NFL Draft: Dallas Cowboys day one wrap-up

by Dave Halprin (Grizz) on Apr 26, 2008 10:51 PM CDT in News

Whew, what a day. Has a NFL draft ever gone by so quickly? I really like the new streamlined format; it makes the action happen much faster and keeps you glued to the TV.

Anyway, let’s talk about the Cowboys draft. I feel pretty good about it but do have a few issues.

Pick #22 – Felix Jones: Anybody who has been reading this blog knows that I’m a fan of Felix Jones and thought that would be the guy Dallas chose with their first pick. What I didn’t expect was having to make a choice between Rashard Mendenhall and Jones. In all honesty, I would have taken Mendenhall at that point, he’s the more complete, workhorse back. Having said that, I understand the Cowboys thinking and I’m not overly disappointed we passed on Mendenhall. Rashard is a very similar back to MB3 in style and size although he doesn’t quite have the violent streak of the Barbarian, but then again, who does? Mendenhall is the type of back who would need a lot of carries in a game to be truly effective and probably wouldn’t get that this year behind MB3. If you’re thinking long-term, then Mendenhall is the guy only if you believe that the Cowboys won’t sign MB3 after this year. Obviously Jerry, who knows more about the situation than any of us, believes that he will get him signed. On that basis I can understand why they chose Jones instead. Felix is the perfect complement to MB3 in this offense, he’ll add the speed element, the outside running attack, and you can throw in some screens and possibly split him out in the slot on occasion. He’s the homerun threat from the backfield that the team lacks. And please, don’t tell me Mendenhall is as fast as Jones. It’s absurd. I don’t care what they ran at the combine - a one-day event where anybody can have a bad 40 time and they aren’t even in pads. Anybody who has watched the game film on Jones can see his game-speed is a world apart from your average back. So that argument is crazy. He’s also a terror as a kick returner. The other thing I like about Jones is that he can be productive with limited touches and has no problem working behind a starting back. In the long run, Mendenhall may be the better back in terms of an every down starter but Jerry believes that the every down starter in Dallas for years to come will be MB3. So based on that thinking, I can see why they took Jones. I’m not willing to say Jones is the better all-around back but his big play explosiveness and ability to work with limited touches probably fits the Cowboys offense better.

Also, I initially thought that Dallas could pass on Jones and still get him at #28. In reality, that might not have happened because the Titans took Chris Johnson, another speed back, two picks later. It’s entirely possible they would have grabbed Jones instead if he was still on the board.

Pick #25 – Mike Jenkins: This was a great pick for the Cowboys. They needed another corner and they got one that I’ve seen ranked as the best or second best corner in the draft on some scouting reports. The fact he fell as far as he did was a surprise. He has great upside potential and can be a playmaker on the ball. Once again, Jerry made a smart move by trading up to get him because I’m pretty sure he would not have gotten past San Diego. I liked Antoine Cason but he was not as high on my board as Jenkins. I truly didn’t think we’d have a shot at him and if we did it was most certainly going to be at #22. Getting him when we did was great value and I judge him as ready to play from day one. With Jenkins and Pacman Jones coming on board our secondary just got so much better it’s unbelievable. And Jenkins and the Joneses (Pacman and Felix) can all help our special teams. A great pick.

Pick #61 – Martellus Bennett: Like a lot of you, I’m not a big fan of this pick. I will be the first to admit I know very little about the guy. I’ve never seen him play and didn’t research TE’s at all because I didn’t see the Anthony Fasano trade coming. So it’s hard for me to speak to his actual on the field skills. I just didn’t think that TE was that big of a need even with Fasano gone. We got by just fine last year with Fasano who I thought was average at best and that Tony Curtis could pretty much fill his role. I would have liked to seen the Cowboys go for another position like WR or safety here, or even a lineman that they had high on their board. I understand that Bennett is a phenomenal athlete and could become a playmaker, but our second TE just doesn’t get that many opportunities with Witten in front of him and the other playmakers we have on offense. It may not have been a reach in terms of where Bennett ranked in value but it didn’t seem like much of a need for us. My one hope is that the Cowboys scouts have seen something in the kid that tells them he could develop into a playmaker that will force his way onto the field in some role. But I’m not a fan of this pick.

