Presenting an overview, with potentials up front...

[CCBoy]

*(taken from April 2012 issue of Dallas Cowboy Star Magaine, by Josh Ellis)

A great offensive line makes for a great offense...but here's the deal. Even with a below average line these last few years, the Cowboys have still managed to score a lot of points. (here is where Jerry Jones has been successful)

Tony Romo has put up elite numbers. That, and Demarco Murray was outstanding during the stretch of games he started in 2011. Meanwhile the defense, in particular, the pass defense, has killed the defense for the past two years.

They were 26th in passing yards allowed in 2010, and 23rd last season. That won't cut it. The team made one step towards turning things around by swapping out an over-the-hill Terence Newman for Brandon Carr. Carr is coming into his own.

There is still the need to get better at safety and much needed depth at cornerback.

An improved pass rush would go a long way toward helping the defensive backfield, both by forcing quarterbacks to get rid of the ball earlier and by causing them to make mistakes.

Getting an impact player with the first pick is paramount for this draft.

Jerry, Jason, Rob, and Bill Callahan all know this....

Now supposing that the upcoming draft unfolds as below. How would you approach alternatives and selections if you were Dallas?




1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck QB
2. Washington Commanders - Robert Griffin III QB
3. Minnesota Vikings - Matt Kalil OT
4. Cleveland Browns - Morris Claiborne CB
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Quinton Coples DE
6. Los Angeles Rams - Justin Blackmon WR
7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Dontari Poe DT
8. Miami Dolplhins - Ryan Tannehill QB
9. Carolina Panthers - Luke Kuechly ILB
10. Buffalo Bills - Jonathan Martin OT
11. Kansas City Chiefs - Riley Reiff OT
12. Seattle Seahawks - Michael Floyd WR
13. Phoenix Cardinals - David DeCastro OG
14. Dallas Cowboys.....

On the board will still be:

Melvin Ingram
Dont'a Hightower
Nick Perry
Courtney Upshaw
Stephen Gilmore
Trent Richardson
Dre Kirkpatrick
Kendall Wright
Whitney Mercilus
Devon Still
Janoris Jenkins
Cordy Glenn
Mark Barron
Fletcher Cox

...so, how would you approach this scenario?


But, before you approach that, let's throw in some more of the facts behind the scene:

Pass Rush:

DeMarcus Ware is an elite player, and his impact is clearly the main reason Rob Ryan's defense finished tied for seventh in the league with 42 sacks last year. Ware had 19.5 of those take-downs himself. But no other Cowboy had over six sacks themselves. A lot of those leftovers came when Ware disrupted the pocket, either forcing the quarterback into another Cowboys rusher or creating more time for his teammates to get there. Pass rush can come from a lot of sources. including the defensive line, but the most obvious source is the outside linebacker slot opposite to Ware. Anthony Spencer will return, which is good for stopping the run. But the division-rival Giants have shown that play-making defenses cna never have enough quality pass-rushers.

Cornerback:

Signing Brandon Carr was a bold stroke. The Cowboys now have under contract for the next five seasons two cornerbacks who should be entering their prime in Carr and Orlando Scandrick. However, the $75 million they're due and the Cowboys are committed to paying in the coming years is one reason that Dallas may be figuring that they can not afford to resign Mike Jenkins.

The NFL is a passing league now. The Cowboys need to continue to add talented cover men to keep up with the game's most high-powered offenses.

Safety:

This position has been treated as an illegitimate step-child for some time now...

The veteran on a one-year deal has become awfully commonplace for the Cowboys safety in recent years. Ken Hamlin got one of those in 2007, betting on himself in hopes of a long-termed deal, which he landed after a Pro Bowl season.

After being cut by the Raiders, Keith Davis got a final year with the Cowboys in 2008.

Then came Gerald Sensabaugh on no-commital contracts in 2009, 2010, and 2011, until the team granted him a five year extension last fall.

