Lone Star Struck

Nfl.com released its report card grading all 32 teams on their draft so I am listing their ratings and my rating for the teams. This list is listed by overall grade not by alphabetical order.

1. Clevland Browns- A,  I Give them an A as well for trading back to make a good financial decision and still picking up the best Center in the draft and still making great pick-ups at WR and CB.
2. Green Bay Packers-A, I Give them an A as well for the pick-up of the NT Raji,OLB Matthews and two of the top offensive tackles in the draft which was their main area of concern.
3. New York Giants-A, I Give them a B+ for grabbing two great recievers to solve a huge hole that was left after the Plaxico incident, and then they pretty much just added depth across the board.
4. Philadelphia Eagles-A,I Give them an A as well for adding two veteran tackles that allowed them to tackle other areas when the draft got here, like taking Jeremy Maclin, RB LeSean McCoy, TE Cornelius Ingram, so the Eagles are going to be very tough this year.
5. Houston Texans-B+ , I Give them an A for the fact that they put some depth to the OLB/DE positions and picked up two tight ends in the middle rounds, with the depth on the defensive edge they have look for the Texans to be playoff contenders.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars-B+, I will give them a B for this draft, they put massive depth at the o-line and got a DT that can step right in and also addresed their WR issues with two out of the middle rounds and one in the 7th,they are hoping at least the two middle round WR’s they picked can step up and be contributors this year.
7. Seattle Seahawks-B+, I will give them a B becasue they drafted OLB Aaron Curry when they really should of drafted QB Mark Sanchez wtih Hasslebeck becoming as injury prone as he has been.
8. Baltimore Ravens- B, I will give them a B+ because they were tempted to go for a reciever but they moved up and picked OL Oher for depth and his ability to play any position on the line is one of the reasons that made the Ravens do this.
9. Cincinatti Bengals-B, I will give them a C becasue almost every player they picked will either make a boom or will be a bust.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers-B I will give them a I will give them a B+ personally considering they hit their only need by upgrading their offensive line with their second pick and continued with their philopshy of developing talent by making picks who will be ready in a year or two.
11. Arizona Cardinals-B- I will personally give them a B because they added RB Beanie Wells to pair with 2nd yr back Tim Hightower, and also added massive depth to their defense.
12. Carolina Panthers-B- I will give them a B- also because their draft was nothing spectacular lacking a first round pick but was a very solid draft as is it was.
13. Detroit Lions-B- I will give them a B- as well, they drafted Matthew Stafford which should solve their QB issue but the one pick that didnt make any sense to me was TE Brandon Pettigrew at pick #20 when they should have pursued a OT.
14. Indianapolis Colts-B- I will give them a B for picking up RB Donald Brown and also picking USC DT Moala filled a gaping need look for the Colts to be once again playoff contenders.
15. Miami Dolphins-B- I will give them a B- as well for having the most athletic draft class this year and the most intersting player to watch this year from their draft is QB/WR Pat White.
16. New England Patriots-B- I will give them a B+ for having possibly the most solid 2nd round out of any team with the picks of SS Patrick Chung,CB Darius Butler,DT Ron Brace. Then there is the addition of QB Julian Edelman in the 7th round out of Kent, he could possibly be a Tom Brady type player for the Patriots again but look for that to be a tougher issue with their QB guru Josh McDaniels now being the Head Coach in Denver.
17. New Orleans Saints-B- I will give them a B- as well for a solid draft that stacked up their defense.
18. New York Jets-B- I will give them a B for the well thought out trade up for QB Mark Sanchez at pick #5 after Seattle passed him up to take Aaron Curry at #4
19. San Diego Chargers-B- I will give them a B for a draft that filled in the line on both sides of the ball evenly with their first four picks and the pick of RB Gartell Johnson gives them the Pile Mover they currently lack at RB.
20. Atlanta Falcons-C+ I will give them a C for a draft that patched up some holes on defense but there are still some holes there, but they can be filled in through trades and free agency.
21. Buffalo Bills-C+  I will give them a C- for the lack of drafting a OT after trading Jason Peters to the Eagles and the fact that these players they drafted will have to be contributors right away considering that coach Dick Jauron needs to win this season.
22. Chicago Bears-C+ I will give them a C for a moderate draft with no picks until the 3rd round caused by the Stellar Jay Cutler trade with Denver.
23. Kansas City Chiefs-C+ I will give them a C- for a decent draft that padded their defense really well, but i am very worried about how well this offense can perform, I guess we will have to wait and see what Todd Haley can do.
24. Minnesota Vikings-C+ I will give them a B- for the simple addition of Percy Harvin at pick 27 which could turn out to give them the two most explosive offensive players in the league with of course the other being Adrian Peterson. Look for the Vikings to have a strong rushing attack out of the Wildcat formation With Adrian Peterson,Percy Harvin and Tavarius Jackson who happens to be a Vince Young type QB but has a better arm and better accuracy than Young has at this point.
25. St Louis Rams-C+ I will give them a C+ as well for a draft that landed them a excellent pick in OT Jason Smith.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-C+ I will give them a C for drafting for the future by trading up two spots to pick QB Josh Freeman who may or may not be ready to take the field this year, only time will tell.
27. Tennessee Titans-C+ I will give them a C+ as well for this draft, They took Rutgers WR Kenny Britt to give them an explosive reciever that they currently lack and hope his addition will lead them to another playoff run that will hopefully take them to the Super Bowl this year.
28. Denver Broncos-C I will give them a D for a draft where only one pick made sense and that was RB Knowshon Moreno who better score alot of touchdowns becasue the defense is still suspect they only upgraded their troubled defensive line with one pick and was not addresed anymore, and I wonder do they really have all that much confidence in Kyle Orton not to draft a QB to offer some competion.
29. San Fancisco 49ers-C I will give them a C+ for the addition of WR Michael Crabtree who no one thought would even be on the board at pick 10 for the 49ers to take, and their draft was more for depth than impact after the Crabtree pick.
30. Washington Redskins-C I will give them a C as well for a solid defensive draft in which they now have plenty of depth on defense but on the offensive side of the ball players need to stay healthy because they didnt get much help on depth this off season so far.
31. Dallas Cowboys-C- I will give them a B- for a very solid middle round draft that fixed alot of special teams issues and the pick of QB Stephen McGee was a great pick because I think he will make a stellar back up for Romo when Kitna is done here in Dallas if he does not win that spot from Kitna this year.
32. Oakland Raiders-D I will give them a D as well for a draft that just didnt make sense starting with picking WR Darrius Hayward-Bey over WR Michael Crabtree. This was another fine example of Al Davis’ butchering his teams winning chances.