Overall, I like most of what we did today. Going into the draft I wanted a RB and a CB in the first round and I got it. I also think the two players we got at those positions are great additions and will yield positive results. Passing on Mendenhall was a call I might not have made but I understand it. The pick of Bennett is something I’m going to have to be sold on because at this point I don’t quite get it. Still, Jerry had a plan and executed it well. A great start to the 2008 draft.

On another subject, what a great day by you guys on the blog. We had eight open threads with over 2,200 comments. That’s a beautiful thing. I think the new platform functioned very well. I know some of you complained about lagging threads but it might have been your computer because for a lot of us it ran very smoothly. But the real point is that the community was humming today and we cranked out a lot of comments and information while thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Kudos, guys. And thanks to Brandon for helping me out all day. Don’t forget, as if you really would, we’ll be doing all over again on Sunday.

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good analysis

i obviously disagree with you on Bennett because he was probably BPA, there was no WR to take, S would have been a severe reach at that point….i think that was a smart, logical, solid and a very Antonio Gatesian pick…

just got ownaged

by Longhorn on Apr 26, 2008 11:03 PM CDT 0 recs

I don't know

I’m warming up to Bennett, but I think Dan Connor was the BPA. And all I keep hearing about the 3-4 is how you can never have enough LBs.

Now, with Bennett, I think that puts an end to any FB speculation. Bennett will probably play a hybrid TE/FB role, and I have enough faith in Garrett to believe that it could be a great addition to our offense.

by accidental innuendo on Apr 27, 2008 12:14 AM CDT up 0 recs

No complaints here..

blog ran smooth all day for me – when I wasn’t outside doing yardwork, that is.

Excellent job keeping everyone informed as usual. Looking forward to seeing the new Jones boy take it to the house a few times next season!

by Pete222 on Apr 26, 2008 11:03 PM CDT 0 recs

sorry i missed it

had to be out all day so I missed the live action, but it sounds like a good day. A good complementary back and a solid corner, both who will be able to contribute immediately—maybe they’ll both get a ring on their rookie years!

by scottmaui on Apr 26, 2008 11:06 PM CDT 0 recs

great draft

I love the draft plain and simple. We got the RB we targeted, we got a CB who I just knew wasn’t going to be there and we got TE who can split wide and catch TD’s in the red zone.. 6’6” with a 39 inch vert. Man I love it..

We all knew how much Tony Loves to throw to the TE, let the gates comparsions begin..

I wanted a Wr in the second, but on second thought, if you draft wr in the 2nd round you are nearly pressed to what he can do. I think we really need to see what our younger guys can do 1st before we draft a WR high. I know they didn’t perform last year, but we all knew WR is the toughest position to adapt too..

I would like for us to bring in Z from Notre dame to play safety.

I understand the Mendhall and Jones, debate, but for our team Jones is a better compliment..

I say we once this all plays out we will be happy with Felix.

by Wmillion on Apr 26, 2008 11:24 PM CDT 0 recs

My brother is an aggie

So he rates Bennett pretty highly. Watching the A&M games this year, I think that Coach Fran really underutilized Bennett in the offense, so you really can’t tell what kind of player he is just by the numbers. A&M used him more as a run blocker than a true tight end, but I think that he’ll be a threat that teams can’t ignore.

Not a bad draft for us this year so far, if I were grading it I’d give it a high B+ or a low A-.

by sprprsnmn on Apr 26, 2008 11:24 PM CDT 0 recs

good info

sprprsnmn
great post the more i hear the about Bennett, the more i am gettin exicted. You can run a lot of plays out of 2 TE sets, especially with being one being a Pro-Bowler and other being a 6’6” athlete…

by Wmillion on Apr 26, 2008 11:34 PM CDT 0 recs

BTB is amazing.

I didn’t know how good I had it until it was down for a couple days. I’ve been reading everyday since about halfway through the regular season and posting regularly for the past couple months. I think the site is run beautifly and the people on here are tight too. I might not agree with everyone, but the diverse opinions make it fun. I’ve always been a HUGE Cowboys fan, but I feel more connected than ever with BTB. Good job guys. Especially Grizz, Brandon and Tuna.

