Best Pick: I have to go with getting Mike Jenkins, for two reasons. One, the most consistent weakness of last year’s Cowboys was the past defense. With the starters missing games due to injury and never being fully healthy and not being able to trust your safeties with coverage respondsibilities, getting a quality CB, the top cornerback according to some people, was a great pick up for this team. And second, if Pacman Jones is reinstated, then last years scenario of having both starters injured doesn’t seem to bad. A Jenkins-Jones starting combination does not sound too bad at all. This weakness can now be considered more of a strength, thus great pick.
Worst Pick: Now I am not saying that Martellus Bennett will be a horrible player and will become a bust. What I am saying is that getting a TE in the second round when the Cowboys could have added a NT, a safety, or an Olineman of any kind doesn’t seem to make the most sense. I am sure the Cowboys really liked Bennett and envision him to be a great option during any of the two TE sets the Cowboys will play. But you can get good quality TE’s later in the draft than you can a NT, or a C for example. The Cowboys just seemed to pick based on a not so great need than talent.
Most Surprising part of this Draft: To me it really is how the Cowboys really set themselves up nicely for next year’s draft. Believe me, all those trades that helped the Cowboys accumulate extra picks for next year was done for one reason: so the Cowboys can package some picks to move up in the draft or to trade for an impact player. Of course, in that package will be the first round pick. But if the Cowboys win the Super Bowl they could package their first round plus two or three other picks to move from the 32nd to something like the 22nd. Doesn’t sound too bad, right? I didn’t expect to see that out of the Cowboys.
Most Disappointing part of this Draft: The what-might-have-been once again visits the Cowboys. From not selecting Randy Moss, Julius Jones instead of Steven Jackson, Demarcus Ware over Shawn Merriman, and now Felix Jones over Rashard Mendenhall will be with us Cowboys fans. Now I personally think the Cowboys won the Ware-Merriman argument, and I am not all that saddened about not getting Steven Jackson, but it does seem the Cowboys always have to be reminded about these decisions. Now here is another that won’t go away and you just know those Steelers fans won’t shut their mouth about it either.
Why this Draft was a Good One: Basically, the Cowboys filled all their holes. They needed two cornerbacks after Jacques Reeves and Nate Jones left, hello Jenkins, Pacman, and Orlando Scandrick. They needed a new TE after Anthony Fasano left, hello Bennett. Julius Jones and Tyson Thompson out, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice in. Filling Akin Ayodele’s open spot is Zach Thomas, so that is covered. Really only that is left is that special teams monster now that Keith Davis is in Miami. Everything else seems covered.
Why this Draft was a Bad One: You can’t ever really analyze how a player will do, because it is IMPOSSIBLE. All that can be done is analyze a player’s collegiate career, measure the talent, look at the team that drafted them, and basically take into account what the ‘experts’ say about each prospect. I did all that as best as I could and what I see is that this draft only looks to have one player capable of being an NFL starter for a long time and that is Mike Jenkins. Not to say the other players can’t, but can Felix Jones take the pounding of an NFL back? As long as Witten is a Cowboy, Bennett won’t be a starter. Can Tashard Choice be a starter despite his lack of break-away speed and injury history? And are Scandrick and Walden any better than guys that play only to allow your starters a breather every now and then? Who knows how many of these guys can/will be starters but as of right now, there is no expectation to see any of them as starters next season.
eric' In all honesty do you really think that all of the Cowboys' needs have been met ? And that's predicated on what and how many of these players'll fare or based on what they did in college ?
The difference between college and the pro's is the difference between night and day. That chasm is as wide as it is deep and few of the players chosen will actually pan out to be something with the Cowboys let alone with any other team should things not work out. The one thing we do know however is Jerry Jones tends to like to gamble a lot. And as an assessor of talent he's been more miss than hit over the years. How he must long for the days of either Parcells or Jimmy Johnson ?
rampant aka tophatal ......
Last edited by rampantfanatic on April 30th at 1:52 PM.
I like to look at picks and see who WON'T on the field this season. From that perspective, the Cowboys have upgraded, hopefully.
A couple free agents have easily been replaced.
How about drafting a DB coach to teach Roy Williams how to cover.
rampantfanatic, I think you have missed the point here. I have stated that you never really know how good a drafted player will be. But there are only three ways to acquire players I think: the draft, free agency, and trades. All the holes that were there because a player left is now filled, if the replacement is better or even good is another thing. The only 'need' that wasn't addressed was a young WR, but I think they did a pretty decent job overall. And what makes you say that Jones has been more hit than miss in assessing talent, since last year the Cowboys had 13 Pro Bowlers?
slshusker, The only one I don't expect to see much time except for maybe special teams is Erik Walden the DE, he is expected to move to LB, so that will take some time to get him accustomed to that position. Maybe Scandrick won't see much time either, but Wade could have some fun with the defensive backs and move them around enough that Scandrick sees the field every now and then. Hopefully Roy all of a sudden plays like a rookie-Williams, I can pray right?
Big time sports fanatic who bleeds loyalty to all the teams mentioned as my favorites. Even though most of my focus for each league is centered on my favorite teams, I love to talk sports in general, and really get a kick talking to fans of rival teams.