Nfl.com has reported that the NFL has confirmed this, here is what the article said.

The NFL confirmed reports that the league is considering the idea of starting the 2010 draft in prime time on a Thursday night and making it a three-day event but added that no decision has been made.

The Dallas Morning News reported that the NFL was considering holding the first round of the draft on a Thursday night, the second and third rounds on a Friday night and rounds 4 through 7 on a Saturday. “We think it can be very appealing from a fan’s standpoint and an audience standpoint,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in the story.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy posted the same details on his Twitter channel, asking his “followers” to let him know what they thought.

Last year, the NFL shortened the time between first-round picks from 15 minutes to 10 minutes, and this year’s first round took 3:23 — making it the fastest first round since 1990 (when there were four fewer teams in the league).

So what do yall think of this idea, leave a comment below and let me know.

I know hind sight is always 20/20, but looking back at this draft I see major flaws in the Cowboys draft strategy this year. The “big idea” was to acquire depth and special teams play as well as create competition with a large number of players.

The problem is, many picks will go wasted because of a lack of roster spots available for them all to make it. Also, it seems there was too much focus on players that specialize in a certain area of their total position’s responsibilities.

For example, a strong safety that can’t really play safety but is big enough to maybe play linebacker, but is supposed to be a special teams beast, or a kicker that won’t kick field goals but might play some sort of special teams positions as well as kickoff into the endzone. There are others.

If I’m a general manager, I’m taking FOOTBALL PLAYERS. If you are an outside linebacker you better be able to rush the passer and drop back into coverage, because those are two HUGE parts of your responsibility. I’m NOT taking any “tweeners” either. There are certain types of sizes and shapes for the front seven of a 3-4 defense and even though Ratliff has proven this theory wrong, it is not something that most 3-4 defenses have luck with.

Now I’m not saying that some of the players we did take aren’t “football players”, but I am saying the players we COULD HAVE taken at the same pick were more complete and, in most cases, more highly touted.

The kicker and tight end deal, as well as their explanations for taking them, degraded this grade from a C+ to my final 2009 Cowboys draft grade of a C-.

This revised draft is not fair, in the sense, that I could see ahead and see where certain players fell. However, other than the 7th round trade up, the players I took and the positions they play, in my opinion, would have seriously upgraded our overall draft strength. Trade downs and the one trade up that we actually did are included in this revision.

