For more than two decades, Bob McGinn has been polling personnel people before the draft about draft prospects, first for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and most recently for golongtd.com. McGinn uses the results of those polls to rank draft prospects at their respective positions and spices up the rankings with comments from anonymous scouts.
The comments from these scouts can be effusive in their praise for a prospect but can also be damning indictments of various aspects of a prospects game/personality/traits.
Not everybody likes McGinn’s collection of scouting quotes, which our sister SB Nation site for the Packers, Acme Packing Company, called a slander-fest.
It’s the time of year when we get the famous/infamous Bob McGinn anonymous scout slander-fest, in which old men give their unvarnished opinions on the young men about to embark on their NFL careers after reaching the absolute pinnacle of the college game.
At this point McGinn’s scouts are really and truly ancient cliches, coming back to the same, tired points. They also don’t actually seem to understand young people, or football. They make the same mistakes year after year, they’re sloppy, and they have almost no rigor to their opinions. And of course, many are tarnished by certain societal factors that really, really cloud their judgement.
Stands to reason Packers fans didn’t like some of the things the scouts had to say. Regardless, taken by themselves, the quotes likely provide a distorted picture of a prospect, but taken together, they begin to form a picture of what the scouting community may have thought about a given prospect.
With the draft firmly behind us, we revisit what those scouts told McGinn about seven Cowboys rookies – and add Will McClay’s take on the pick.
#11: Safety Caleb Downs, Ohio State
“Wired different.”
“He didn’t do anything (at the combine), and he doesn’t need to,” said one scout. “He was there cheering up his guys. He’s taken every opportunity with grace and he’s kind of happy to be there, where some guys would opt out of a bunch of stuff and have a crappy attitude. It’s probably more just (high) character with Caleb. They talk about how intelligent he is and how mature he is. In his interview you can get a feel for that. A guy that rushes the passer (Arvell Reese) has more value but Caleb is wired different. He is smart, he is mature, he is humble.”
“Looked like Ed Reed.”
“People don’t value safety like they do the money positions,” said a second scout. “But this is a good player. I saw him two summers ago and he was crouching down and looked like Ed Reed trying to sneak around in the back end. He didn’t have that kind of splash production like Ed did but this kid’s a football junkie. If he can come into Alabama and learn that scheme and talk fluently with (Nick) Saban, then he knows football.”
“You take him, you’re gonna hit.”
“You take him, you’re gonna hit,” said a third scout. “He’d be up there with the best (he’s scouted). Ed Reed broke the mold. Sean Taylor is up in there. (Eric) Berry was a big-timer. The (Troy) Polamalus and Ed Reeds of the world, they’re all his size. Brian Dawkins was his size. Really balanced as a tackler. Doesn’t miss many. Not a killer. More of a wrap-you-up, get-you-down tackler. He’s a much better Brian Branch. He’s got incredible instincts, he’s fast to the ball, he’s physical as hell. He can (cover wide receivers). He’s in the 4.4s. He’s a do-it-all impact player.”
Will McClay: “He’s a multiplier”
“He’s a difference-making type player and we’re very, very fortunate to get him,” Cowboys executive vice president Will McClay said. “And I was surprised that he was there. And you look at the accolades, like when you hear coach (Nick) Saban and people talk about how smart he is, and then you talk about the importance of that. The other day we were talking about how a brain works and how that fits into a defense where you have a guy that can do that. He’s a multiplier. He’s going to make other people better. So, it was very easy to see, and I’m glad he’s a Cowboy.”
#23: Edge Malachi Lawrence, Central Florida
“A lot of ability”
“He’s a guy with a lot of ability, and he showed up at the combine,” one scout said. “He has talent. He ran 4.51. He has traits and pretty decent production.”
“Tested really well“
“He tested really, really well and ran fast,” said a second scout. “He’s a little more finesse. Lacks core strength, but a good player.”
“Doesn’t play the run well.”
“He worked out well at the combine and now people are trying to make something of him,” a third scout said. “He’s a fifth-year senior who’s still raw and not productive. Hit or miss type. He ran fast, and you see a little of that in his getoff. But just overall he doesn’t have great instincts. He doesn’t play the run well. Not very strong bending and breaking with pass-rush stuff.”
“Inconsistent motor.“
“Inconsistent motor,” a fourth scout said. “When it’s third and 10 and he knows it’s pass he can get off the ball pretty good. If it’s first and 10 he kind of comes off slow, soft. Not real tough and physical setting the point. More of a fifth-fourth round project.”
Will McClay: “Pressure Player”
“He’s a pressure player, so you would like him in any scheme,” McClay said. “I think he adds value to the scheme because of the edge rush and some of the things that he can do; the multiplicity that he could provide for the defense. But No. 1 is getting after the passer with speed and athleticism and we think he can do that.”
#92: LB Jaishawn Barham, Michigan
“He’s kind of a unique player.“
“He’s one of those hybrid pieces. Do you like him better off the ball or do you want to use him as both? Some teams are looking for positionless players. I think to get the most of his value you’re going to mix it up but he’s probably a better rusher than just a stack backer. He’s not a throwaway out there. Today, I’d say he’s second round because he does have some rush value. He’s kind of a unique player. At worst, he’s a rotational player. He has the demeanor to be a kick-*** on teams. He’s gonna get a jersey and help you.”
