Dave Campo impressed with SMU grad Bryan McCann

[PonyPride]

Former SMU cornerback Bryan McCann has been drawing attention throughout the offseason. He dazzled scouts at SMU's Pro Day by running the fastest 40-yard dash in the country, and drew praise from teammates and coaches alike in the Dallas Cowboys' rookie mini-camp at the end of April.

At the team's first Organized Team Activity (OTA) last week, McCann was singled out again, this time by Dallas defensive coordinator and secondary coach Dave Campo.

"I’ve got to see him play before I can put a stamp on him, but from what I’ve seen, he’s a good athlete to work with," Campo said, "and if I’m not mistaken, he was a safety originally at SMU and then moved, so he probably will hit you."

McCann did play one year at safety at SMU (although not his freshman season), and said that while nobody within the Dallas organization has suggested he serve double double duty, his familiarity with multiple positions is helpful when it comes to picking up a new defensive system.

"I haven't heard anyone say anything about playing safety, but it's good to be able to play more positions," McCann said. "Understanding what other positions are doing makes you a better defensive player."

McCann said he felt "a little slow" during the team's first OTA, but said the learning process is going well.

"The base stuff is easy," McCann said. "The confusion comes when they (the offensive players) do a lot of motions and shifts to create different looks. The biggest thing is when they go to a lot of audibles and motions."

McCann's ability to identify what an offense is doing, and the athletic ability to adjust, is part of what appealed to Campo, who lobbied for the Cowboys to draft him to avoid the risk of losing him to another team as an undrafted free agent.

"Bryan obviously is a very good athlete, and he's a very smart player, too," Campo said. "I like to work with a guy like that."

[Garret]

"Bryan obviously is a very good athlete, and he's a very smart player, too," McCann said. "I like to work with a guy like that."

I'm guessing that Campo said this.

[PonyPride]

How embarrassing! Yup — you're right.

Fixed. Thanks.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Thanks double P! Pony Up!

[smuuth]

I guess I will have to be the one to ask the question. If he is smart and athletic and has blazing speed that the nfl is looking for then......why wasn't he singled out more by his college coaches and not a part of more conference and all-america teams instead of just a solid starter. I rarely saw much publicity for the guy. In other words, why did it come down to his time at a pro-day on campus before more notice was given to him?

[mrydel]

I think he was a solid player while he was here. During his entire career we did not have a pass rush. No CB, no matter how good can cover for an unlimited amount of time. Also, he played out of position one year and he was forced into playing as a freshman, during which time he did get burned a few times more than desired while adapting to divison 1A. I do not think he was miscoached or mediocre, rather I believe his timing was very bad in playing for a team that had no defensive support to assist him with his position. Is he the greatest CB to play at SMU? No, not by a long shot, but he was much better than perhaps perceived during his tenure.

Cornerback is a strange position to judge. We had a kid in my class who was All SWC as a soph and was never mentioned again his next 2 years. Why? He was good enough that no one ever threw into his side of the field. He could not get any picks or knock downs because he was too good.

Anyway, I think McCann was a very good CB and I truly hope he continues to progress and make a splash in the NFL.

[CalallenStang]

I think I recall hearing (reading on PonyFans?) that Campo was lobbying Jones to draft McCann. When you play defense, it's always a good sign when a defensive coach has a high opinion of your potential.

[Mestengo]

How embarrassing! Yup — you're right.

Fixed. Thanks.

You b not perfact???

[PerunaPunch]

I guess I will have to be the one to ask the question. If he is smart and athletic and has blazing speed that the nfl is looking for then......why wasn't he singled out more by his college coaches and not a part of more conference and all-america teams instead of just a solid starter. I rarely saw much publicity for the guy. In other words, why did it come down to his time at a pro-day on campus before more notice was given to him?

McCann was a rock-solid, standout defensive player, and among the best defensive players we've had on the team each of the last 4 years. He was an All-C-USA freshman team pick and was an All-C-USA honorable mention pick as a senior. But as someone mentioned before me, it's tough to garner All-conference awards when you play on a defense that's getting torched week after week and is statistically one of the worst in the nation.

You can see this year, just with a little pressure up front, how good our DBs looked at times.

Along with Kevin Garrett and Jones Rutledge, McCann is among the best DBs we've had in the last 20 years.

[SMUFan]

I agree. He was a very solid player at SMU who didn't have gaudy stats, in part because of a lack of pressure on the quarterback until his senior year.
Kick some tail, Bryan.