id=content_id>ARLINGTON
Julian
Love Jersey , Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott and Saquon Barkley are friends
from their days as foes at Ohio State and Penn State.Now that they’re set to
share the field for the first time as pros, the running back of the Dallas
Cowboys remembers his only college encounter with Barkley, the promising rookie
of the New York Giants.To wit, the matching hurdle plays that Elliott recalls
when Barkley was a freshman for the Nittany Lions and outgained the reigning
offensive MVP from the first championship game in the four-team playoff era a
season earlier. Elliott’s Buckeyes got the bigger prize, a 38-10 win.“I went out
and hurdled a guy and literally the next drive he comes back and hurdles one of
our guys,” Elliott said. “That was pretty cool to me just to see him come back
and do the same thing.”Just as in that scenario three years ago, Elliott is the
established star after leading the NFL in rushing as a rookie in 2016, and
Barkley is the first-year upstart. As for the bigger prize Sunday night, the NFC
East rivals need the win with both coming off season-opening losses.“We don’t
worry about that,” first-year Giants coach Pat Shurmur said. “That’s fun for
everybody to talk about outside the building. We didn’t do enough in the first
game to win the game, and we’re working to do what we can to win this next one.
Period. End of story.”It could be just the start of the Elliott-Barkley story.
Friends since that night in Columbus, Ohio, after Barkley rushed for 194 yards
while Elliott had 153 yards and a touchdown, they are now among the most
important pieces for storied franchises trying to get back to the Super Bowl.And
each was the first running back taken in his draft: Elliott fourth overall in
2016 and Barkley at No. 2 this year.“They’re powerfully built guys,” Shurmur
said. “When I say ‘collision balance,’ in the hole, guys bouncing off, and they
can keep their balance. (Elliott’s) production in his first two years had
nothing to do with us selecting Saquon, but they’re similar in a lot of
ways.”Things to consider as these rivals meet within the first two weeks of the
season for the sixth time in seven years:EYES ON THE RUNNERSThe Cowboys need to
establish Elliott earlier than they did in a 16-8 loss to Carolina, but will
need more help from a passing game still trying to figure out life after Jason
Witten and Dez Bryant.The Giants wouldn’t mind getting more from Barkley, even
though a 68-yard touchdown in a 20-15 loss to Jacksonville made him the
franchise’s first to debut with a 100-yard rushing game (106). Now he’ll try to
be the first Giants rookie since Eddie Price in 1950 with consecutive 100-yard
outings.DON’T FORGET THE BLOCKINGThere are questions up front for both teams
coming out of the openers. Giants right tackle Ereck Flowers drew tripping and
holding penalties on the first series after an offseason move from the left
side. Free agent addition Nate Solder had a holding penalty at left tackle.The
Cowboys are still adjusting to Joe Looney at center with four-time Pro Bowler
Travis Frederick out indefinitely with a nerve disorder. Rookie left guard
Connor Williams was beaten for two sacks. And one of the mainstays, five-time
Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith, had a pair of penalties.BECKHAM’S BACKIn his
first game since an ankle injury 11 months ago and since signing $95, five-year
extension, Odell Beckham Jr. had 11 catches for 111 yards against the Jaguars.
The star receiver has had his moments against the Cowboys, most notably the
leaping one-handed catch for a touchdown as a rookie four years ago. That was
one of his two games against Dallas with two TDs. He has five scores in six
games against the Cowboys.NOT SO SPECIALGiants punt returner Kaelin Clay, signed
after the final cuts, had 4 yards on three returns. He fumbled the last one at
the Giants 19-yard line, but he is getting a second chance. The Cowboys cut Dan
Bailey, the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history, in favor of Brett Maher.
The CFL veteran missed his first NFL kick, from 47 yards, when the Cowboys were
trying to get within seven points late in the third quarter. Let’s build a
scenario where the Daniel Jones at 6 talk becomes reality"The 2019 NFL Draft is
almost here. Mercifully, that means a temporary end to mock draft madness —
until it starts up again for the 2020 draft. Let’s offer one more 7-round New
York Giants mock draft scenario.Full disclosure: Before I even start this mock I
know that I am taking Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick.
