Enter Draft (with caution)

As we creep closer and closer to the biggest day in the NFL offseason, fans everywhere are consumed with how their team can get better and stockpile young talent that will hopefully be the building blocks to a strong future.  Dallas Cowboy fans are no different, although certainly more numerous.  With that, many voices are wanting to be heard, hoping their “can’t miss” prospect is wearing the silver and blue with the star on the helmet come Wednesday, September 5th in the Meadowlands.

Unfortunately Cowboys fans are also one of the more tormented groups in recent years.  Although the Cowboys are tied for ninth in number of regular season wins in the last five years, there is only one playoff win to show for it.  To add to this misery, Dallas has missed the playoffs three of the last four years.  This may be the most puzzling stat you can find.  Forty-nine wins in five years and only two playoff appearances.

While there are multiple factors that go into this mind boggling fact, in my opinion, the foremost reason has been our complete lack of success in the draft.  When you review the past five drafts, it is clear to see why we seemingly cannot get over the hump.

2007
1	26	Spencer, Anthony	LB	PURDUE	BIG TEN
3	67	Marten, James	OT	BOSTON COLLEGE	ACC
4	103	Stanback, Isaiah	QB	WASHINGTON	PAC 10
4	122	Free, Doug	OT	NORTHERN ILLINOIS	MAC
6	178	Folk, Nick	K	ARIZONA	PAC 10
6	195	Anderson, Deon	FB	CONNECTICUT	BIG EAST
7	212	Brown, Courtney	CB	CAL POLY	GREAT WEST
7	237	Ball, Alan	CB	ILLINOIS	BIG TEN

Only two of these guys are still on the roster.  Anthony Spencer has been a solid player, not great but certainly serviceable.  One problem though is that Spencer was given the franchise tag and unless he is signed to a deal this year, will likely be gone.  Doug Free has started at both tackle spots since 2009 and after being given a 4-year, $32-million dollar deal to be the left tackle is moving back to the right side after one year.  The only other two guys we drafted this year that were even remotely serviceable were Folk and Ball, who both are no longer Cowboys.  Ironically, since 2007, the Cowboys have drafted eight cornerbacks but passed on Eric Wright in this draft, actually drafting him, then trading his rights to Cleveland for Marten, Stanback and Folk.

2008
1	22	Jones, Felix	RB	ARKANSAS	SEC
1	25	Jenkins, Mike	CB	SOUTH FLORIDA	BIG EAST
2	61	Bennett, Martellus	TE	TEXAS A&M	BIG 12
4	122	Choice, Tashard	RB	GEORGIA TECH	ACC
5	143	Scandrick, Orlando	CB	BOISE STATE	WAC
6	167	Walden, Erik	DE	MIDDLE TENNESSEE	SUN BELT

This year was questionably the best of the last five years, given that three of these choices are still on the team and all but Erik Walden played for the team until last year.  Felix Jones has been a solid, albeit often injured, option at RB.  Mike Jenkins was, before the free agency pick up of Brandon Carr, the team’s best corner the last two years and Orlando Scandrick isn’t too far behind him.  Tashard Choice showed flashes here and there but could never put it together and was released last year.  Bennett underachieved greatly and really only contributed with his blocking prowess.

2009
3	69	Williams, Jason	LB	WESTERN ILLINOIS	MVFC
3	75	Brewster, Robert	OT	BALL STATE	MAC
4	101	McGee, Stephen	QB	TEXAS A&M	BIG 12
4	110	Butler, Victor	DE	OREGON STATE	PAC 10
4	120	Williams, Brandon	DE	TEXAS TECH	BIG 12
5	143	Smith, DeAngelo	CB	CINCINNATI	BIG EAST
5	166	Hamlin, Michael	S	CLEMSON	ACC
5	172	Buehler, David	K	USC	PAC 10
6	197	Hodge, Stephen	S	TCU	MWC
6	208	Phillips, John	TE	VIRGINA	ACC
7	227	Mickens, Mike	CB	CINCINNATI	BIG EAST
7	229	Johnson, Manuel	WR	OKLAHOMA	BIG 12

Without question, the worst draft any team has had in the last ten years.  Where to start?  We had twelve picks, although none in the first round thanks to the Roy Williams (WR) deal and even though this was only three years ago, only three are on the roster and none of them start.  Almost every one of these guys is not even in the league.  This draft marked the second kicker being drafted in three years but this last tidbit is by far the most maddening.  We had a second round pick, fifty-first overall and traded it to Buffalo for the picks that became Robert Brewster and Victor Butler.  Had we just kept that pick, we could have drafted LeSean McCoy which (a) would have solved our running back search and (b) would not have haunted us twice a year as he became a Philadelphia Eagle.

