i would’ve taken mendenhall is well. i’m not that concerned about the walden pick. remember jason hatcher was a project too. i am concerned billy p isn’t here to build up that project. he seems good at that. columbo, hatcher, reeves. hopefully wade p will coach ‘em up…..

i like the walden pick better than the taster’s choice pick. just MHO.

Taking a complementory back in Jones over an every down back that falls right into your lap in mendenhall at 22, was a complete mistake. Even Jerry doesn’t think Jones is an every down back. Jerry’s reasoning is void of all logic, he stated that Mendenhall every down ability took away from selecting him at 22, what!!!! That’s thee dumbest double talk logic yet i’ve heard from jerry for not selecting a player. The fact is Jerry was fixated o Jones from the get go and no one in that draft room was going to change Jerry’s mind. I’m sure Mendenhall was rated higher on the cowboys board than Jones.

Jenkins is an absolute great pick, He was the second best corner for me in this draft and I thought he would was long gone by 22, it was smart for Jerry to move up insure getting him.

Bennett pick is another pick void of logic. This is a position where you already have an all pro tightend in Witten. Bennett is a project, you dont draft projects in the second round, you draft players that have a good chance of starting this year, Bennett doesn’t fit that role. He’d be lucky to be activated on game day, Curtis is entrenched as the second tightend, he has really stepped up his game alst year. Bennett needs work in blocking, that he’s not going to master in year one.

Taschard Choice pick just proves what I’ve stated about the Jones pick in round one, Jones is a complementory back, so Dallas had to protect themselves in case Barber got injured and could miss an extended period of time, Choice is a good player and could start and carry the load, Jones clearly cannot because of this pick.

Scandrick is a great pick and could be a steal in the draft. He was a great value for where he was picked, some boards had him late second or an early third round pick, to get him in the fifth, it was a great move to solidify our secondary, an area that I mentioned many tiimes last year that Reeves and Jones were nothing more than spares on this roster. Our secondary has improved greatly from this draft, regardless of Pac-rat..

Walden was a reach pick, a player you probably could of signed as an UFA after the draft. This is an area where a fullback or nose tackle should of been addressed in this draft,. With Anderson the only fulback and Tank as the only true nose tackle on the roster.

Jerry was up to his old days, moving down and around and added very good draft picks for next year, as for this years draft, I give the cowboys a C+, but if you take into account the picks added for next years draft, I’d give Dallas a B-. It would of been a A- if mendenhall was taken over Jones, then we wouldn’t of needed a second running back where Choice was selected and Bennett was selected to high for what is really a project that wont contribute alot this year.

It makes more sense to me for Dallas to draft 2 RBs—one with speed, the other a true backup—especially because both of these backs were very productive and have real talent. Mendenhall would’ve been nice, but I think they would’ve had to trade up to get a speed back like J. Charles if they would’ve taken the Illini back.

The TE was not necessary, but if he gets some key 3rd down catches out of the backfield or in 2 TE sets he can contribute right away and perhaps become a better playmaker than Fasano. This pick did surprise me.

2 corners were a necessity and I’m glad they took them where they did.

Don’t know much about the pass rusher, but they do need to keep grooming that position considering Greg Ellis is getting up there.

Would’ve like to see a S (not great in this draft) or NT (disappointed they didn’t get Rubin) in this draft—maybe even a development interior OL (that guard from USC is a rookie free agent). But I’m really glad they ignored the WR group. They need to see this year what they have already unless they get a vet.

I think Dallas picked talented players that will all (except maybe the DE/OLB) make this team. They need contributors in certain positions (RB, CB) and they got that. They also shot some speed into this team.

This is the first time I’ve actually graded a Solo King Jerry draft with an “A” rating.

I kept questioning each selection - not where they were drafted - but the actual player himself… and darn if I didn’t like how they fit in with what our team is trying to do.

All personal feelings aside, here are my comments on the players the Cowboys drafted:

- Besides the obvious rhetoric that Felix Jones represents the faster, home-run threat at RB to complement the violent, between-the-tackles style of MB3… did anyone bother to think that Red Ball has some new wrinkles (involving Felix The Cat) that he’s probably planning for next season’s offense. Imagine bringing The Cat in motion, using him in the slot, or having him catch Romo passes in stride for a quick hitting gamebreaker. Garrett could also use The Cat in similar situations that Mike Martz used to use Marshall Faulk or in packages mirroring how Andy Reid uses Brian Westbrook. If teams will have one more thing to worry about with The Cat on the field, which could open things up for TO, Witten, and maybe - only maybe - Terry Glenn, if he bypasses surgery and plays in the ‘08-09 season.

- I love Mike Jenkins because he’s a fast, bold, playmaking ballhawk who can stay with his man in coverage, has superb closing speed, and can haul tail with da rock after a turnover. Plus, he’s very physical and can blow up opposing offensive players.

