Tag: cj henderson

News: Vick thinks McCarthy will be boon for Prescott, more coaching hires

The Dallas Cowboys are nearing the completion of their 2020 coaching staff, as on Friday two more names were added to the ledger. Both names are familiar, but for different reasons, as one formerly worked with the Cowboys and the other having that …

The Dallas Cowboys are nearing the completion of their 2020 coaching staff, as on Friday two more names were added to the ledger.  Both names are familiar, but for different reasons, as one formerly worked with the Cowboys and the other having that all-too-familiar-NFL hiring practice of a familial ring to it.

Elsewhere, offseason talent acquisition continues to move more front and center, as a one of the well-known draft prognosticators weighs in on who the Cowboys should select in April’s draft, and a keen talent evaluator identifies a handful of lesser known names for Dallas to target in free agency. Finally, one of the league’s best playmakers, Michael Vick, weighs in on what he thinks new head coach Mike McCarthy will bring to Dak Prescott’s game. All this in today’s edition of News and Notes.

2020 Mock Draft 1.0: Mel Kiper’s Early first-round mock draft :: ESPN 

In Mel Kiper, Jr’s lastest mock draft the Cowboys snatched cornerback CJ Henderson out of the University of Florida.

Henderson was a two-time second-team All-SEC performer (2017, 2018) as well as receiving a first-team All-SEC nod in 2019. At 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds, he has the prototypical size one wants in a corner and has very good ball skills with six career interceptions and 20 pass break-ups.

Film room: 3 under-the-radar free agents the Cowboys should target :: Dallas Morning News

John Owning checks in with his latest film analysis installment, this time checking in on some lesser known entities who could join Dallas this offsesaon as free agents.

His focus has a definitive defensive feel to it, as he highlights two defensive tackles and a safety, Jayron Kearse.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Kearse is a giant safety who does his best work in and around the box. Kearse’s size makes him a mismatch whenever blocked by a wide receiver, which enables him to be extremely effective in run support. He’s a reliable tackler (just four career missed tackles, per PFF) and possesses the quickness to knife into the backfield to make splash plays behind the line of scrimmage.

Check out what else he has to say as well as his two line targets.

Michael Vick believes Mike McCarthy may be ‘one of the best things’ to happen to Dak Prescott :: DMN

The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback likes the Cowboys’ hire  and believes McCarthy could work wonders for Prescott. During Pro Bowl practice on Thursday, Vick had this to say regarding this recent marriage between coach and signal-caller.

“I think Dak is solid, man,” Vick said Thursday. “I love what Dak is doing. I think to have a new coach come in the building right now is probably one of the best things that could happen to him, especially getting Mike McCarthy.

“He’s an offensive genius, an offensive guru who knows the game and he will help Dak out tremendously, and the Cowboys will look different next year.”

Sports Sturm’s Friday Cowboys mailbag: Byron Jones’s future, DeMarcus Lawrence’s present, and draft talk :: The Athletic

Bob Sturm over at The Athletic hits a ton of topics as he answers reader questions. In case you don’t have a subscription, here are some highlights:

Despite his lack of interceptions, Byron Jones may continue to be a better option for the Cowboys than 2020’s draftable options. A 3-year/$42 million deal (like the one Marcus Peters got) may be a price worth paying for Jones’s skills.

Staying in the secondary, keep an eye on University of Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. in case the Cowboys don’t land the coveted Grant Delpit out of LSU.

Don’t get suckered looking at sack totals in a vacuum and deducing that DeMarcus Lawrence is no better than Taco Charlton. The Cowboys need more sacks out of Lawrence in 2020, to be sure, but saying the two players are comparable because both logged five sacks in 2019 is just naive.

–TB

Ranking 30 Cowboys free agent decisions in 2020 :: Cowboys Wire

Plenty of personnel decisions to be made by the new coaching staff in Dallas over the next weeks and months. Cowboys Wire helpfully lists all 30 free agents and orders them for Mike McCarthy, from the lowest priority to it’s-Dak-freaking-Prescott-quit-screwing-around-and-sign-him.

–TB

Amari Cooper ‘not surprised’ by sweeping coaching changes, wants back in Dallas :: Cowboys Wire

It’s not always obvious by the solemn look that’s normally on his face, but wide receiver Amari Cooper is loving it in Dallas, and he wants to stay.

The four-time Pro Bowler spoke about the prospect of free agency this week at the league’s all-star festivities in Orlando. “I’m just taking it day by day, ” Cooper said. “I’m not anxious, I’m not apprehensive. I’m just living life.”