Abe Elam joined the Cowboys on a one year deal for 2011. But he has been replaced.

At least for 2012, Brodney Pool is the second at safety.

Wouldn't it be nice to have an up and coming safety for the foreseeable future?

 

[JBS]

Fletcher Cox

 

[CCBoy]

Here are some of the quotes from a portion of those players:

DL Quinton Coples, North Carolina

'I take pride in being versatile. It definitely has raised my stock in that it lets teams know that I can play inside or out, and I take pride in playing every position.'



CB Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama

'They see the talent. They just want to know what kind of kid I am. I came in here to show them that I'm not a bad kid. I made a few mistakes and I learned from them. Everything I did, I did it. I'm looking to put that in my past and move forward.'


G David DeCastro, Stanford

'There's a lot to work on just technique in general. Football is something where you're always chasing perfection. There's a lot I can get better at. Using hands, being more balanced, I mena, the list goes on....You know, I think I'm good, but as I've said before, you can always get better. I think I'm a bit too heavy sometimes coming off the ball, just a little too forward and I think that I need to work on that.'


OLB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

'Coach (Nick) Saban's background alone, he tried to teach us to be great and prepare to be great in the league. He got everybody ready, man. He's a phenomenal coach and I'm glad to be a player for him.'


S Mark Barron, Alabama

'We played in a very difficult defense, first of all. We did a lot of different schemes. As far as communicating, I had a lot to do with that on the back end. I feel that sometimes I brought some energy with the hits that I made and things of that nature.'


OLB Melvin Ingram, South Carolina

'I've been working with Von Miller, actually, in California. Him and me have the same agent. We just try to compete against each other every day. Obviously, he's the defensive Rookie of the Year, so I just try to pattern myself after him because I feel like he's had a lot of success in the NFL.'

*(taken from Dallas Cowboy Star Magazine for April 2012)

 

[DBOY3141]

In all honesty. If the draft set up like that and I COULD NOT TRADE DOWN. I would take...

Trent Richardson

I know it's not popular, but if he is the best back to come out since AP. I think you take the best value.

Felix is gone after this year. More than likely we won't get 16 games this year. Richardson is a difference maker and one you can feed the ball to 20-25 times a game. He and Murray would be a lethel combo.

You can come back in the 2nd and take a secondary player or a DL/LB type. The difference in those players you listed and the 2nd best is not that big of a gap. The difference between Richardson and the 2nd best RB is huge.

We are in year two of a 3 year plan. Take difference makers regardless of position.

1st - Richardson
2nd - Harrison Smith/Ronnell Lewis/Bruce Irvin
3rd - Philip Blake

 

[basstapp]

I would trade down and target Barron and try to accumulate more mid round picks, but if Barron was gone I would nab Jenkinks or Gilmore.

 

[D-warewolf94]

1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck QB
2. Washington Commanders - Robert Griffin III QB
3. Minnesota Vikings - Matt Kalil OT
4. Cleveland Browns - Morris Claiborne CB
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Quinton Coples DE
6. Los Angeles Rams - Justin Blackmon WR
7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Dontari Poe DT
8. Miami Dolplhins - Ryan Tannehill QB
9. Carolina Panthers - Luke Kuechly ILB
10. Buffalo Bills - Jonathan Martin OT
11. Kansas City Chiefs - Riley Reiff OT
12. Seattle Seahawks - Michael Floyd WR
13. Phoenix Cardinals - David DeCastro OG
14. Dallas Cowboys.....

Hmmm...
That really bugs me for some reason

 

[Chuck 54]

I take Fletcher Cox and don't even think about it.

Gilmore would be my second choice.

I just can't justify passing on Cox or Gilmore or Richardson for a safety who will be good but isn't in the elite company of past drafts and top safeties.

 

[dallasfaniac]

Mercilus or Barron.

 

[RS12]

Staying at 14 Cox. Rather move down and get two.