Bourn to Run!

by jsams on Apr 26, 2008 11:42 PM CDT 0 recs

.

The open threads kinda lagged when the comments passed the 100+ mark. Of course, I also had a FoxSports page open that had live draft updates, so that likely contributed to the lagging as well. But it’s a minor complaint, since I love how the page automatically refreshes after every new comment. I hated having to hit the refresh button all the time on game day threads with the old site.

Back to the draft picks. 100% on board with the first two. I really didn’t give the TE position much thought and I know nothing about Bennett other than what the other guys here have posted, but I’ll give the pick (and him) the benefit of the doubt. Maybe we’ll see some 2 TE sets down the road.

All in all, an excellent day. I feel we got exactly what we needed to fill two glaring holes. And assuming Pacman is reinstated and flies straight, that could make our defense that much closer to lethal.

You can't have Thunder without Lightning.

by Nelson... on Apr 26, 2008 11:49 PM CDT 0 recs

The more I think about it

the more excited I am about Bennett’s potential and consequently us taking him there.

I was hoping for a WR with that pick but once I got past the stigma of the TE label I started to like the idea of a guy that a few inches taller and 35 pounds heavier than a M. Kelley and yet is just as fast when you look at 40 times and has displayed great playmaking ability as told by those who have seem him play..

Plus, Wade seemed drive home that Bennett is not seen as a backup as TMac mentions on the dmn blog http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/.

We all know its about way more than just 40 times and athletic ability but if it works out he could be even better weapon for the offense than any WR we would have taken at that spot.

I know it’s a bunch of “If’’s” but I guess that’s a lot of what this time of year is all about.

I’m pretty please with day one.

by ajspop on Apr 26, 2008 11:57 PM CDT 0 recs

great point here guys ...thanks ajspop

he could be even better weapon for the offense than any WR we would have taken at that spot.

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

by BoyzRback on Apr 27, 2008 7:14 AM CDT up 0 recs

I haven't anyone suggest this

But I’ve heard that Bennett is a good run blocker and quite fast… Could he be converted to a full-back?

by hiafex on Apr 26, 2008 11:57 PM CDT 0 recs

If anything

He would be a HB. He’s so tall and has a high center of gravity, I’m not sure he could ever get low enough to clear out linebackers.

by GhettoBear04 on Apr 27, 2008 12:09 AM CDT up 0 recs

As I pointed out above

It could be a hybrid TE/FB position, but Cricket will probably remain our bona fide FB.

by accidental innuendo on Apr 27, 2008 12:15 AM CDT up 0 recs

Don't Understand Yall's Issues with Bennett...

He was terribly under-utilized and the A&M coaching staff under Fran was awful…

He’s big, physical, extremely athletic. Huge hands. Moves really well… He’s going to be a serious weapon in the red zone and across the middle moving the chains… He’s already an above-average blocker, and he’s got the potential to be really strong in that area of the game.

None of the receivers other than Bubba Caldwell are worth a damn at this point. And I really think the upside with Bennett outweighs what you’d get with Caldwell…

Some of you really would rather have had Manningham, Doucet, or Bubba? Yikes…

I probably would have taken Mendenhall at 22, but Felix does complement Barber extremely well, and as long as Barber is resigned and brought back, I really don’t see this pick coming back to haunt us, so no big deal…

Jenkins is probably the most ready of all the CBs to step in now and play immediately, so that’s a great value pick at 25…

Wanna see another DB, NT, and OL on Day 2… Only receiver left I like at all is Bubba Caldwell. So if he drops to 91 or wherever we’re at, I’d give him a long look…

by N41D on Apr 27, 2008 12:15 AM CDT 0 recs

There's some pretty cool stuff up

At dallascowboys.com, but the war room call to Bennett is by far the best. The transcript would looks something like this:

Jerry: Hey Martellus?
Martellus: Hey, Jerry Jones!?
Background: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

His family just freaks out and Jerry and Wade just sit back and enjoy. I loved it.