Is that what I would really do if the choice were mine? Probably not. I’m doing
it here, though, for a couple of reasons.First, increasingly it looks like Dave
Gettleman and the Giants might. Second, we’re painting scenarios with these
mocks. We haven’t looked at one with Jones at the top. Let’s do that and see how
it plays out.Round 1 (No. 6) — Daniel
Jones
http://www.giantsfanshop.com/Darius-Slayton-Jersey ,
QB, DukeTold you what I was going to do. Did it. Yes, Dwayne Haskins was still
on the board. Drew Lock, too. Quinnen Williams, Josh Allen and Devin White were
not.Round 1 (No. 17) — Devin Bush, LB, MichiganDeve Gettleman predicted that no
matter what there would be good players available at 17. Here, he’s right. Lots
of good options here. None of these would really, in my view, be wrong. I will
take the difference-making linebacker.Passed on: OT Andre Dillard, OT Jonah
Williams, Edge Clelin Ferrell, DL Christian Wilkins, CB Byron Murphy, WRs Hakeem
Butler, N’Keal HarryRound 2 (No. 37) — Dexter Lawrence, DL, ClemsonAfter taking
a quarterback at No. 6 my instinct tells me the picks at 17 and 37 are more
likely than not to be defense. Why Lawrence? Remember during his pre-draft press
conference when Gettleman was asked about players on defense with a “dog
mentality?” He talked about linebacker Alec Ogletree and safeties Jabrill
Peppers and Antoine Bethea. The hog-mollie loving Gettleman didn’t mention any
of his interior defensive linemen, and both he and Pat Shurmur have made it
plain they want to add to this group.Forget Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins
and anyone else on that Clemson defense. There are those who believe the guy who
actually made everyone better in that group was the 342-pound Lawrence, a
monster in the middle who also has pass rush potential.There are, in truth, a
number of good possibilities here. Gettleman was right that the early parts of
this draft are “thick” with players.Passed on: WR A.J. Brown, S Nasir Adderley,
DL Jeffrey Simmons, OC Erik McCoy, CBs Justin Layne and Rock Ya-SinRound 3 (No.
95) — JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR, StanfordAdmittedly, I’m hunting for an offensive
tackle, an edge rusher and a cornerback. Wide receiver is on the list as well,
though, and the way the board falls here the 6-foot-2, 225-pound
Arcege-Whiteside is the value play. So, some help for Eli Manning. Oh, and
Jones, too,Round 4 (No. 108) — Will
Harris
Rhett Ellison
Color Rush Jersey , S, Boston CollegeAs near as I can tell, what defensive
coordinator James Bettcher really wants at the safety position are players who
can be used interchangeably — sometimes deep, sometimes in the box, sometimes in
the slot. Harris seems to fit the description.Round 4 (No. 132) — Bobby Evans,
OT, OklahomaValue meets need. The top-rated offensive tackle still on the board,
in a range where he should be considered value.Round 5 (No. 142) — Darius
Slayton, WR, AuburnTo borrow a Gettleman word, we have reached that point of the
mock draft where the TDN board is always “thick” with wide receivers. Here, I
take a developmental speedster.In other mocks I have chosen DeMarkus Lodge of
Mississippi and Travis Fulgham of Old Dominion in similar spots. There are a
number of receivers to select from here, all with pros and cons. Slayton’s 4.39
speed and upside are intriguing. Besides, he’s a guy we haven’t talked about
yet. In his draft guide, Dane Brugler of The Athletic says: “Slayton has
inconsistencies to his game, but he is much more than simply a speed demon,
showcasing fluid athleticism and length to make catches outside his framework,
projecting as a high-upside developmental receiver.”Round 5 (No. 143) — Michael
Jackson, CB, MiamiHad to come out of the draft with at least one corner. Jackson
is a solid 6-foot-1, 200-pound corner reputed to have good ball skills, which
should appeal to Pat Shurmur.Round 5 (No. 171) — Lamont Gaillard, C, GeorgiaSome
competition for Jon Halapio and Spencer Pulley. The highest-rated center, a need
position, left on the board.Round 6 (No. 180) — Elijah Holyfield, RB, GeorgiaThe
Giants might be looking for a running back to replace Wayne Gallman as the caddy
for Saquon Barkley, and it would make sense if that were a power back who could
handle some of the short-yardage chores. Draft Network says the 215-pound
Holyfield brings “eye-popping power to the contact point.”Round 7 (No. 232) —
Austin Bryant, Edge, ClemsonDon’t ask me how Bryant is still on the board here.
He is, though, and that’s good enough for me.Round 7 (No. 245) — Jordan
Brailford, Edge, Oklahoma StateWith 12 picks and not having taken an edge rusher
until this round, I’ll take another swing at that spot.
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