all right. Ernest Sterling, Senior, Grambling State University. All right, Mickey, any parting thoughts is we wrap up this edition of Mick Shots. We got just a couple of weeks before draft day. You know, one other note on the cornerbacks I mentioned there was five and ranked in the top forty two of somebody's one hundred. That same listing had eleven corners in the top sixty one. So there are corners out there, whoa And you can get one in the second round if you decide to go a different

route in the first. I'm not sure what the linebacker availability would be for someone to step in and be a starter if you got them in the second where the Cowboys are. But again, with all those draft choices, you know you can move around and get to where you need to if you can find a trading partner. And also one other thing I noticed I read this little note the New York Jets, all right, they traded

over this last year. Leonard Williams their sixth pick in the first round, Jamal Adams a sixth pick in the first round, and Sam Darnold a third pick. They got eight picks for those guys trading them. They have twenty one picks in the next two drafts, twenty twenty one and twenty twenty two. So you think they've got the ability to move around With an average of ten and a half picks per year, that's awfully impressive. So watch out for the Jets doing exactly what they want to

do if they can do it right. Not as not as impressive as the herschel Walker trade. Right, I'm sorry, that's Chuck Chains compared to what just happened. What was that nineteen ninety I believe with the Cowboys and hershell Walker eighty nine. So the prediction is, the prediction is that the Jets will now make twenty one more trades of all those draft picks here in the coming years, and they'll still have they'll still be at the bottom of the division the metal all right, That does it

for mixed shots for Everson and Micky. I'm Bill and we will see you again next week at eleven thirty Live on Tuesday Morning. On nick Shots Gold Cowboys. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.