Will McClay: “A lot of similarities to Arvell Reese”
“I think he’s been on our radar all season, especially when we started talking about what we were trying to do defensively when at the Combine. Christian [Parker] came in and talked about the linebackers and the outside and the inside linebackers and potentially doing some different things. And then you start looking at Arvell Reese. There’s a lot of similarities in what they do and how they did it. And just excited to get him on the roster because of; number one, he’s extremely physical., and you want to increase the speed of your defense and the toughness. I think he does that.”
#112: OL Drew Shelton, Penn State
“He’s a second-third round type.”
“I have him at guard. He just fits there better. He could be a right tackle. He’s a starter in the league. He could start at guard because of his size and he’s got good feet and lateral range. His hand placement is average. He’s got to get better. I was disappointed in every single Penn State guy. He’s a second-third round type.”
#114: CB Devin Moore, Florida
“Outside corner all the way.“
“He started the first game of his college career as a freshman (2022). That was the potential that he showed. Then he’s had an injury it feels like every month since then. He’s an outside corner all the way. He’s beloved at Florida. But he’s just been hurt so much. He might be a find for somebody.”
Will McClay: “A big athlete that can think”
“He’s a long athletic corner that can play press, he can play off, he can play zone schemes. And when you do pattern match and some different things in defense, he can do those. He understands spacing and stuff like that. He has the ability to tackle. He’s a big guy who can bend and run and change directions, mirror, double move routes, things like that. The health thing, our doctors and trainers gave him a medical grade that we thought was passing and he did not miss a game last year. So, we feel good about where he is and excited about adding him to the team. A big athlete that can think, feel good about it.”
#137: iDL LT Overton, Alabama
“Extremely versatile player.”
“It’s split,” one scout said. “Some people see him as a defensive tackle, that penetrator. Other see him as a power edge. He easily could be a power edge on base downs and you kick him down inside to rush on sub downs. Third round.”
“The most versatile defensive lineman.”
“I watched him in 2024,” said a second scout. “This kid just kept flashing. I could have seen taking him top 10 of the draft last year. He’s got some rare ability, but you watch him and he’s playing a backup center and he’s not winning. He can be whatever he wants to be. He has rare movement skills but he takes a lot of plays off. Doesn’t always strain through blocks. He can play 3-technique. He played nose tackle with very good effectiveness. He played on the outside collapsing the pocket. He’s the most versatile defensive lineman. There’s real value in him. You get in a situation where you don’t let the offense dictate to you like you have to bring in all your subpackage players because they’re spreading you out. This kid can play defensive tackle and defensive end. I think more teams would ask him to bulk up and play inside. Maybe be that undersized, quick 3-technique that Seattle and the Rams use.”
Will McClay: “Multiple & versatile”
“He played at Alabama. He played all over the line of scrimmage, and in this defense you have to line up in multiple alignments. You can line up head up, inside, outside. The deal is being able to play knock back and then being able to play a gap and a half and also the athleticism to move around on the defensive front. So versatility does matter in this defense and then playing at the high level that he did at Alabama, we feel like he can come in here and contribute at a level right now that can help the defense.”
UDFA: TE Michael Trigg, Baylor
“Boom or bust”
“He’s one of those guys that either is gonna make it or he’s gonna go bust,” said one scout. “He flunked out (of Ole Miss). He could go anywhere (in the draft). Somebody’s going to see something they like and has a coach that thinks he can get it out of him … sees the highlights and this is his best, and we’ll travel with the best.”
“The prototype new-age tight end.“
“He made some great catches that would fill up two to three minutes of his highlights,” the scout said. “He is the prototype new-age tight end. He’s a highlight reel waiting to happen as far as catching the ball down the seam. Marginal blocker. He’s got some issues in his past. He got suspended for a game a year ago and then kind of turned it around (in 2025). They had nothing but high marks for him this year as far as being a teammate. I saw him warm up and he didn’t do a thing. Not one thing. I thought, ‘This guy’s a dog.’ Then he comes out in the first series and makes an unbelievable catch for a touchdown. That’s kind of who he is, though. He’s gonna be a fringe guy that’s gonna have to toe the line. He’s going to have to put on some weight. He’s actually a big wide receiver. He doesn’t block worth beans. He comes across the split zones and he just throws his shoulder in there and isn’t real good at it.”
“Probably the third most talented tight end.”
“Ole Miss basically told him to leave,” a second scout said. “It’s hard to get thrown out at Ole Miss. Talentwise, he deserves to go third round. It’ll just be what (teams) uncover in terms of what his true value is. He’s more talented than Max Klare but he’s not as consistently reliable. He’s got some catches on tape, I mean, over the top of people. He also has some points where you go, ‘Huh? A little lazy there, young man.’ Doesn’t like blocking too much but when he does it he’s good. He’s a weapon. He’s probably the third most talented tight end.”