This is my “revised” draft:

Trade 20. 82. 192. To Detroit Roy Williams WR and 210
51 Trade To Buffalo For 75 And 110
69. Tyrone Mckenzie SOLB
75. Rashaad Johnson FS
101. Marcus Freeman WILB
110. Lawrence Sidury Jr. WOLB
117 Trade To Tampa Bay For 120 And 229
120. Scott Mckillop SILB
Trade 156 And 210 To Atlanta For 143. Jamon Merideth OT
166. Herman Johnson OG
172. Mike Hamlin SS
Trade 197 And 208 To San Diego For 189 Coye Francies CB
227. Mike Mickens CB
229. Manuel Johnson WR/PR

After Draft Signings:

Possibly Stephen Mcgee QB
Cullen Harper QB
Rudy Carpenter QB If Mcgee Isn’t Available
Darry Beckwith ILB
Alex Boone OT
Dallas Reynolds C/OG/OT

This years draft wasn’t the very best but I must say it was deep. A good hand full of sexy picks, a few sleepers and potential bust in this draft kept it interesting. As we all know the whole point of the draft is to fill in a spot or grow talent in a successful system. In the Cowboys case it’s a little of both.

Jason Williams is here to fill in the spot that Greg Ellis will leave in a year or two. Mel Kiper didn’t like the pick, which in my book is a good thing. His numbers are nice and he is in a nice 3-4 scheme, which he can do some real damage in. If he can keep up with the speed of the NFL, look out.

Robert Brewster is coming in to a system of great lineman with Adams, Colombo, and Davis. Unfortunately he will be played a couple times this year due to fact the injury bug bites the Cowboys o-line once a year. I love this guy’s size, 6′4 325 pounds. Damn.

Stephen McGee, a great pick up for the Cowboys. While backing up Kitna and Romo, two great QB’s, he should study and learn the game the way it should be played. What is his potential you ask? You got me, quaterback’s are tricky that way.

In the case of Victor Butler and Brandon Williams its more of a means of beefing up the Defensive Ends pot the Cowboys have already. With Spears having a up and down couple of years, and Spencer not living up to his own draft pick, this seems like a gut check pick.

The corner backs DeAngelo Smith and Mike Mickens, both teammates from the Bearcats were nice pick ups, but all is not good with the state of the secondaries in Dallas. Mike Jenkins is getting there and Orlando Scandrick is learning the nickel back position, the real focus is the fact were getting burned with Terrence Newman being the only lock down corner. I see both of these players as steals. I’m interested on seeing how these two play out.

Safeties Mike Hamlin and Stephen Hodge will be coming into a beat-up mix of safeties. Ken Hamlin should see some help with Mike Hamlin who was a bit of a head hurter at Clemson. Stephen Hodge unfortunately might be moved to the Special Teams with Keith Davis being gone. Hopefully this will be a chance for him to step up and show us what he got.

Kicker David Buehler, I think it goes without saying has everyone scratching their heads in confusion. So much so we (Along with anyone else) are finding excuses for him being on the team. “Oh he’s got a great leg; he’s going to be great in kickoffs.” While Folk isn’t a great kickoff guy it’s not like he’s chucking it out of bounds or in the stands. Also in these cases you have your punter do the kickoffs. But for whatever reason the guy runs a 4.5, that’s faster then some linebackers so I guess…let me stop. I’m finding an excuse for him being here. I mean I welcome everyone to Dallas but come on. I need a reason.

Tight End John Phillips was a late pick and rightfully so. As a Terps fan, I got to see this guy run over a few of my boys while his stay in Virginia. Not a great TE but we can plug him in. Tony Curtis who played the roll of blocking tight end is replaced. I am worried about his ability against quicker linebackers but we’ll what he’s got soon.

Finally, Manuel Johnson was our last pick. I’m gonna be honest folks, unlike Phillips, Hamlin, Smith and Mickens; I’ve never heard, seen or even smelled this guy. I’m not going  to take the Trey Wingo route and talk out of my butt here. I’d like to see how he plays. Hey, Patrick Crayton was a 7th round pick too.

All in all the draft was interesting. I, like a lot of Boys’ fans, was smashing his head into a wall when we gave up a pick to the Bills. Or the fact we got another kicker when we could have gotten another as a free agent. If it wasn’t for good ol’ sweet beer, how many of us would have focused to much on the guys at ESPN without going into a blind rage? (Thank God for NFL Network.)

I would like to thank LSS.com; this was the first draft I sat and watched, with passion and more importantly from start to finish. A new milestone for me as a Cowboys fan.

Let’s go Boy’z!

In a draft where the Cowboys didn’t make a pick until the third round, 12 players were selected in the second day of the draft to add tremendous depth and talent to an already stacked roster.  Although most of the picks aren’t household names or especially ’sexy’, there is certainly no absense of talent in any of the players selected by the Cowboys.  And with that, here is a rundown of the draft class of 2009.

