Dallas Cowboys 1996 Draft Recap

Former NFL scout Gil Brandt says this of the Dallas Cowboys' top selection in the draft, Kavika Pittman -- "He has good ability to rush the passer. He has very good upfield acceleration, and good jumping ability so it's hard to throw over his head. He had 14 sacks as a senior and he's was a good high-school basketball player, so he's a good athlete."

Kavika Pittman is an athlete, pure and simple. He played on the national championship basketball team for the Amateur Athletic Union, as well as being a district champion long-jumper and high-jumper in high school. This translates to speed, which puts him in the mold of one Charles Haley, only about 10 pounds heavier. He missed the second half of the 1993 season after suffering a deep thigh bruise and having calcium deposits build up. Won All-Conference honors in '94 at McNeese State, tallying 67 tackles and 14 tackles for a loss, including seven sacks. This after missing the latter half of the '93 season with a deep thigh bruise and calcium deposit buildup. He followed his 94 honors by being selected the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year in '95, when he had 53 tackles, 13 sacks, 11 passes broken up and seven more tackles for loss, all while playing with a hand injury during the season.

Positives: Possesses great athletic abilities. Tall, can run, has the quickness and speed to accelerate upfield, giving him great ability to pass-rush. Gets off the ball quickly and closes to the QB even quicker. With his size and speed, is a formidable target to try and throw over/around. Has great lateral pursuit, covering sideline-to-sideline. At 21, is young and not beat up from college career. Will play with injuries. His added weight and strength allowed him to have the best physical performance at a combine he has ever had.

Negatives: Still lacks some functional football strength and bulk at the point of attack. Can be overpowered at times. Gets controlled by big blockers too easily because of lack of upper-body strength. Has not faced the best competition week in and week out. Got handled a lot at the Senior Bowl and would often get wired to the blocker.

Summary: Kavika is a natural pass rusher who can run with speed and has a lot of potential. He must get stronger if he is to be an every-down player in the NFL.

Randall has a fantastic first 3 years at Georgia. In the strong run-oriented SEC, he averaged 110 tackles during that span, including 114 in his freshman and sophomore seasons. A hamstring injury in his Senior year hampered what was a brilliant career. In high school, he was a three-sport athlete and was the top rated prospect in the state. He doesn't have great instincts and sometimes can't shed oncoming blockers.

General: Rated No. 1 high-school prospect in the state of Georgia. Also played basketball and ran a 10.8 100 meters in track. Starting the last nine games of his freshman year while leading Bulldogs in tackles with 114 and winning Southeastern Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. Started every game in '93 and had 114 tackles again and 1 interception, making him the Coaches' All-SEC pick. Played his Junior year in '94 primarily at middle linebacker and made 102 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and two sacks as well as snaring two interceptions. Suffered a grade-two tear hamstring injury his Senior season in '95 in week 5 against Alabama and was a nonfactor for the remainder of the season, playing briefly in two other regular-season games. Ended the regular season with 35 tackles. Came back to play in the Senior Bowl but was still troubled by the hamstring.

Positives: Extremely gifted athletic abilities. Explosive quickness and speed. Has great, quick acceleration. Can explode off the corner. At times will fly to the ball. Has the speed to track plays down from the backside in pursuit. Can flatten behind the line. Has very good body control and balance. Can run with backs in coverage.

Negatives: Does not do a good job of standing in and taking on blockers. Tends to play upright and gets hung up on blocks. Too many of his tackles in '94 and '95 were made downfield. Inconsistent instincts and intensity. Slow to fill at times. Does not always play a physical game. At times will waste motion getting to the ball or take himself completely out of plays. Has gotten worse instead of better the past two years, but can be attributed to his injury.

Summary: Has great movement skills and ability, but he was a huge disappointment in '95. Now must be viewed as a boom-or-bust-type pick. Dallas is expecting the healthy and dominant Godfrey to show up for the Cowboys.

General: Shiver redshirted in 1991, started five games in '92 while splitting time. He started the past three years. Was All-Atlantic Coast Conference in '94 and '95 and made the Football Writers Association All-America team both years.

Positives: Fine leader. Tough and nasty, and doesn't mind it. Can be physical. Has initial quickness to get into position immediately. Very hard worker in the weight room and out, with a great work ethic resulting in him getting bigger. Bench-presses close to 500 pounds. Has enough mobility to block on the second level. Very alert pass protector who does a nice job of helping out. Works well in combination blocks. Makes good decisions. Understands blocking angles and position. Very accurate on the shotgun snap and the direct snap to the running back. Good use of his feet to stay in balance.

