NFL Network Labels Rodriguez Top Value Pick on Third Day of Draft
STILLWATER – Sunday morning I was perusing around for NFL Draft grades, coverage, and comments on the completed NFL Draft. I think it is great that Malcolm Rodriguez, Devin Harper, and Christian Holmes were all picked. That was the trio, if you look back at our Pokes Report Draft Preview that I felt would definitely be picked. I’m happy that so many other guys will get the opportunity to make it in the league as undrafted free agents. I will bet on Josh Sills to make a team or a practice squad. Tre Sterling will prove to be extremely tough to not keep around. I hope all of them make it.
Now, most of you know that Malcolm Rodriguez became one of my all-time favorite Cowboys. I was in on Rodriguez when he had two offers as a senior about to play for a third straight state championship as the quarterback at Wagoner. He wad offers from Wyoming and NEO A&M Junior College.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy looked into him, watched video, and then asked his staff, “Why haven’t we offered this guy?”
They did offer him and 409 tackles later along with many tackles-for-loss, sacks, two huge interceptions with one for a touchdown to beat Iowa State and the other to help seal the deal against Notre Dame, and fumbles forced and recovered with one for a touchdown against Kansas State here we are.
I stumbled across an NFL Network video on top value picks on the last day of the 2022 NFL Draft with Matt “Money” Smith, Cynthia Frelund, and Lance Zierlan of the NFL Network. Low and behold, their top value pick on day three – Malcolm Rodriguez!
“I was floored that it took until the sixth round for Malcolm Rodriguez to come off the board,” Smith said. “Why did he last that long? Because he’s not big, but he is productive, 129 tackles. He had the most defensive stops in the Power Five last season, 15 tackles-for-loss, three sacks, one interception, and four forced fumbles. When you watch him play the instincts are incredible. This guy reads and you know how they play in the Big 12, there are a ton of RPO. He identifies run-pass so fast and you want to talk about run fits, the guy just always seems to pick the right gap. He is such an instinctual player. One of my favorite things about linebackers and defenders, wrestlers. He has such strong hands, strong, sound tackling hands.”
“You brought up his body control and his ability to change speeds when he goes from one side to the other, more lateral quickness,” said Frelund, who specializes as a fantasy football analyst. “He is ranked in the top 75 percentile per Computer Vision in a 20-year sample. I’m so excited as a Lions fan, this is a great moment.”
“He is a future starter,” Zierlan, a top NFL Draft analyst, concluded. “Malcolm Rodriguez is a serious, serious talent. If he were two inches taller, with arms two inches longer we are talking about a second-round pick. The production is there. You know Money (Matt), you and I sat up in the stands at the combine with a scout friend of mine, who basically said there is a fan club (for Rodriguez). Brian Baldinger (former NFL player and NFL Network analyst) is in our fan club (for Rodriguez). It blew me away he was available in the sixth round.”
I have to say I enjoyed hearing all that.