The Alabama product says that an extra $1 million or $2 million in his next contract isn’t as important to him as being in the right environment. Mike McCarthy will be Cooper’s fourth head coach in a six-year career; maybe he’ll also prove to furnish “the right environment” for a sixth championship in Dallas.

–TB

Ex-Cowboys WR Dez Bryant hints at 3 ‘dream’ NFL teams he’d like to sign with :: Bleacher Report

Dez Bryant’s job hunt continues to play out on social media. After the former Cowboys receiver took to Twitter early in the week to pitch his return to Dallas, Bryant followed up on Thursday with a post subtly calling out two other organizations he’d enjoy suiting up for. Both are teams he has history with.

It’s assumed that the “black and gold” refers to the New Orleans Saints. Bryant signed with the Saints during the 2018 season, but tore an Achilles tendon before playing in a single game with the club. The “black and purple” must mean the Baltimore Ravens. Prior to his two-day stint with New Orleans, Bryant had reportedly received an offer from the Ravens, which he turned down… just before quarterback Lamar Jackson exploded on the scene in Baltimore.

–TB

From ‘Seeing ghosts’ to ‘Mozart’s paintings’: These are the best quotes of the NFL season :: ESPN

It was a season of soundbites in the NFL. Press conferences, in-game field-mic captures, and off-the-cuff zingers provided fans with a wealth of one-liners and countless must-hear moments throughout the 2019 campaign.

Among the gems in this compilation are two Cowboys quotes. First, Jerry Jones’s “Zeke Who?” quip that was hilarious at first, then maybe not funny at all, and finally ended up on an official T-shirt in the team pro shop.

Dak Prescott makes the list, too, for reminding teammates that spicy chicken nuggets had indeed returned to the Wendy’s menu… while in the huddle against Miami in Week 3.

–TB

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Prospects for Jags fans to watch: Florida CB CJ Henderson

One player I have seen mocked to Jacksonville, time and time again, is Florida’s CJ Henderson. Could the Jaguars add a talented corner?

The Jacksonville Jaguars are in desperate need for help on both sides of the ball. With free agency looming, much of the roster will be up in the air, including veterans Marcell Dareus, A.J. Bouye, Andrew Norwell, and Calais Campbell.  While I don’t expect the team to release all of those players, there will be some cap casualties and we likely won’t know what the team will really look like until March.

One of the positions that has been mocked to Jacksonville frequently in mock drafts all over the internet is the cornerback position. While I do not think the need at corner is as great as the national media seems to think, the corner class is very strong and I do feel like there is a real chance the Jags could snag a talented corner in the draft at some point.

With the uncertainty of Tre Herndon’s talent level and Bouye aging with a high cap number, Jacksonville would be smart to at least take a peek at one of the strongest and deepest positions in the class. For this reason, many draft pundits have mocked Florida corner CJ Henderson to the Jags.

Henderson has been one of the draft’s biggest names for quite some time now. His natural coverage ability, fluid hips, and ball skills have vaulted him into the first round in many mock drafts circling the internet. In terms of pure coverage ability, Henderson is among the draft’s best.

In just nine games in 2019, Henderson was able to deflect 11 balls, a career high for him. While he lacked production in 2019 when it came to interceptions, the gator corner was able to make plays on the ball whenever given the chance.

Here is just another example of Henderson breaking up a pass as he beautifully covers a vertical route against Louisiana State’s star receiver Justin Jefferson.

While quarterback Joe Burrow wasn’t the same Heisman winner we’ve come to know presently at the time of this video, this is still a tremendous job by Henderson to run stride-for-stride with Jefferson, who has hurt many team’s vertically up the sideline.

Henderson uses his size (6-foot-1, 202 pounds) and length to extend his reach and has incredible speed and quickness to go along with that length. The problems with Henderson arise when it comes to his willingness to tackle and proficiency at it.

Many scouts have been critical of Henderson’s effort when it comes to tackling. When it comes to Jacksonville this could be a deal breaker. Jacksonville has had issues of their own tackling, and I’m not sure Henderson would be the one to help that problem. However, Henderson remains a very good player, a team just will have to acknowledge his tackling faults.

For all we know, Henderson could still improve. While he is not getting ready to lay big hit on a receiver, I did find a clip of Henderson running down Deebo Samuel the entire length of the field, marking a true effort play by the gator corner.