by dieselT8 on Apr 27, 2008 12:16 AM CDT 0 recs

So hilarious

I just watched this too. So awesome. You gotta love a guy that’s THAT excited to be a Cowboy.

by grapejoos on Apr 27, 2008 5:53 PM CDT up 0 recs

He is no way going to be able to really be a H back due to his height. You have to be quicker and more agile to block speedy LBs and he is just not going to be able to do it.
Sorry but to be honest I think Jerrah screwed this one up. there is NO way he is going to get any more passes thrown his way then Fasano did. Even with Crayton as the other WR. Romo is going to go to TO first then Witten or Crayton- the other TE will ALWAYS be at best 4th except for designed plays. Wade can talk all he wants but there is not going to be a change to the Offense= after all why would you mess with one that broke records?

by burmafrd1944 on Apr 27, 2008 12:17 AM CDT 0 recs

So then...

you agree there is no point in drafting a WR with the 2nd round pick. Because there’s no way a rookie WR beats out Crayton, especially not from this class.

by GhettoBear04 on Apr 27, 2008 12:33 AM CDT up 0 recs

I agree with that, didn't really want WR either

But Dallas could have taken DaJuan Morgan, the 2nd to 3rd highest rated safety on every board I’ve seen.

Hope Bennett turns out to be another Tony Gonzales, but I’m not holding my breath.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Apr 27, 2008 1:07 AM CDT up 0 recs

marcellus - comedian, blocker, helmet-knocker-offer

sorry if someone posted this earlier, but this video of Tellus and Joey Thomas is pretty interesting, and funny. I can see why he’s “well-quoted”.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TqFsKVEYOlc

Of all things given the timing now, he starts off responding to a question about being a team leader by saying “I’m a gangster, I’m real thug-like, I carry a gun around, so if anybody gives me any problems I’m shootin’.” What? Great. But it turns out he has a very dry sense of humor that cracked me up several times. He’s being interviewed because he’s a team leader. So along with his freakish athleticism, we have a leader here.

And he talks about not being a pass target because of the run offense, but developing as a blocker instead. It seems like this might end up making a more well-rounded player, because he has the frame and athleticism to naturally be a great target, but he’s been in a system that has developed the blocking aspect of his game. he may also turn out to be somewhat of a sleeper as an offensive weapon, and thus a great value, just because he hasn’t had a chance to really show it.

and as for blocking, check out the last play of this highlight reel (watch rest for great catches and yards after), where he just crushes the poor guy he’s blocking:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5P0ljixzaGY

and for YAC, the second to last play is a fun one. he runs around one guy, through the second, and the knocks the helmet off a third. there’s another (though tiny) angle here:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8AAgF6i9ukE

reading about him here at btb and then seeing the way he moves in these clips, I am exciting that he could be a real serious weapon and playmaker.

(by the way, just heard ESPN say something about F. Jones in the system with MB3 being an “impact offensive player in his rookie year.” sounds good to me.)

by scottmaui on Apr 27, 2008 1:15 AM CDT 0 recs

i mean martellus in the title - duh

by scottmaui on Apr 27, 2008 1:16 AM CDT 0 recs

John Clayton gave Cowboys Day 1 picks a thumbs up

Beside KC, and Balt (if you like Joe Flacco), Miami, and Pittsburgh, Dallas is also listed as a Day 1 winner. I would rank us second only to KC but what do I know.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Apr 27, 2008 1:29 AM CDT 0 recs

Match up the back up RB

in week 14th. Rashard Mendenhall Vs. Felix Jones.

I agree with Grizz. I would have taken Mendenhall but I understand the Jones pick.

by coolaid on Apr 27, 2008 1:50 AM CDT 0 recs

*Match up of the back up RB

by coolaid on Apr 27, 2008 1:50 AM CDT up 0 recs

improving

it occurs to me that the boys have improved at several positions so far this off-season, and diminished at none. Zach Thomas is a good improvement over Ayodele. Adam Jones (assuming he plays) and Jenkins are a huge upgrade from Nate Jones and Jacques Reeves. Felix is likely a big boost over Julius. And Bennett has a strong potential to be a bigger contributor than Fasano. All the other positions are the same.

