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The Cowboy Roundup
Dissecting Dallas’ Draft Day Debacle
By Brian Smith | April 27th, 2008
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The first round of last year’s draft was just about the worst six hours of my life as I watched The Brady Quinn Saga. Once he got past Miami at No. 9, I prayed every time the commissioner walked to the podium that he would announce a trade Dallas had made for the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Finally, the Cowboys went on the clock—with Quinn right there—and promptly traded him to Cleveland. I cried; I threw up; I cried some more. In the end, I was angry…at the team, at Bill Parcells, mostly at Jerry Jones.
Last week, determined not to let Dallas have another draft day debacle, I prepared for the team a most perfect draft plan. This weekend, I watched the team (that is, I watched Jerry) spoil not one, but two, first round draft picks and continue that path of destruction throughout the draft. Although I did not cry over this year’s draft, I am, again, angry…at Jerry Jones. Here’s what Dallas did:
1. (22nd overall)—Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
Unfortunately, this pick was a self-fulfilling prophecy from the media, which insisted Jerry just had to have a Hog on the team. No one mentioned, however, that he already had Arkansas-alum, and franchise player, Ken Hamlin. For the record, I’m not mad at selecting Jones; it’s the timing of the pick with which I have I problem. Even with the difficulties in signing Marion Barber, he is definitely returning next year, so this was not an immediate position of need for Dallas. The team could have selected players just as good as Jones in the third or fourth round (my favorite runner, Mike Hart, lasted more than 200 picks!).
Last week, I wrote that I saw only two impact, game-changing running backs in this draft worth the No. 22 pick for Dallas: Darren McFadden and Jonathan Stewart. If I had to pick a third, though, it would have been Rashard Mendenhall. Guess what? He was available—with Jones—at that pick. If the team just had to have a runner right then, Mendenhall should have been the pick. In fact, if it was “Felix Jones, RB, Michigan” or “Felix Jones, RB, Southern California,” it would have been. Jerry picked Jones just because of the Arkansas connection. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a very foolish way to build a draft board. Pig Sooie? More like Pig Phooey!
GRADE: C (admittedly, it will be an A if Felix averages more than nine yards per carry again).
2. (25)—Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
Several people thought Jenkins was the best corner in the draft; several more did not. Once projected as a top 10 pick, Jenkins free-fell harder than Hillary’s campaign, yet there was Jerry with a giant safety net of picks to jump up three spots and catch him. In Jenkins, the Cowboys got a guy who is fairly fast but cannot tackle for beans and, hopefully, maybe, could develop into an elite cover man. Does this description sound familiar? (Hint: search Williams, Roy “Freaking”
. He’s too weak, so receivers are going to plow over him at the line. By the way, did anybody notice what the Cowboys’ three division rivals did? They drafted at least one good and/or big receiver; so did Green Bay, who Dallas visits in the regular season and will probably have to go through in order to reach the Super Bowl.
Jenkins benefited from the undeserved hype that was lavished on South Florida at the beginning of last season; that team had no business being ranked No. 2 in the nation, and he had no business being projected as top 10 pick. Dallas made a great move in trading up to grab a corner, especially with San Diego lurking at No. 27. Problem is, they grabbed the wrong one. Antoine Cason is a Charger. And Mike Jenkins will be one of the two biggest busts of the 2008 first round.
GRADE: F
3. (61)—Martellus Bennett, TE, Texas A&M
This pick was predicated by trading Akin Ayodele and Anthony Fasano to Miami for pick No. 100. That was a throw-away trade; Fasano was an adequate blocker, and with Jason Witten, he was not going to be counted on to catch 50-70 passes. Ayodele provided good depth at the team’s best position overall.
Despite having one of the five best tight ends of all time on the roster, Jerry felt an immediate need to “upgrade” this position in the second round. Re-read the sentence on Fasano above, and then read this: Bennett is not a very good blocker, and with Jason Witten, he is not going to be counted on to catch 50-70 passes. Right now, Fasano-for-Bennett is a downgrade for the team (just because he also played basketball does not make him the next Antonio Gates). Bennett is a guy who constantly underachieved at A&M. Think about that: he underachieved at A&M. The standards at that place aren’t particularly high. Yet, Bennett could not match them.