 

Jason Williams - Outside Linebacker, Western Illinois

Like most Cowboys fans, I scratched my head when Jason Williams’ name was announced at the podium.  But the more I read about him, the more excited I became about the pick.  From tiny Western Illinois, Williams has the exceptional size and speed to play linebacker in Dallas’ 3-4 scheme.  The selling point for me were the outstanding statistics racked up by Williams last year.  As a senior for the Leathernecks, he forced 6 fumbles and had 17 tackles for loss.  Williams also ran the fastest 40-time of any linebacker, registering times in the 4.4 range.  Williams has all the tools to be an outstanding linebacker for the Cowboys for years to come.  Look for him to get on the field early in passing situations and especially on special teams.  Cowboys fans need not worry about the opinions of ‘analysts’ like Mel Kiper of Jason Williams.  If you remember, Kiper was the one who scrutinized the Cowboys for taking Demarcus Ware over Shawne Merriman.  We all know how that turned out. 

 

 

Robert Brewster – Offensive Tackle, Ball State

With significant depth issues last year after Kyle Kosier went down with injury, drafting an offensive lineman was a neccesity in this draft.  Robert Brewster is a gargantuan specimen, standing at 6 foot 4 and weighing in at 325 pounds.  Though he played primarily offensive tackle at Ball State, look for the Cowboys to slide him inside to guard due to his enormous size and his earth moving ability.  One would have to think that Brewster would eventually replace Kyle Kosier at left guard in the coming years.  In the mean time, look for the Cowboys to utilize Brewster’s versatility and his ability to provide depth at the guard and tackle position. 

 

 

Stephen McGee – Quarterback, Texas A&M

Though the Cowboys traded for Jon Kitna earlier this year, there was reason to believe that they would pull the trigger on a quarterback prospect in the second day of the draft.  The Cowboys get a terrific development project in Stephen McGee, who possesses the frame and arm strength that will certainly be effective at the NFL level.  Though he may not be much more than a backup for the Cowboys in the next couple of years, he will be a definite upgrade over Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger.  McGee has all the tools to step in for Tony Romo in case of injury and play effectively.  McGee is a great value pick for the Cowboys in the fourth round.  It will be interesting to watch him develop in the coming years. 

 

 

Victor Butler – Defensive End, Oregon State

With the selection of Victor Butler, the Cowboys acquire another athlete with great size who can put pressure on the quarterback.  Butler provided a significant pass rush for the Beavers, registering 22.5 sacks in the last 2 years.  Butler played defensive end in college, but he will most certainly move to a linebacker spot in the 3-4 scheme.  Like Jason Williams, look for Butler to play a great deal on special teams, and look for the Cowboys to utilize his pass rushing ability in passing situations. 

 

 

Brandon Williams – Defensive End, Texas Tech

In Williams, the Cowboys get one more pass rushing specialist to add to their already stocked arsenal.  Like Jason Williams and Victor Butler, Brandon Williams had an extremely successful senior year, recording 12.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks for the Red Raiders.  At 6 foot 5, 252 pounds, Brandon Williams projects to be an outside linebacker for the Cowboys.  He will provide great depth behind Demarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, and Anthony Spencer.  Look for Brandon Williams to contribute mostly on special teams.  But don’t be surprised to also see him contribute in pass rushing situations as well, like his fellow pass rushing counterparts from this draft. 

 

 

DeAngelo Smith – Cornerback, Cincinnati

With the imminent departure of Pacman Jones at the end of last season, the Cowboys needed to add some depth at the cornerback position.  Like all the defensive players selected by the Cowboys, DeAngelo Smith had an exceptional college career.  He had 10 interceptions in his last two years with the Bearcats, 8 coming in one season.  He will help make cornerback one of the deepest positions on the roster, and will also provide the Cowboys with some return ability on special teams.

 

 

Michael Hamlin – Safety, Clemson

It’s been no secret in recent years that safety has topped the list of needs in Dallas.  Michael Hamlin was a great value pick for the Cowboys in the fifth round, as many analysts and mock drafts projected him to go as high as the second round.  The Cowboys get a player with great size in Hamlin, who is of no relation to Ken Hamlin.  Michael Hamlin had 6 interceptions his senior year at Clemson, and should provide some stiff competition for the starting safety spot opposite Ken Hamlin. 

 

 

David Buehler – Kicker, Southern Cal

Certainly one of the most suprising picks of the draft.  David Buehler possesses surprising strength and size for a kicker.  Buehler amazingly benched 25 reps at the combine, more than a handful of linemen who tested out.  He also ran a 4.5 40-yard dash, faster than his fellow USC teammates, Rey Maualuga and Clay Matthews.  Don’t expect Buehler to unseat Nick Folk as the starting kicker, but look for him to provide some competition in training camp and possibly win the kickoff specialist job.  Buehler is also a great tackler, and his intriquing physical prowess will certainly be interesting to watch on special teams.