For any team, Jacksonville especially, it is important to understand a player’s strengths and weaknesses in order to decide if that player is both right for their organization, and if they do select him, it’s key to keep that player away from situations that hurt the team. I. think Henderson is a top shelf cover corner in the draft and likely goes in the Top-50 picks. For Jacksonville, or any team, Henderson will immediately help sure of the back end of your defense with sticky coverage and game-changing ball skills.

Florida CB CJ Henderson declares for 2020 NFL draft

Florida cornerback CJ Henderson is leaving school early to enter the 2020 NFL draft

Florida cornerback CJ Henderson has declared for the 2020 NFL draft.

He announced his decision through Twitter.

Henderson totaled 93 tackles and eight takeaways throughout his three seasons as a Gator. One of the best players in the SEC, Henderson also happens to be a terrific athlete.

“First and foremost, I want to thank the University of Florida for the amazing opportunity to attend a prestigious university,” Henderson said in his declaration statement. “I am excited to be one step closer to turning my lifelong dream into a reality.”

His decision comes as no surprise, as he has been seen by many as one of the best cornerbacks in college football over the past two seasons.

Henderson has some bad habits to clean up at the next level, but he has every tool necessary to become a quality player at the next level.

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Jags land CB CJ Henderson, WR CeeDee Lamb and help for both lines in Draft Wire mock

Depending on how the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Week 12 game against the Tennessee Titans goes, fans of the team could be looking towards the draft by Sunday night. Then again, even if the Jags can defeat the Tennessee Titans we’re nearing that time …

Depending on how the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Week 12 game against the Tennessee Titans goes, fans of the team could be looking towards the draft by Sunday night. Then again, even if the Jags can defeat the Tennessee Titans we’re nearing that time where the NFL Draft is starting to become very important.

Our comrade Luke Easterling of Draft Wire released another mock draft a few days ago, and for Jags fans, it might be the most impressive one yet. The team was able to land playmakers while addressing needs, too, starting with their two first-round selections of Oklahoma receiver CeeDee Lamb and Florida Gators corner CJ Henderson.

12. Jacksonville Jaguars
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR)
CJ Henderson, CB, Florida

Lamb is no stranger to Jags fans as he’s been mocked to Jacksonville several times before by Draft Wire. Our thoughts on that pick can be seen here.

Henderson is a player Jags fans are unquestionably familiar with, too, due to a majority of their fans being Gators fans. With Jalen Ramsey no longer on the roster, targeting a cornerback early wouldn’t be shocking for the Jags — and landing Henderson, who is a super lanky prospect with great athleticism would be a welcomed addition to the Jags’ questionable defense.

After the first-round, Easterling slotted the Jags two more players who addressed needs in Oregon offensive lineman Shane Lemieux and Auburn defensive lineman Nick Coe.

46. Jacksonville Jaguars
Shane Lemieux, OL, Oregon

77. Jacksonville Jaguars
Nick Coe, DL, Auburn

Lemieux fits the trend we mentioned with Henderson in terms of athleticism. He’d be a great fit with the Jags needing interior line help as Andrew Norwell has been a very underwhelming free agent addition and Brandon Linder hasn’t played to his hefty contract either. He’d especially give the Jags an option to replace Norwell, who lacks the athleticism and movement skills of Lemieux.

Coe is another player Draft Wire has mocked to the Jags previously. At 6-foot-5, 291-pounds, he’s a versatile player who could play in the interior or outside similar to Calais Campbell. With the veteran getting up there in age, Coe is another player who could be brought in to learn from Campbell like Taven Bryan and eventually could be a starter at some point. It’s also worth noting that Coe makes sense for the Jags because Marcell Dareus could be a cap casualty next season, too.

2020 NFL draft order: Look at where Eagles stand with 1st-round pick after Week 11

The Philadelphia Eagles would currently hold the No. 15 pick in the NFL Draft.

The Philadelphia Eagles currently sit at 5-5 on the NFL season, with hopes of a playoff run during the next six weeks.

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If the Eagles are unable to make the playoffs, they’ll settle somewhere into the middle of the first round, hoping to use that pick on a possible wide receiver or young cornerback. With Week 12 of the NFL regular season upon, Draft Wire broke the selection order for the NFL Draft and as it stands right now, the Eagles would be picking at No. 15 in the first round.

As it currently stands, the Eagles would have options at No. 15. If they decide to address the defensive line, they could target South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw, a strong and forceful defensive tackle.

If not a defensive tackle, the Birds could have their choice of either Oklahoma wideout CeeDee Lamb, Florida cornerback, CJ Henderson, Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III and Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins.