Mayo i dont know if you have but if you didnt, you should take a look at Phillip Gaines. He does not have the speed but what he has is a very high football iq and awareness. The kid is a pass break up machine and very physical.
Thanks. I've heard of Gaines, but haven't watched a lot of him. He's supposedly very physical, but there are some questions about his speed. Could he be a safety conversion? From what I've heard, he's probably a UDFA, so he could be a good target.
Have you seen much of Dowling, or are you just basing this on ranking/reputation?
FWIW, I'd love to pick them both up. We have 2 6th round picks and may get 2 6th round comp picks. Get them both and you've got tremendous depth at the DB position, as both guys can probably play outside CB and safety:
S: McCourty, Harmon, Gregory/Wilson, Dowling, Ebner.
CB: Talib, Dennard, Ryan, Arrington, Colvin.
Colvin would probably be on PUP and possibly IR for 2014, but some had him projected as a top-50 pick. Dowling has big time talent, and I've heard some projections that he could rise as far as the 3rd round.
Sign an OG/OC in FA and a TE like Brandon Pettigrew or Scott Chandler, re-sign Edelman or sign a cheaper UFA alternative (Jeremy Maclin or Riley Cooper), restructure a bunch of guys (including Wilfork, or sign Linval Joseph), then draft mainly for defense:
29. Timmy Jernigan or Ra'Shede Hageman.
33. (hypothetical Mallett trade). Trent Murphy, DE, Stanford.
62. Marcus Smith, OLB, Louisville.
93. Devonta Freeman, RB, Florida St.
128. Richard Rogers, move TE, Cal.
6a. Aaron Colvin, DB, Oklahoma.
6b. Best available developmental interior lineman prospect.
6 (comp). Jonathan Dowling, DB, Western Kentucky.
6 (comp). Trey Millard, FB, Oklahoma.
7. Moon shot of your choice.
And yes, I know that BB has never drafted a player from a Bob Stoops-coached team.