 

 

Stephen Hodge – Safety, Texas Christian

The Cowboys got a hometown product in Stephen Hodge.  He is exceptionally big for a safety, but ran a decent 40-yard dash at the combine.  He will join a now crowded secondary, and will likely be a backup.  Hodge was terrific on special teams at TCU, so look for him to contribute very early in that aspect.  He has the ability to take over the title of ‘Special Teams Ace’, a label that was left vacant by Keith Davis. 

 

 

 

 

John Phillips – Tight End, Virginia

The Cowboys were obviously looking for depth behind Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett when they drafted John Phillips.  Phillips is a great blocker, and has some history with Cowboys tight end coach John Garrett, who coached for Virginia prior to his arrival in Dallas.  With the loss of Tony Curtis, look for John Phillips and Rodney Hannah to battle it out for the number three tight end spot in training camp. 

 

 

 

Mike Mickens – Cornerback, Cincinnati

Having drafted his teammate DeAngelo Smith two rounds earlier, the Cowboys pulled the trigger on another talented cornerback from Cincinnati in Mike Mickens.  This pick could be the steal of the entire draft in my mind.  Had it not been for a knee injury during his senior year, Mickens would have gone in the second or third round without question.  He had 6 interceptions during his junior year, and 4 interceptions his senior year, despite being hampered by his knee.  Once he gets healthy, look for Mickens to have a significant impact in the secondary. 

 

 

Manuel Johnson – Wide Receiver, Oklahoma

One has to believe that the Cowboys would have pulled the trigger on a receiver much earlier in the draft had a decent talent fallen into their laps.  Manuel Johnson was overshadowed in a talented Oklahoma offense that included Juaquin Iglesias and Jermaine Gresham, but still put up decent numbers, catching 42 passes for 714 yards and 9 touchdowns.  He isn’t as tall as you would like, but has exceptional hands and runs great routes.  Look for him to do battle with Isaiah Stanback for the number five receiver spot in training camp, with the loser most likely getting cut or sent to the practice squad. 

 

 

 

Extras

Is there a worse group of analysts on the planet than the ones that covered the draft on ESPN?  The analysis and commentary started out terrible with the likes of Chris Berman and Keyshawn Johnson on the first day, and got exceptionally worse on the second day when Trey Wingo and Ron Jaworski took over their duties.  And of course Mel Kiper was unfortunately present for both days, and Todd McShay chimed in with irrelevent analysis periodically as well. 

Seriously, these guys are the most sorry cast of analysts I’ve ever seen in my life.  If it wasn’t Keyshawn Johnson chiming in at every given moment about USC, then it was Ron Jaworski refusing to shut up about a no name quarterback from Central Washington.  Couple all that with the fact that Trey Wingo doesn’t know a single thing about football, and it made for an extremely annoying afternoon of irrelevent, talking heads analysis. 

What’s more annoying, Mel Kiper’s inaccurate analysis of every single pick, or his horrendous hair?  His hair is so bad that it actually takes away your focus on his exceptionally terrible analysis.  My good friend Mark compared Mel’s bush to the hair of Eddie Munster.  Surprisingly accurate to say the least.

On one occasion, when the Cowboys were on the clock at #117, they traded the pick to Tampa Bay, and moved down three spots to #120.  When the Bucs drafted Kyle Moore from USC, Trey Wingo reported that he was drafted by the Cowboys, rather than the Bucs, totally oblivious of the fact that they had traded the pick.

On another occasion, the Cardinals drafted Herman Johnson from LSU.  After the Cardinals made the pick, these morons talked for five minutes about how big of an impact he would have for the Carolina Panthers. 

Erin Andrews did a commendable job of being equally as annoying as the group of talking heads.  She shoved her microphone into the face of nearly every first round pick moments after they stepped off the stage with Commissioner Goodell.  And how ridiculously stupid was the reporting that she did with Quan Cosby and Bill Cosby?  Not only was Bill Cosby clearly not interested in answering her irrelevent questions, but he was asleep half the time as well.  If this wasn’t enough, she rudely continued her nagging questions after it was quite clear that Quan Cosby was not going to be drafted. 

Equally as annoying was the horrifically stupid electronic draft board that Michael Smith fiddled with for both days.  Why it was neccessary to implement such a pathetic piece of equipment is beyond me. 

The worst thing of all, though, had to be the EA Sports virtual player breakdown that Tom Jackson toyed with in the studio.  What is more hilariously stupid than watching a fat, former player analyzing a player’s abilities while standing amongst life-sized virtual players?  I know it’s their job to promote EA Sports, but this was so outlandish that it made me never want to buy Madden ever again. 