GRADE: F
4. (122)—Tashard Choice, RB, Georgia Tech
At this pick, Choice actually isn’t an absolute-God-awful selection. Given how the draft unfolded, he was the second-best back available at this time. What’s the problem, then? He’s the second running back the Cowboys have picked. With Barber and Jones, Choice will need to have an electrifying training camp and preseason to ever dress on Sundays. If that’s the case, then there were plenty of other players—Tony Hills, Lavelle Hawkins—that would have been a better value for the Cowboys. However, if the team is so concerned about signing Barber long-term that it needs to stockpile runners now, Jerry should have traded up and taken a franchise back (McFadden or Stewart). With Barber around, the team only needs Jones OR Choice, not both. Also, remember the team passed on Rashard Mendenhall at 22 (taken at 23), Kevin Smith at 61 (taken at 64), and Mike Hart (taken at 202) the whole draft.
GRADE: D
5. (143)—Orlando Scandrick, CB, Boise State
With this pick, the Cowboys passed on two excellent prospects: Kroy Biermann (taken at 154) and Dennis Dixon (taken at 156). Both of those players are more ready to compete for the team right now than Scandrick, who probably should have returned for his senior year. Although Dallas had a definite need in the secondary, the acquisitions of Pacman Jones and Mike Jenkins should have made Jerry think he had depth at the position. If he doesn’t think he can count on Pacman, then he should not have traded for him in the first place.
Scandrick is faster than a jackrabbit on the open prairie (4.32 40) but doesn’t do anything particularly well (he could be a decent kick returner). One pre-draft ranking actually had him ahead of Antoine Cason. If that’s true, Dallas just made one of the biggest steals in draft history because Cason is going to be a star. More than likely, though, Jerry skipped Biermann and Dixon for another Keith Davis or Jacques Reeves.
GRADE: D-
6. (167)—Erik Walden, DE, Middle Tennessee State
The general consensus from my league sources and others surveyed about this pick: “Who the %&!@ is Erik Walden?” Needless to say, that is generally not a reaction that foretells a quality football player—even Mel Kiper had to shuffle many sheets of paper before finding Walden’s name. Now, I’ve always said that I don’t believe in “reaches” and that if you really like a player, you go and get him. But, I only apply that theory to good players. Often, it is not necessary to draft bad players—a team can sign them as free agents—especially when one is missing out on a good group of safeties: Dominique Barber (taken at 173), Corey Lynch (taken at 177), and Army’s Caleb Campbell (taken at 218).
At just 243 pounds, Walden is going to get positively whopped at the line of scrimmage by tackles and tight ends; with only 4.7 speed, he’s not fast enough to be an effective linebacker for Dallas’ 3-4. While building depth on both lines is always a smart move, the Cowboys could have done just that last pick in Biermann.
GRADE: F
OVERALL: The Cowboys just did not seem to have a real strategy for this weekend. Every time Jerry Jones went on the clock, he left quality players on the board that would have provided much more talent and value than the guys he took. While Dallas addressed (sort of) needs at corner and running back, this team absolutely failed to take care of its most prodigious need: wide receiver. Jerry could not trade for Chad Johnson/Roy Williams (the good one)/Anquan Boldin/Larry Fitzgerald, nor did he select a single one from the college ranks. As he assembled one heck of a practice squad with his final five picks, the Cowboys’ main competition in the NFC—Green Bay (Jordy Nelson), New York (Mario Manningham), Philadelphia (DeSean Jackson), Washington (Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly)—all loaded up on quality receivers. Only the potential of Felix Jones saves this class from being an absolute disaster. The draft is about selecting quality football players, and Jerry Jones just does not get it.