(Did anyone notice that we replaced two Joneses with other Joneses in the same positions?)

Seems like Jerry is doing a good job to me! We had one of the top 5 teams in the league last year, and of course only time will tell, but because of his trades and picks it seems likely that we’ll be significantly stronger in several important areas, and weaker in none. I’m liking it.

There is the risk/reward thing with Pacman. It is a risk. But it seems a very big upside if it does work out with a relatively small downside if it doesn’t. (And as an aside, along with the pure football business of it in hopefully getting a great corner, it also happens to feed Jerry’s penchant for being in the news.)

by scottmaui on Apr 27, 2008 2:27 AM CDT 0 recs

I still

don’t like the idea of Crayton being our 2nd receiver…

And the secret sources in Cincinnati get the last laugh....

by miles on Apr 27, 2008 2:30 AM CDT up 0 recs

that is one area we could use improvement still

for sure, but we had one of the most explosive passing games last year with the same receivers, and with how this offense works, Jones catching out of the backfield and Bennett in two tight end sets or split out in the slot complements and takes some pressure off the receiving corps. it terms of value, GhettoBear04 made a good point in the last thread that Bennett may provide more value to the passing game than any receiver available at that point. I think I agree.

All but the best receivers take time to develop to even second receiver capacity, and even if we drafted a receiver this year, I doubt any of them could have replaced crayton anyway. the only way he isn’t the second receiver is a) Glenn is able to play another season, or b) we make a trade for a veteran.

Hurd, Austin and Stanback all have some decent potential, too, and are as likely to make an immediate impact as a rookie wr.

as far as Glenn coming back and playing at a high level, I’m not counting on it, but jerry is talking like he’s planning on it, and he knows more than we do. it is possible.

by scottmaui on Apr 27, 2008 5:07 AM CDT up 0 recs

.

(Did anyone notice that we replaced two Joneses with other Joneses in the same positions?)

Yes :D

You can't have Thunder without Lightning.

by Nelson... on Apr 27, 2008 7:59 AM CDT up 0 recs

the one Jones that needed to be replaced, but wasn't

that would be JERRY!!!!

by Deke on Apr 27, 2008 8:02 AM CDT up 0 recs

ANOTHER Big Miss at RB

I felt a sickening feeling as JJ passed up Steven Jackson ultimately for Julius Jones. And I had that exact same feeling today when he passed Mendenhall for Felix Jones. All this garbage about Jones being a better ‘complement’ to Barber makes me even sicker. Every player in the NFL is one play away from the end of his career. You take the best player available at the position you’re targeting… PERIOD! Mendenhall is head and shoulders above Jones (literally and figuratively). Jerry was locked in on Jones and didn’t adjust when a superior running back fell in his lap. I can’t believe all the garbage in the comments about Jones being the right pick. Jones certainly LOOKED like the right pick at 22 coming into the draft, but when Mendenhall fell, Mendenhall became the right pick.

Jones over Mendenhall? Horrible. Jenkins? Great move up. Bennett. WHO? Overall, C- grade for the Cowboys. Two more wasted 1st and 2nd round picks in the JJ tenure (a la Spears, Carp, and Julius Jones).

My first post in months. And I’m pissed.

Ol Hickory

by ol hickory on Apr 27, 2008 3:21 AM CDT 0 recs

short-term vs. long-term?

seem folks are pretty split and think it is one of the best picks or one of the biggest mistakes.

for me it seems like a short-term vs. long-term perspective.

Jones was probably the better short-term pick, but Mendenhall may have been the better long-term pick.

But I think Dennis Dillon says it well:

There’s a common denominator there. The Cowboys no longer are in rebuilding mode; they clearly are a team that could - no, make that should - contend for the Super Bowl next season. So they went for players who can make immediate contributions.