For those of you who were able to watch the draft on NFL Network, consider yourselves lucky, for this was the poorest reporting and analysis that I have ever seen in my life.  It is truly unbelievable that these guys actually get paid for such horrific commentary.  The self-proclaimed draft experts, Todd McShay and Mel Kiper, may have given a low draft grade to the Cowboys, but they, as well as their fellow colleagues certainly get an F in my book for their God-awful coverage of the 2009 NFL Draft.

This morning, the Dallas Cowboys will basically control the flow of the draft with the boatload of picks they have accrued including the two additional ones they acquired on day one of the draft, when they traded their one second round pick to Buffalo.

As we did during Day One, we will continue to update this post as the Cowboys make their selections.

A dozen picks for the ‘Boys to play with:

No. 69 (third round) – OLB Jason Williams – Western Illinois
No. 75 (third round) – OT Robert Brewster – Ball State
No. 101 (fourth round) – QB Stephen McGee – Texas A&M
No. 110 (fourth round) – OLB Victor Butler – Oregon St.
No. 120 (fourth round) – DE Brandon Williams – Texas Tech
No. 143 (fifth round) – CB DeAngelo Smith – Cincinnati
No. 166 (fifth round) – S Michael Hamlin – Clemson
No. 172 (fifth round) – K David Buehler – USC
No. 197 (sixth round) – S Stephen Hodge – TCU
No. 208 (sixth round) – TE John Phillips – Virginia
No. 227 (seventh round) - CB Mike Mickens – Cincinnati
No. 229 (seventh round) – WR Manuel Johnson – Oklahoma

NFL.com has reported the reason why Jerry Jones and the Cowboys traded their first pick of the draft (#51) to the Buffalo Bills.

Sources inside the Cowboys organization tell me the reason Jerry Jones opted not to pick at 51 is because all of the players at the Cowboys’ positions of need were taken. The Cowboys entered the draft looking for safeties and wide receivers, but Louis Delmas went at the top of the second round to the lions, Patrick Chung went next at No. 34 to the Patriots and Brian Robiskie went to the Browns two picks later. With those guys off the board, Jones set his sights on offensive lineman Max Unger. But when the Seahawks took Unger just two picks before their own, Jones decided the Cowboys would be able to get a bigger bang for their buck with tomorrow’s price tag and moved back into the third and fourth round.

So does that mean Jones made an error by not trading up to get a player the Cowboys needed?

Day 1 of the 2009 Draft is over. And after waiting hours and hours for the Cowboys to make their first selection, the #51 is traded away to the Buffalo Bills for 2 more picks on Day 2.

Cowboy Nation screamed and threw their hands up in the air asking the simple question, “Why?”

Maybe it’s not such a simple question after all. Maybe we will hear an explanation, maybe not.

It’s over now, so it doesn’t matter. So lets take a look at what the Cowboys have done in recent years in the 3rd Round and beyond.

2008

4	Tashard Choice	Georgia Tech
5	Orlando Scandrick	Boise State
6	Erik Walden	Middle Tenn. State

2007

3	James Marten	Boston College
4	Isaiah Stanback	Washington
4	Doug Free	Northern Illinois
6	Nicholas Folk	Arizona
6	Deon Anderson	Connecticut
7	Courtney Brown	Cal Poly-S.L.O.
7	Alan Ball	Illinois

2006

3	Jason Hatcher	Grambling State
4	Skyler Green	Louisiana State
5	Pat Watkins	Florida State
6	Montavious Stanley	Louisville
7	Pat McQuistan	Weber State
7	E.J. Whitley	Texas Tech

2005

4	Marion Barber	Minnesota
4	Chris Canty	Virginia
6	Justin Beriault	Ball State
6	Rob Petitti	Pittsburgh
7	Jay Ratliff	Auburn

I think some of those names speak for themselves. Trent Edwards on ESPN said it best today when he said, “the later rounds are where you find your meat and potatoes. The first and second rounds you might find your superstars, but you build your foundation with the guys you find in the later rounds.”

Now those may not have been his exact words, but that’s the jist of it.

GO COWBOYS!

Welcome to our exclusive NFL Draft Weekend Coverage here at Lone Star Struck.

For complete round the clock coverage of all the big news, signings and trades, keep it right here as we will keep updating this thread with everything you need to know.

We also invite you to join us at our live Draft Chat where many members of our staff will be discussing the day’s events and answering questions.

Join the conversation or just stop in and say “Go Cowboys!” Let us know who you think the Cowboys should draft with the first pick.

It’s going to be a great weekend and I bet there will be a few surprises with Jerry Jones running the show.

NFL Draft Update

1. Lions draft QB Matthew Stafford – Georgia with the first pick in the draft. The Lions get the building block they need for the future. His big arm and ability to get the ball down the field in the passing game makes him an ideal fit for what Detroit wants to do on offense.