GRADE: D
Brian Smith can be reached at BLSmith@mail.utexas.edu
http://mvn.com/nfl-cowboys/2008/04/27/dissecting-dallas-draft-day-debacle/#comment-2890
Dissecting Dallas’ Draft Day Debacle
By Brian Smith | April 27th, 2008
E-mail | Print | Share
The first round of last year’s draft was just about the worst six hours of my life as I watched The Brady Quinn Saga. Once he got past Miami at No. 9, I prayed every time the commissioner walked to the podium that he would announce a trade Dallas had made for the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Finally, the Cowboys went on the clock—with Quinn right there—and promptly traded him to Cleveland. I cried; I threw up; I cried some more. In the end, I was angry…at the team, at Bill Parcells, mostly at Jerry Jones.
Last week, determined not to let Dallas have another draft day debacle, I prepared for the team a most perfect draft plan. This weekend, I watched the team (that is, I watched Jerry) spoil not one, but two, first round draft picks and continue that path of destruction throughout the draft. Although I did not cry over this year’s draft, I am, again, angry…at Jerry Jones. Here’s what Dallas did:
1. (22nd overall)—Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
Unfortunately, this pick was a self-fulfilling prophecy from the media, which insisted Jerry just had to have a Hog on the team. No one mentioned, however, that he already had Arkansas-alum, and franchise player, Ken Hamlin. For the record, I’m not mad at selecting Jones; it’s the timing of the pick with which I have I problem. Even with the difficulties in signing Marion Barber, he is definitely returning next year, so this was not an immediate position of need for Dallas. The team could have selected players just as good as Jones in the third or fourth round (my favorite runner, Mike Hart, lasted more than 200 picks!).
Last week, I wrote that I saw only two impact, game-changing running backs in this draft worth the No. 22 pick for Dallas: Darren McFadden and Jonathan Stewart. If I had to pick a third, though, it would have been Rashard Mendenhall. Guess what? He was available—with Jones—at that pick. If the team just had to have a runner right then, Mendenhall should have been the pick. In fact, if it was “Felix Jones, RB, Michigan” or “Felix Jones, RB, Southern California,” it would have been. Jerry picked Jones just because of the Arkansas connection. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a very foolish way to build a draft board. Pig Sooie? More like Pig Phooey!
GRADE: C (admittedly, it will be an A if Felix averages more than nine yards per carry again).
2. (25)—Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
Several people thought Jenkins was the best corner in the draft; several more did not. Once projected as a top 10 pick, Jenkins free-fell harder than Hillary’s campaign, yet there was Jerry with a giant safety net of picks to jump up three spots and catch him. In Jenkins, the Cowboys got a guy who is fairly fast but cannot tackle for beans and, hopefully, maybe, could develop into an elite cover man. Does this description sound familiar? (Hint: search Williams, Roy “Freaking”
. He’s too weak, so receivers are going to plow over him at the line. By the way, did anybody notice what the Cowboys’ three division rivals did? They drafted at least one good and/or big receiver; so did Green Bay, who Dallas visits in the regular season and will probably have to go through in order to reach the Super Bowl. Jenkins benefited from the undeserved hype that was lavished on South Florida at the beginning of last season; that team had no business being ranked No. 2 in the nation, and he had no business being projected as top 10 pick. Dallas made a great move in trading up to grab a corner, especially with San Diego lurking at No. 27. Problem is, they grabbed the wrong one. Antoine Cason is a Charger. And Mike Jenkins will be one of the two biggest busts of the 2008 first round.
GRADE: F
3. (61)—Martellus Bennett, TE, Texas A&M
This pick was predicated by trading Akin Ayodele and Anthony Fasano to Miami for pick No. 100. That was a throw-away trade; Fasano was an adequate blocker, and with Jason Witten, he was not going to be counted on to catch 50-70 passes. Ayodele provided good depth at the team’s best position overall.
Despite having one of the five best tight ends of all time on the roster, Jerry felt an immediate need to “upgrade” this position in the second round. Re-read the sentence on Fasano above, and then read this: Bennett is not a very good blocker, and with Jason Witten, he is not going to be counted on to catch 50-70 passes. Right now, Fasano-for-Bennett is a downgrade for the team (just because he also played basketball does not make him the next Antonio Gates). Bennett is a guy who constantly underachieved at A&M. Think about that: he underachieved at A&M. The standards at that place aren’t particularly high. Yet, Bennett could not match them.
GRADE: F
4. (122)—Tashard Choice, RB, Georgia Tech
At this pick, Choice actually isn’t an absolute-God-awful selection. Given how the draft unfolded, he was the second-best back available at this time. What’s the problem, then? He’s the second running back the Cowboys have picked. With Barber and Jones, Choice will need to have an electrifying training camp and preseason to ever dress on Sundays. If that’s the case, then there were plenty of other players—Tony Hills, Lavelle Hawkins—that would have been a better value for the Cowboys. However, if the team is so concerned about signing Barber long-term that it needs to stockpile runners now, Jerry should have traded up and taken a franchise back (McFadden or Stewart). With Barber around, the team only needs Jones OR Choice, not both. Also, remember the team passed on Rashard Mendenhall at 22 (taken at 23), Kevin Smith at 61 (taken at 64), and Mike Hart (taken at 202) the whole draft.
GRADE: D
5. (143)—Orlando Scandrick, CB, Boise State
With this pick, the Cowboys passed on two excellent prospects: Kroy Biermann (taken at 154) and Dennis Dixon (taken at 156). Both of those players are more ready to compete for the team right now than Scandrick, who probably should have returned for his senior year. Although Dallas had a definite need in the secondary, the acquisitions of Pacman Jones and Mike Jenkins should have made Jerry think he had depth at the position. If he doesn’t think he can count on Pacman, then he should not have traded for him in the first place.
Scandrick is faster than a jackrabbit on the open prairie (4.32 40) but doesn’t do anything particularly well (he could be a decent kick returner). One pre-draft ranking actually had him ahead of Antoine Cason. If that’s true, Dallas just made one of the biggest steals in draft history because Cason is going to be a star. More than likely, though, Jerry skipped Biermann and Dixon for another Keith Davis or Jacques Reeves.
GRADE: D-
6. (167)—Erik Walden, DE, Middle Tennessee State
The general consensus from my league sources and others surveyed about this pick: “Who the %&!@ is Erik Walden?” Needless to say, that is generally not a reaction that foretells a quality football player—even Mel Kiper had to shuffle many sheets of paper before finding Walden’s name. Now, I’ve always said that I don’t believe in “reaches” and that if you really like a player, you go and get him. But, I only apply that theory to good players. Often, it is not necessary to draft bad players—a team can sign them as free agents—especially when one is missing out on a good group of safeties: Dominique Barber (taken at 173), Corey Lynch (taken at 177), and Army’s Caleb Campbell (taken at 218).
At just 243 pounds, Walden is going to get positively whopped at the line of scrimmage by tackles and tight ends; with only 4.7 speed, he’s not fast enough to be an effective linebacker for Dallas’ 3-4. While building depth on both lines is always a smart move, the Cowboys could have done just that last pick in Biermann.
GRADE: F
OVERALL: The Cowboys just did not seem to have a real strategy for this weekend. Every time Jerry Jones went on the clock, he left quality players on the board that would have provided much more talent and value than the guys he took. While Dallas addressed (sort of) needs at corner and running back, this team absolutely failed to take care of its most prodigious need: wide receiver. Jerry could not trade for Chad Johnson/Roy Williams (the good one)/Anquan Boldin/Larry Fitzgerald, nor did he select a single one from the college ranks. As he assembled one heck of a practice squad with his final five picks, the Cowboys’ main competition in the NFC—Green Bay (Jordy Nelson), New York (Mario Manningham), Philadelphia (DeSean Jackson), Washington (Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly)—all loaded up on quality receivers. Only the potential of Felix Jones saves this class from being an absolute disaster. The draft is about selecting quality football players, and Jerry Jones just does not get it.
GRADE: D
Brian Smith can be reached at BLSmith@mail.utexas.edu
http://mvn.com/nfl-cowboys/2008/04/27/dissecting-dallas-draft-day-debacle/#comment-2890
