

News: Cowboys scouting director Tom Ciskowski explains some aspects of team’s draft strateg

Discussion in 'News Zone' started by RS12, Jan 24, 2013.

  1. RS12

    RS12 Well-Known Member

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    The Cowboys have multiple areas on the roster to upgrade this off-season but none seem bigger than improving the offensive and defensive lines.

    Switching to a 4-3 defensive front means more linemen will be needed to play Monte Kiffin’s new system. The offensive line was among the league’s worst, evident by a running game that ranked 31st and Tony Romo routinely having little time to throw from the pocket.

    Tom Ciskowski, the Cowboys’ assistant director of player personnel, recently said the team could go in either direction early in the draft because there are good o-line and d-line prospects available.

    Ciskowski, who addressed several draft-related topics with DallasCowboys.com’s Bryan Broaddus, said moving from a 3-4 to a 4-3 scheme won’t be difficult because of the personnel already on the roster.

    “I think it will be an easy process for us because in most cases with the outside linebacker we’re looking for the pressure player whether he’s in a two-point or a three-point (stance),” he said. “DeMarcus Ware is a guy that can pressure from any stance, so we feel real comfortable that he can play the open side end and still be very, very effective.”

    Ciskowski said the Cowboys like some of the younger defensive linemen on their roster, specifically mentioning Tyrone Crawford and Sean Lissemore. He also talked about defensive tackle Jay Ratliff “hopefully” coming back from having “an injury-prone season.

  2. Zimmy Lives

    Zimmy Lives Well-Known Member

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    I hope they get it right this April considering the talent pool is deep for linemen. The Cowboys have not drafted an impact d-lineman in the 1st round since Russell Maryland.
  3. Pabst

    Pabst Active Member

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    Anyone know the terminology Ciskowski is using at the end of the article? The 1-3-0 and 1-4-5 stuff. I think it has something to do with draft rounds, but it doesn't seem to fit that.
  4. jobberone

    jobberone Right turn Clyde Staff Member

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  5. Bluestang

    Bluestang Well-Known Member

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    He's talking about grades they use for prospects
  6. blindzebra

    blindzebra Well-Known Member

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    Greg Ellis ring a bell?
  7. Ultimategamer5567

    Ultimategamer5567 Member

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    He was selected instead of Randy Moss so people act like Greg Ellis never existed. Despite him being a damn good player and pass rusher in his own right
  8. jobberone

    jobberone Right turn Clyde Staff Member

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    Oh, I thought he was talking about the technique they could play. I should pay more attn.
  9. Bluestang

    Bluestang Well-Known Member

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    When Ciskowski was talking about 1-3-0, 1-3-1, and 1-4-5 he was talking about prospect grades.

    What he was saying is that if player X has a 1-3-0 grade and player Y has 1-3-1 grade and you have a need for player Y, they don't consider that a reach to go with the need instead of player X who is graded 1 point higer than player Y.

    However, they do stay away from taking player Y (1-3-1) over player Z with a 1-4-5 grade because that is a significant difference in grades.

    If you haven't caught on, the lower the numerical value of the grade is it indicates a higher grade.

    I assume that the scouts assign flaws a number and then they tally that number to get an overall grade of the player. The higher the number the more flaws the prospect has.
  10. Erik_H


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    It has to do with ranking of players. I'm not clear on the details but the first number is round and the other numbers break it down to smaller groups then even smaller groups. So a 1-3-1 is significantly better ( the 3 higher than the 4) than a 1-4-5. If the first two numbers are the same, then the difference is pretty minor...I guess.
  11. speedkilz88

    speedkilz88 Well-Known Member

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    Not that any of us know for a fact but his example could easily explain taking Tyron Smith over JJ Watt.;)
  12. ScipioCowboy

    ScipioCowboy More than meets the eye. Zone Supporter

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    I've always wondered what grade they gave Quincy Carter.
  13. Cowboy4ever

    Cowboy4ever Well-Known Member

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  14. cowboyeric8

    cowboyeric8 Chicks dig crutches

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    Haha well played
  15. Risen Star

    Risen Star Likes Collector Zone Supporter

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    Broaddus talked about that recently. I believe he said Ware and Merriman both had the highest possible grade the Cowboys give and it was (I think) a 1-0-0. The lower the number the better.
  16. Rack Bauer

    Rack Bauer Federal Agent

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    I wonder what grades they gave JJ Watt and Tyron Smith.
  17. LeonDixson

    LeonDixson Illegitimi non carborundum

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    I'm sure that's correct. But what do the 3 separate numbers correlate to? First numeral is probably the round they grade the player at, but what do the other 2 numerals stand for.
  18. Risen Star

    Risen Star Likes Collector Zone Supporter

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    Good question. I don't know. I want to say round, ranking within that round and then ranking at his position. So a 1-1-1 would be 1st round player, 1st ranked of that group and the 1st at his position as well.

    But that doesn't make sense since that would mean every year somebody has to get that grade. You wouldn't be really grading ability as much as ranking within the class. Plus I'm pretty sure Broaddus said the highest grade they give is a 1-0-0. So that wouldn't work.
  19. 1fisher

    1fisher Active Member

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  20. Pandora

    Pandora Member

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    Overall, the lower the number the better. Other teams start with a high number and go lower, the Cowboys do it the other way around.

    First number: Overall assessment, with lower number being better (e.g. a zero is an immediate starter, no questions asked, a 1 is starter quality etc.)
    Second number: Denotes the projected round for the player
    Third number: Denotes where in the round a player is projected to go (1-early, 9-late)

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