The first loss Jim Harbaugh experienced as an NFL Head Coach happened on September 18th, 2011 at the old Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The winning team that day? Only the Dallas Cowboys led by a particular legendary quarterback named Tony Romo who’d suffered a punctured lung that day.
It’s been almost six years since that day – holy smokes – and now Jim Harbaugh roams the collegiate sidelines once again, nowadays in Ann Arbor as the Head Coach at the University of Michigan. The Wolverines have undergone a serious transformation under The One That Wears The Khakis, and two of his latest proteges have now moved on and will join the team he took his first NFL loss against.
That’s right. Defensive End Taco Charlton (1st Round, 28th Overall) and Cornerback Jourdan Lewis (3rd Round, 92nd Overall) are trading in – in my opinion – the greatest helmet college football has to offer for the one NFL players covet most – The Star. They are two of the latest examples of the Cowboys coveting players from the Power Five Conferences as they both not only hail from the Big Ten but were teammates at Michigan.
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/jim-harbaugh-on-cowboys-drafting-two-michigan-players_Dallas-Fort-Worth-421479953.html
During a recent event in Dallas, NBC 5’s Pat Doney caught up with Jim Harbaugh to discuss the two new Wolverines Cowboys Nation will be rooting hard for. Coach Harbaugh gave a lot of great insight and reflection that gives reason to be excited.
“Taco Charlton, Jourdan Lewis… two great young men because they truly want to be good. They’re serious about being good and they’ve been put to the test. They’ve had to do the hard stuff.” -Jim Harbaugh
Of course we all know that Taco Charlton and Jourdan Lewis will go from Jim Harbaugh to Jason Garrett in terms of who’s calling the shots, and the former thinks that the latter is going to really enjoy his new toys.
“I think Coach Garrett will be really happy with the way they practice. They’re gonna show up. They’re gonna be on time. They’re gonna work hard. They’re gonna do the kind of stuff they say they’re gonna do. And it’s important to them to be good.” -Jim Harbaugh
Playing for Jim Harbaugh is hardly a walk in the park. Both Taco Charlton and Jourdan Lewis are coming to the Cowboys with a firm idea of what it’s like to be coached by an NFL-caliber top dog. Let’s get to work, fellas!
Regardless of draft position or if an UFA, each rookie has to deliver in the summer – and always surprises. Some who don’t who were supposed to, vice versa.
Lewis could hardly have come into a better situation. He is most likely Scandrick’s heir apparent, whether this year, next, etc. He doesn’t have to start right away as an outside CB, but will get to be on the field a lot on long downs. Not much chance of a miss there unless he doesn’t apply himself.
Charlton – I like most did not like the pick because he does not seem to be a prototype RDE, and his game was still developing on the college level – so why go that high for that? But getting Awuzie in the second offset it for me. There is more pressure this year on Awuzie than Lewis – but that was a strike in round 2.
I think Marinelli has a plan for Charlton that can justify the #1. Maybe they will just put him at RDE and it works, but it’s more likely to me that he’ll end up at LDT next to Irving at LDE. Charlton has the size and power for it, and they both have long arms. That could give you a strong left side rush.