2010
1	24	Bryant, Dez	WR	OKLAHOMA STATE	BIG 12
2	55	Lee, Sean	LB	PENN STATE	BIG 10
4	126	Owusu-Ansah, Akwasi	CB	INDIANA (PA)	PSAC
6	179	Young, Sam	OT	NOTRE DAME	IND
6	196	Wall, Jamar	CB	TEXAS TECH	BIG 12
7	234	Lissemore, Sean	DT	WILLIAM & MARY	CAA

While this draft did produce two starters and probable long term solutions in Dez Bryant and Sean Lee, the next three picks are no longer on the team and this was only TWO YEARS AGO.  Sean Lissemore is an energy guy that overachieves and is decently productive for a seventh round pick.

2011
1	9	Smith, Tyron	OT	USC	PAC 10
2	40	Carter, Bruce	LB	NORTH CAROLINA	ACC
3	71	Murray, DeMarco	RB	OKLAHOMA	BIG 12
4	110	Arkin, David	G	MISSOURI STATE	MVFC
5	143	Thomas, Josh	CB	BUFFALO	MAC
6	176	Harris, Dwayne	WR	EAST CAROLINA	C-USA
7	212	Brent, Josh	DT	ILLINOIS	BIG 10
7	220	Chapas, Shaun	FB	GEORGIA	SEC
7	252	Nagy, Bill	C	WISCONSIN	BIG 10

This draft has likely produced the left tackle for the next 10 years in Tyron Smith.  DeMarco Murray has a chance to be a great running back as well and Bruce Carter gets a pass as he was injured for most of the year.  Josh Brent and Dwayne Harris will be given every opportunity to improve and become contributors but Arkin and Nagy may already be replaced given the Cowboys’ free agent pick ups.  Josh Thomas has already been released and Shaun Chapas is likely to follow suit.

So, in five years, with forty-one draft choices, only 19 players are still on the team.  Of those nineteen, eight actually contribute to the team in any tangible fashion.  Clearly Jerry Jones has failed at keeping the cabinet stocked with the type of talent Bill Parcells brought in during his brief tenure with the team.  One major reason in my eyes is his failure to keep things simple.  In the last five drafts, we have never once drafted a player from a team that finished the college season in the top five.  I am not saying that this is a sure way to make a selection but it certainly could not hurt to give it a shot.

That brings us to this year’s draft.  Given our difficulties on defense last year and that the National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide had a dynamic defense, it would be wise to choose one of the three options that should present itself with the fourteenth overall pick.  Safety Mark Barron, LB Courtney Upshaw and CB Dre Kirkpatrick should all be available to choose from.  Of these three, I believe Barron is the choice to make.  We have not had an all-around play making safety since the day Darren Woodson retired eight years ago.  Barron has above average ball skills as well as the ability to cover and is without peer against the run.  While he may not be as devastating as an Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu, he will not be very far behind which is exactly what Dallas needs.

As for the rest of our draft, this is what I would like to see us do with our picks.

2012
RD 1 PK 14	MARK BARRON	S	ALABAMA
RD 2 PK 45	TRUMAINE JOHNSON	CB	MONTANA
RD 3 PK 81	RONNELL LEWIS	OLB	OKLAHOMA
RD 4 PK 113	MICHAEL EGNEW	TE	MISSOURI
RD 4 PK 135	DAVID MOLK	C	MICHIGAN
RD 5 PK 152	TYRONE CRAWFORD	DE	BOISE STATE
RD 6 PK 186	VONTAZE BURFICT	ILB	ARIZONA STATE
RD 7 PK 222	MARQUIS MAZE	WR	ALABAMA

As I discussed earlier, Barron would fill a need that we have had for almost a decade.  Trumaine Johnson has both the size (6’2″ 205) and ball skills needed to compete in the NFL.  His ability to make plays on the ball are something the Cowboys have sorely lacked.  Lewis has a lot of similarities to Anthony Spencer, which may or may not excite the fan base, but given that Spencer has been a solid contributor and was drafted in the 1st round, this would be an excellent value pick.  While Egnew does not provide the blocking that Martellus Bennett did, he far surpasses Bennett’s abilities as a receiver and would add another dimension in the passing game that would provide the Cowboys room for error if there isn’t a true third wide receiver on the roster.  While David Molk is a bit small for a pro offensive lineman, he did start all four years at Michigan, is tough as nails and has elite awareness.  He could push Costa for a starting spot and/or possibly a roster spot.  Crawford has the length, strength and discipline to develop into a 3-4 defensive end, while Burfict and Maze both played for major programs and were big contributors.  These are the kinds of stabs you should take in the late rounds.

All in all, the worst that could happen with these picks is that we would provide solid competition to spots that greatly need it.  At best, we would score two long time starters on defense, someone to pair with Witten in the Gronk/Hernandez mold and replacements for Spencer and Costa if we so chose.  Definitely a much improved strategy than the past five years.