If winning the Superbowl nexd year is the goal, I think Jones is probably the better pick.

by scottmaui on Apr 27, 2008 5:15 AM CDT up 0 recs

I cant follow that logic

I get the fact that its good to draft a player in the first two rounds that can help you win now, but when there’s a running back on the board that is rated as one of the top three coming out left on the board, a guy that can carry the load, a lead type back and could be on the field 80% of the time, where is the logic that a complementory back is the better pick, a guy that would be on the fielld 20% of the time, Jerry said as much that Jones isn’t a 20 to 25 carry back, then why would you draft a complementory back in the first round!!!. This is what I’ve said alot, about Jerry, he gets fixated on a player, thats what he did with Jones, and no one was going to tell him Mendenhall was the better pick. Nobody thought out of all the top three, Mendenhall would land right in our lap, this is another in a long list of poor decisions by Jerry Jones. Mendenhall should of been the pick at 22 over a complementory back, we aready have a complementory back in barber. I could not believe my ears when Jerry mentioned that Mendenhall with the ability to be an every down back was a factor in the dumb reasoning for NOT taking him at 22… How much more dumb logic like this do people need to see that Jerry is draft challenged and a complete idiot as a GM….Pittsburgh will be sending Jerry thank you cards for the next ten years before every draft

Jenkins was a great pick at 25, this a a big time cover corner, second best in this draft IMO, shocked he slipped to us there at 22 and was still there at 25 for us to ove up and get him. With the Pac-rat onboard, Jenkins wont be pressed into being a starter right off, he'll have a year to learn under newman and Henry, with the ability to play special teams and get some time in dime situations to get his feet wet. He's going to be a good one.

How does bennett help us this year, a guy that would be lucky to see the field 5% of the time, if that. Dont give me he's a value at that pick, value is a player that can contribute in certain situation, like a pressure player off the edge, Bennett will be inactive most of the year, that wont help us this year, he's a project. Caldwell should of been the pick at 61, You cant count on Glenn be playing a big role, one tweak of that knee and he's done for the year. This team showed late in the season and in the playoffs that if T.O is not 100%, then this team lacks wide receiver speed to stretch the field, thats why Caldwell would be the perfect choice and the replacement for Glenn, I give this draft after the first day C-, Dallas left two better prospects on the board, Again!!

by Deke on Apr 27, 2008 6:57 AM CDT up 0 recs

agree

Ol Hickory I couldn’t agree more with you. This reminds me of the draft two years ago. We took a team’s second best linebacker (Carpenter) and now we take a team’s second best back (Jones). And now Jerry Jones is trading away today’s pick. Jerry is a total ass.

by bullitt on Apr 27, 2008 11:07 AM CDT up 0 recs

I like Jones

I think Felix Jones was the perfect pick for the Cowboys. He adds depth and makes the team even stronger than they were with Julius Jones. Good pick!

http://myteamrivals.typepad.com/cowboyscorner/

http://myteamrivals.typepad.com/nfldraftcoverage/

by BillZe on Apr 27, 2008 7:44 AM CDT 0 recs

Slower computers can't handle too many thread comments

I know some of you complained about lagging threads

My modern Core 2 Duo computer can handle lots of comments on this blog, but my laptop (which is not that old) cannot open a post with 200+ comments within a reasonable amount of time.

As with other blogs that get a lot of comments, I recommend opening new threads when the number of comments reaches a certain point.

by Semblance on Apr 27, 2008 8:05 AM CDT 0 recs

I agree

The thread really becomes bogged down after about 125 comments and things lockup. I have a new notebook, 3.4ghz with 2gigs of ram and the thread and site becomes completely unresponsive and unmanageable to navagate at times. I dont think its just a problem with older computers

by Deke on Apr 27, 2008 8:11 AM CDT up 0 recs

what browser / operating system are you running?

I'm one of the guys that built the new SB Nation

by clockwerks on Apr 27, 2008 10:35 AM CDT up 0 recs

RB

I continue to hear about Felix Jones being a short term solution.. Marion Barber is 24 he has at least 5 years left in that body, if healthy.. So we can have this combo for the next 5 years. 5 years in the NFL is not short term. I can live with the barbarian and explosive back who can can hit the home run on any carry and catch the ball well out of the backfield. I think his ability to catch the ball well out the backfield may have been one of the deciding factors…

by Wmillion on Apr 27, 2008 8:33 AM CDT 0 recs