2. Rams draft OT Jason Smith – Baylor

3. Chiefs draft DE Tyson Jackson - LSU

4. Seahawks draft LB Aaron Curry - Wake Forest

5. Jets draft QB Mark Sanchez – USC

6. Bengals draft OT Andre Smith – Alabama

7. Radiers draft WR Darrius Heyward-Bey – Maryland

8. Jaguars draft OT Eugene Monroe – Virginia

9. Packers draft DT B.J. Raji – Boston College

10. 49ers draft WR Michael Crabtree – Texas Tech

Note: Many had projected safety Louis Delmas – Western Michigan, to fall to the Cowboys. Unfortunatley he was snatched up by the Detroit Lions with the first pick in the second round, number 33 overall.

Wow, after a 5 hour wait the Cowboys traded their second round pick to Buffalo for a third and fourth round pick tomorrow.

With the 2009 NFL Draft but a few days away, a fair share of uncertainty surrounds draft day for the Cowboys.  Without a first round pick this year, it will be interesting to see what kind of player the Cowboys can get with their second round pick.  The Cowboys have 11 picks this year, so look for them to do the wheeling and dealing that their drafts have become famous for.  The Cowboys have no glaring needs this year, so taking the “best player available” approach is an option that will definitely be laying on the War Room table come Saturday.  With that being said, here are a few names to be on the lookout for.

 

Jarron Gilbert – Defensive End, San Jose State

I first came across this guy’s name while doing research on draft prospects in early 2009, and was quite impressed with what I saw.  At 6 foot 5, 288 pounds, Gilbert possesses the frame to play defensive end in the 3-4 scheme.  Not only does Gilbert have the rare build that 3-4 defenses covet, but he has the speed and athleticism to play the run effectively.  If anybody questions the athleticism of this young man, they need to watch the video on YouTube of him jumping out of a swimming pool.  Amazing.  If he’s around when the Cowboys are on the clock in round two, look for them to strongly consider him.  Gilbert would provide instant depth and flexibility on an already talented defensive line. 

 

James Casey – Tight End, Rice

If ever there was a year that the Cowboys have no need whatsoever for a tight end, it’s this year.  But the more information I unearth about James Casey, the more I understand why his services would tickle the fancy of the Cowboys, who brought him in for a final workout on Wednesday.  Casey’s hands, skills, and build would project him to be an H-back of sorts, similar to Chris Cooley.  Though the Cowboys are loaded at tight end, drafting an H-back prospect wouldn’t be such a bad idea due to the lack of a clear-cut #2 receiver.  A big athlete like Casey would give the Cowboys a weapon that could exploit the flats effectively and take additional pressure off of the receiving corps. 

 

Brian Robiskie – Wide Receiver, Ohio State

A great receiving class is one of the many headliners of this year’s draft.  Players such as Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin will certainly be off the board early in the first round.  But behind them are also some very talented receivers, and Brian Robiskie is definitely among them.  His father Terry Robiskie is an assistant coach for the Falcons and a former player.  One has to believe that Brian’s football-oriented background would make his transition to the NFL that much easier.  He does not possess blazing speed, but has decent hands and runs terrific routes.  His 6 foot 3 frame also makes him an attractive potential addition to a Cowboys receiving corps that would welcome more help and competition. 

 

Zack Follett – Outside Linebacker, Cal

The departure of Kevin Burnett in free agency coupled with the minimal depth behind Demarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, and Greg Ellis would indicate that adding a linebacker this weekend looks to be a must for the Cowboys.  With that being said, Zack Follett would be a great addition in the middle rounds.  Follett possesses size that is essential when playing linebacker in the 3-4 scheme.  But the most impressive thing about Follett has to be his play last season for the Golden Bears, where he had 23 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks.  His pass rushing skills and his ability to play the run would make him a great addition to the linebacking corps.

It’s what we’ve all been waiting for since the last play of the 2008 season ended – NFL DRAFT WEEKEND!

Lone Star Struck is hosting a Live Draft Chat this upcoming weekend. Several of our staff members will be on hand providing up-to-the-minute draft updates and discussion during the entire draft.

Coverage will begin Saturday at 3 p.m. central time until the last pick of the day is made, and starting up again Sunday at 9 a.m. central time until the end.

Everyone is invited and we encourage you to come and learn and discuss the Cowboys and all NFL moves.

Stop by and say hi! Stay a while if you can, we will be here all weekend long!

Another crazy year of mock drafts has come to an end. If I’ve learned anything from previous years of mocking the Cowboys, it’s that you just can’t predict it. Jerry is a wheeler and dealer and no one is gonna change that. So I imagine, there will be other deals, some even involving current players, that will happen on draft day, that I simply won’t predict. The best I can do is predict a player’s worth and our want for that player at our specific picks. The following mock is my final prediction for the Cowboys in the 2009 draft.

