Cowboys Draft: DeForest Buckner the Perfect Rushman

The Cowboys would be wise to consider a defensive lineman like Deforest Buckner with their #4 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He may be the perfect rushman.

Flying under the radar of many is Oregon defensive lineman, DeForest Buckner. Buckner, 6’7” 290lbs, is a beast of a man with a frame capable of adding additional weight. He’s strong, quick, and athletic. Buckner is a player on the rise and a player the Cowboys will be seriously considering with their #4 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

How good is DeForest Buckner?

In the 2015 season, Pro Football Focus credited Buckner with 67 defensive pressures, which is the best among his peers in the last two seasons. He logged 10.5 sacks and 36 run stops making him one of the most complete defensive linemen in the draft. In all, Buckner recorded 83 tackles, 17 for loss, and five passes batted all while facing a steady stream of double and triple-teams.

He has a dominant bull-rush, a technically sound swim move, and surprising quickness through the gap. His powerful (and active) hands are almost impossible to stop, provided he can keep his arms extended. The only true weakness appears to be pad level. At times he plays too high and gets blown out off a play but in the grand scheme of things – that’s a pretty easy thing to fix.

The Cowboys have multiple other reasons to be enamored with DeForest Buckner:

His high-effort motor. Rod Marinelli can work wonders if a player is willing to work hard for it. Deforest Buckner not only has the physical skills but he also has the work ethic. NFL production is virtually guaranteed in the Cowboys system
He’s well-versed in a penetrating 1-gap defense. As we’ve discussed before, the 4-3 and 3-4 defenses by themselves aren’t overly different. Gap responsibilities are the hardest thing to transition. The Oregon Ducks often ran an aggressive 1-gap scheme that allowed Buckner to explode off the ball. The Cowboys Rod Marinelli also runs an aggressive 1-gap scheme that places a premium on backfield penetration. This makes his transition from a 3-4 DE to a 4-3 DE (or even 3-technique) an easy one.

Versatility. DeForest Buckner played primarily out of a 3-4 DE position but with his size, speed and athleticism, he could easily transition to a 4-3 DE or even a 3-technique defensive tackle. The Cowboys could move him up and down the defensive line to exploit match-ups and cover for injuries or weaknesses.
He’s still progressing. Players who breakout one year and then stall or “play it safe” the next year can be alarming to scouts, fans, and draftniks. DeForest Buckner is not that. Nearly every scouting report is noting his steady progression in all phases of his game. He’s already a beast and he’s only scratched the surface of his potential.
He could allow DeMarcus Lawrence to move to RDE. The RDE spot and the 3-technique DT are the premiere pass-rushing positions in the Rod Marinelli defense. Bringing in Buckner to play LDE would allow the Cowboys to move Demarcus Lawrence to his more natural RDE, giving him better sack production.