Negatives: Is not as naturally big or athletic as you would like. Will have trouble in some one-on-one situations. At times will struggle to drop his hips and to slide so he can continue to play with knee bend.

Summary: Not as big or gifted as scouts would like, but he is a very good football player who has great intangibles and work ethic.

General: Redshirted in 1991. Moved into the starting lineup in '93, catching 40-929 and 10 TDs. Was the team's Offensive MVP in '94 when he caught 57-1,106-10. Caught 12-167-3 versus Mississippi State in '95 and ended the year with 66-1,056-12. Also returned 12 kickoffs for 275 yards and nine punts for 38 yards.

Positives: Superb athlete. Flexible, fluid and graceful. Tracks the ball nicely and will snatch the ball at times; good hands. Quick off the line. Can generally beat the jam with his quickness. Has speed and acceleration. Has a really good second gear that allows him to pull away from the defender. Fluid at the break point. Gets into and out of his breaks quickly. Can really adjust his body. Has some RAC (Run-After-Catch) ability, and, every time he touches the ball, he is a threat to score. Makes plays short and deep.

Negatives: Looks frail. Lacks power. Is not as physical for a man his size. Can be knocked off his routes. Needs route refinement. Is not much of a blocker.

Summary: Is tougher inside and has average speed, but his size and physical abilities make him a potential threat.

General: Transferred from San Bernardino (Calif.) Junior College. Entered Brigham Young in 1993 and redshirted after having surgery on his left shoulder. Started every game in '94 at Right Tackle and had 21 tackles, with 11 of them for a loss and six sacks. Began '95 season as a starter and then was suspended for four games for violating school's honor code. Ended year with 24 tackles and 3 ½ tackles for loss.

Positives: Looks the part. His large but quick Samoan frame gives him the tools to play on the next level. Flashes pass-rush ability. Can neutralize and shed blockers when he plays low. Has a quick first step. Can put moves together. Was impressive at the Hula Bowl.

Negatives: Is not as strong as he could be. Tends to play with a high pad level and gets overpowered when he does. Appears to disappear at times, taking plays off and running out of gas. Has had off-the-field problems. Will get called for some dumb penalties on the field. Shows questionable judgment both on and off the field.

Summary: Needs to grow up and get his life in order. He has the abilities to become a dominating DT for the Cowboys with some hard work.

General: Fifth-year senior who has started the past three seasons. Did miss three games in 1994 after having his right knee scoped. Won All-Conference honors at Tackle in '95.

Positives: Massive, bulky and girthy. A real widebody. Will flash some pop when he bends his knees. Average speed for a man his size.

Negatives: Has a weight-gain problem. On the stiff side and does not play with good knee bend. Lacks good movement skills and change of direction at his present weight.

Summary: Needs less body fat and some technique development if he is to have a chance. May be better suited for the middle of the line at Guard than Tackle.

General: Redshirted in 1991 and played special-teams in '92 and '93. Started past two years. Had 123 stops, 10 passes broken up, two sacks and a pick in '94 and 97 tackles, nine passes broken up and three interceptions in '95. Also ran twice from the upback position in punt formation and gained 76 yards, with a long run of 70.

Positives: Above-average athlete. Good height and speed. Works hard, will hustle and chase. Very competitive with instincts and field awareness. Good special-team player. Very active. Flies all over the field.

Negatives: Does not look the part. Very thin in the lower body. Cannot take plays on well. Much more effective when he is free to run to the ball rather than contending with a blocker.

Summary: Very active and has a great motor, but he must be in the right position in the right defense to be effective. With good speed and size, could be a natural fit for the Dallas LB scheme.

General: Transferred from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College. Redshirted in 1993. Played in 11 games in '94. Was the team's third cornerback in '95, when he started versus Nebraska in the season finale. Ended the year with 19 tackles and five passes broken up.

Positives: Pretty strong and physical. Can jam the receiver. Has some speed and quickness.

Negatives: Lacks experience and exposure. Needs to develop a better feel for pass coverage and coverage cushion. Did not run as well as he was supposed to at the combine.

Summary: Limited game experience has curtailed his development, but he has some tools to work with. With the right teacher and mentor, could do quite well.

Editor's Note: I'm still looking for some information on Ryan Wood, and once located and absorbed, will be updated to this page. Thanks for your indulgence.

Raul

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