 51. Louis Delmas S Western Michigan

I finally have a favorite at safety and here he is. My prediction is that he is the starting strong safety before the end of the year.

69. Tyrone McKenzie OLB South Florida

The only other OLB in our range I like better is Clint Sintim and he’s gone in the second round. Tyrone will have a year to learn behind Ware, Spencer and Ellis.

101. Jason Phillips ILB TCU

For me, it’s a toss up between Jason Phillips and Scott McKillop, but word has it that Jerry is high on this Texas Christian prospect and would be a great fit playing inside linebacker in Wade’s 3-4.

117. Sammie Lee Hill DT Stillman

A massive run stuffing nose tackle. Exactly what we need to move forward in 2010.

156. Domonique Johnson CB Jackson State

Depth for a very young and thin cornerback group.

166. Deon Butler WR Penn State

A speedy receiver/returner who makes the roster returning punts.

172. Alex Boone OT Ohio State

Some character concerns drop Alex nearly out of the draft, but with some love, Alex is turned into a solid backup behind Flo and Colombo.

197. Dallas Reynolds C/OG/OT BYU

This is my sleeper pick and also our future starter at left guard. Anyone who’s been following my mocks this season know of my man-crush for Mr. Reynolds. He is our new utility o-lineman (Cory Procter) for the up-coming year.

208. Cullen Harper QB Clemson

I’m not positive this is the pick, but Cullen is my clear-cut favorite amongst the 2nd tier QB’s in this draft. He has all you would want in a young QB, ready to learn from two of the best, Romo and Kitna.

210. to Denver along with pick 227, Corey Procter and Doug Free for a 2010 4th round pick

227. to Denver

The final of the thirty allowed college draft hopefuls visited Valley Ranch this past week. Three second day receivers and one first day are on this week’s list. I’m thinking they’re getting a Plan B in case Stanback doesn’t make it past camp.

This week’s visitors include:

POS	PLAYER	COLLEGE
LB	Lawrence Sidbury	Richmond
TE	TE Anthony Hill	NC State
S	S Mike Hamlin	Clemson
QB	QB Stephen McGee	Texas A&M
S	S Darcel McBath	Texas Tech
S	S Louis Delmas	Western Michigan
QB	QB Tom Brandstater	Fresno State
WR	WR Patrick Turner	Southern Cal
CB	CB Bradley Fletcher	Iowa
CB	CB Jairus Byrd	Oregon
LB	LB Jason Williams	Western Illinois
LB	LB Jasper Brinkley	South Carolina
DE	DE Jarron Gilbert	San Jose State
WR	WR Mohamed Massaquoi	Georgia
LB	LB Marcus Freeman	Ohio State
LB	LB Larry English	Northern Illinois
WR	WR Brian Robiskie	Ohio State
OL	OL Sebastian Vollmer	Houston
CB	CB DeAngelo Smith	Cincinnati
OL	OL SirVincent Rogers	Houston
WR	WR Brandon Tate	North Carolina

 

With the 2009 NFL Draft just around the corner, Cowboys fans across the nation have more questions than answers. The uncertainty of 2009 has many of us anxious to get this thing started. Predictions of 8-8 by so-called experts have many of us feeling frustrated and insulted.

Opinions of how to reach the pinnacle of the NFL vary as much as the hundreds of mock drafts being put together by football minds all over the country.

I see debates on various sites about who’s to blame and what the answers are. T.O. should not have been released. Owens should have been released. Felix Jones should be the starter. Tashard Choice should be the starter. Marion Barber should be the starter. Romo’s not the answer. Romo is without a doubt the answer. Wade should be fired. Jerry should fire himself.

With the possibility of a Miles Austin exodus looming over our heads, I’m one very nervous Cowboys fan without any real answers.

Keep in mind these are just the surface issues. I could probably write a 5,000 word essay just dealing with the questions Cowboys fans have. With no real answers.

I’m compelled to believe we can all agree on one thing. The time for excuses is over.

No more riding on our laurels. No more talk about 13-3 or 13 Pro Bowlers. No more “But this team did this and that team did that”. Time to lay to rest 2007 and 2008. The only true way to move forward is to( as cliche as it may sound) put the past behind us and don’t look back. No more talk about 44-6.

The pressure on this team to succeed – from top to bottom – is more intense than at any time that I can remember. This season will answer many questions. It is a make-or-break year for this organization. The time is now for Mr. Jones, Mr Phillips, Mr. Garrett, and Mr. Romo.

The time is now. No more excuses.