- Although I too questioned the selection of a TE in the 2nd Round, I must say that I cannot argue with the physical specimen and gluelike hands of this athletic tight end known as Martellus Bennett. I wonder if da King thought of Keith Jackson, the ex-Packers TE who played at wishbone OU who seldom passed, but caught everything his way when he got into the NFL. Of course, Bennett won’t have that kind of pressure on him because he’s backing up All-Pro Jason Witten. It’ll be interesting to see what Bennett can do in a pro-style passing offense.

- Love the Choice…. Tashard Choice to be exact. Being a Miami Hurricanes’ Fan, I watched Choice kill us twice - esp. in the game at Tech his junior season. Despite his sub-6’0” height, he’s a tough little warrior who plays with pain and excels between the tackles. Another thing not mentioned is how he has a nose for the end zone when in the red zone. He’s a definite upgrade over Tyson Thompson at the running back position - IMHO.

- Orlando Scandrick is the most intriguing selection to me. Talk about speed, talk about wanting the football, talk about productive special teams play, and talk about adding corner depth… this kid has a chance to be something special. In one game, he returned a blocked extra point for two points and a blocked FG for a TD. And at CB, he has the blazing 40 time to more than hang with his receiver.

- The only thing I know about Erik Walden is what I’ve read since yesterday and the workout video posted on this site. The man looks like a fine blend of power and intensity. Hopefully, the coaches will find a way to fit him in as an OLB or ILB to add some depth. He seems to have an outstanding work ethic and he appears to have a coachable attitude. For a sixth round pick, I have no problem with Walden here.

For the record, I cannot believe that I actually like what King Jerry did. But the icing on the cake has to be the two additional 3rd rounders and the extra 4th rounder he obtained for the 2009 NFL Draft.

Jones/Mendenhal thing is a little overblown. A back that amasses over 3,000 yards backing up DMc is a damn good back. My big problem is that we failed to beef up at NG. We really need a space eater to allow our current starter to move back to his natural position.

Positives:
I hated the Jones move when we made it, but I loved it after the Choice pick. I see Choice as the true backup RB and Jones as Garrett’s shiny new toy on offense. Using Felix in the flat should draw the linebackers and safeties up and allow us to go over the top more effectively. Hell, Felix might have filled the need at WR; we can lineup Felix in the slant or outside, just like Faulk, Bush, and Westbrook. Felix may never be a typical three down running back, but he should get enough touches in the game to be considered a de facto starter. As for Choice, he can keep Barber fresh and split RB duties with Felix if Barber doesn’t stay after next year.

Some people will love the Jenkins pick and some will hate it, but it’s all based on personal preferences. Is work ethic or natural talent more important? Personally, I think that if Jenkins can get in the weight room and build up some more upper body strength, he’ll be just fine.

As for the fifth and sixth round picks, I have a rule about not getting upset over late round guys. Frankly, there wasn’t a player past the second round that could come in and make an impact. We have a full roster already, so it made sense to pick high upside guys who we can keep on the practice squad next year.

Negatives:
My only real problem with the draft weekend is the Fasano/Ayodele trade and the second round pick. It didn’t make much sense to trade our backup TE (a former second round pick) for a fourth round pick and then use our second round pick on another backup TE. I like Bennett as a long-term prospect, but this seemed like a bad use of resources.

Basically I gave them that grade because they didn’t reach for any players and in many cases got steals (Jenkins, Choice, Scandrick). You can’t go wrong with that strategy.

Anyhoo, the only problem I had with this draft is they did not address NT or SS.

know what they are doing…

from hashmarks..

“Seven teams drafted two running backs: Miami, Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, San Diego, Dallas and Seattle. The Broncos, Lions, Chargers and Seahawks each drafted a player initially listed as a fullback among their two running backs;”

We need a wide receiver. I didn’t think we would draft one, but I certainly thought we would trade for one. Didn’t happen, and I’m now not sure if it will. Plus, Felix over Mendenhall? I don’t agree with that. Both are good backs, but I firmly believe Mendenhall would have been better.

but there was nothing that made me throw my sandwich at the television so that is good.

Grizz, I don’t mean to be pedantic, but it is not the New Jersey Ledger, it is called the Star Ledger, or the Newark Star Ledger, not that anyone should care about that sliver of NJ trivia

Having all these links in one spot the day after the draft is PURE LUXURY

Every pick until Walden was projected to go higher than Dallas took them (Felix Jones was projected to go at exactly #22)

Walden was a huge reach that the Cowboys didn’t need to make. Especially now that they have signed Robertson from Georgia Tech. Wasted chance to get Corey Lynch S, Athyba Rubin NT, Peyton Hillis FB, Bryan Johnston OLB, Brandon Keith OT, etc. It’s nice that we stock piled a couple picks for next year, but all of the players listed were higher rated and at areas of greater need. Dallas could have taken any of them and still had the extra picks next year.

But, overall we got very good players rated higher than the spots Dallas drafted them. The 1st round was especially good. Both those guys are starters.