Cooley had been targeted by the Skins early on-- he was one of the guys they brought in a few weeks ago to interview. When I first heard the news that he had been brought in for pre-draft discussions, I had a strong feeling he would be the contingency plan at H-back if they decided to forego taking Winslow in the first round.
Did they give up too much by trading away their second rounder? I think it's safe to say they probably gave up much more than they needed to-- considering he was generally considered a Day 2 pick, somewhere in the 4th-5th rounds. I'm not really sure why the Skins felt like they had to move into the 3rd round to get him, other than the fact that they knew he was the guy they wanted, and they didn't want to risk losing him. But yes, a 2nd rounder was way too much to sacrifice, in my opinion.
After the Skins passed over Winslow, I had originally foreseen the Skins trading into the early 4th round to get Cooley. But I had figured they would try to work Jeremiah Trotter or one of their other potential cap cuts into that trade, and not have to sacrifice too much in terms of draft choices.
I'm happy the Skins got their man, but I'm disappointed that they overpayed to get him. Such is life as a Redskins fan!
Here's Scouts, Inc.'s take on Chris Cooley:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/d...player?id=7955
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Originally Posted by Scouts, Inc
Cooley is a good athlete who can adjust to the ball in the air. Rarely drops a pass, catches balls away from his frame and has the hands to make tough catches in traffic. Is a mismatch problem because of size and skills and has the potential to develop into a productive red-zone target. Shows good awareness and finds soft spots in zone coverage. Gets upfield quickly after the catch and is a powerful runner in the open field. Is a versatile player who can contribute in many different roles. Has experience lining up in the backfield, does a nice job of blocking in space, and really works to sustain his blocks. Plays with good intensity and takes adequate angles to his blocks. But Cooley isn't a dominant inline blocker and is more of an H-Back prospect. Doesn't play with a great base, doesn't get much pop at the point of attack and lacks the lower-body strength to push the pile in the running game. Lacks ideal speed and won't stretch opposing defenses at the next level. Isn't explosive coming out of his cuts and is more effective working against zone coverage than man coverage. Doesn't show much elusiveness or a second-gear after the catch. Cooley started his college career at defensive end and moved to tight end midway through his freshman season. He played as a ?move? tight end at Utah State, basically a hybrid tight end/fullback/H-back. Cooley has been one of the most prolific tight ends in Division I-A the last two seasons. He finished his senior season with a team-high 62 receptions for 732 yards and six touchdowns. Cooley projects as an H-back in the NFL. He lacks explosive speed and has limited upside after the catch. He also is undersized when compared to traditional tight ends and must be protected as a blocker. But Cooley is an intriguing early Day 2 prospect because of his versatility, hands and athleticism. He knows how to separate and get open as a receiver, he catches the ball extremely well on the run, and he is an efficient blocker in space. Cooley will never be a starter, but he has the potential to contribute at fullback, H-back and on special teams, and he certainly has the potential to develop into an excellent short-yardage/goal-line weapon.
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