As a member of the Dallas Cowboys, it would make ample sense for recent second-round pick Randy Gregory to be viewed as a possible Demarcus Ware 2.0. Ware, of course, was a former first-rounder of the Cowboys and GM/owner Jerry Jones who spent nine seasons terrorizing opposing quarterbacks in the NFC East. Ware was able to turn explosive athleticism and freakish strength into a long, impactful NFL career - a career which still continues to this day, now with the Denver Broncos. And while most Cowboys fans would be all too happy for Gregory to become the second coming of Ware, it seems another former NFL sack machine is being looked at as something of a template for the lithe, lanky pass rusher out of Nebraska.
Peter King of MMQB.com took a recent visit to Oxnard, CA to check in on Cowboys training camp and while there, a Cowboys official informed him that longtime Miami Dolphin and former Washington Redskin and New York Jet Jason Taylor is the model for Gregory.
"I've always felt I have real good strength for my size," Gregory said, via King. "I think a lot of guys look at me and they think long and rangy, but I think I have a lot of strength for my size. Obviously putting on weight is going to help, but I feel like the weight is more for mass, not getting pushed around as much, rather than being able to push somebody off. Adding the weight is only going to help me more."
Taylor, a one-time third-round pick of the Dolphins, put together a 15-year NFL career complete with 774 tackles, 139.5 sacks, 47 forced fumbles and eight interceptions. It was a career that also included the 2006 AP Defensive Player of the Year award, six Pro Bowls, three first-team All Pro selections and may very well, when he becomes eligible in 2017, eventually include a bust in Canton.
While all the hardware and accolades Taylor collected are certainly premature considerations where Gregory is concerned, there's no denying the similarities between Gregory's and Taylor's game. While Gregory entered the league around 245-pounds, the team believes he can operate well at about 260, per King. Taylor spent most of his professional career playing in that weight range. Gregory has already been wowing coaches and teammates with quick-twitch plays and athletic pass rush moves. Taylor made his living using his unique athletic gifts and skill set to leave massive offensive lineman grasping for air.
While he's a surefire pass-rush specialist, because of his size, Gregory will face consistent questions of his ability to hold up against the run and perform on more than just third down. To hear the Cowboys tell it, that shouldn't be a problem.
"We believe he can be more than just that [a pass-rusher]," Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said, via King. "You look at guys who came into the league with that body type-Jason Taylor, Charles Haley, Michael Strahan early, DeMarcus Ware-and every one of those guys turned out to be able to play the run pretty well. It's early, but Randy shows signs of that too."
