In a recent interview that Grizz linked to from the Star-Telegram, Jerry Jones talked about how excited he is about this year's class of rookies.

[Jerry] also labeled running back Felix Jones, cornerback Mike Jenkins, tight end Martellus Bennett, running back Tashard Choice and cornerback Orlando Scandrick as the most impactful rookie class he’s had since joining the Cowboys in 1989.

"We are getting maybe the best rookie contribution right off the bat that we’ve had," Jones said. "That is not average for us. When you figure the rookie class contributing like it is, then it’s really coming together."

The link can be found on the BTB homepage, but i'll also link it here.

Reading this at midnight as I took a break from my overwhelming 1L course load, I began to contemplate this idea. Out of all the great drafts classes that have come to Dallas in the past 20 years, with proven talent evaluators like Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells and even (not as proven, yet ) Jeff Ireland making their opinions known to GM Jerry, is the 2008 rookie class the best of the bunch?

I don't claim to be anything more than a diehard Cowboy and NFL fan, and I will be the first to admit that I do no scouting, mock drafting, or anything like that. All i can give is my personal opinion, as a fan, and I have to say that, through three weeks (i know, WAY too short of a time to be making claims like this, but like i said, i'm looking for a way to prostrastinate from my work right now), this draft, pick for pick, very well could be the best of the Jerry Jones Era.

Let's take a look at the past 20 drafts and see which ones have a chance at being the best.

1989: My analysis might already be over, because the first Jones/Johnson draft proved to be deep with players who would make huge impacts on the championship teams of the early 90's.

Many teams have whiffed with the number 1 overall pick, but you can't really find more of a home run pick than Troy Aikman with the first pick in 1989. Funny thing is, they weren't sure they had their QB of the future, and ended up using their 1990 first round pick in the 1989 supplemental draft (which ended up by the #1 pick after a 1-15 record) to take Steve Walsh, Johnson's QB at Miami. I think we all know who turned out to be worthy of a #1 overall pick. 

This draft had some other great picks. 2nd Rounder Steve Wisniewski, who was quickly traded to the Raiders after being drafted, made many pro bowls, and was a member of the all 1990's team. He would have looked great with a star on his helmet. Another 2nd Rounder, Daryl "Moose" Johnston, paved the way for #22 during out glory years on the 90s. 3rd Round C Mike Stepnoski was a starter on our great O-lines in the early 90s (and again at the end of his career). 4th Round DE Tony Tolbert was a upper-echelon lineman, and paired with Charles Haley to be a dominant pair of DE bookends. All in all, a great start to the Jerry Jones Era.

1990: Any time you draft the eventual All Time Rushing Leader, that draft will stand out. 3rd Round DL Jimmie Jones was a solid contributor on that great D-Line rotation on those teams. (Quick Note: I have a poster in my room titled "Doomsday Afternoon" with a menacing picture of Leon Lett, Tony Tolbert, Jimmie Jones, Jim Jeffcoat, Tony Casillas, Russell Maryland, and Charles Haley on it. In my opinion, the great poster ever made).

1991: No wonder those early 90's teams were so good. Every year was a hit. Three 1st rounders certainly help. Alvin Harper and Russell Maryland were key cogs in championship teams. Kelvin Pritchett, although imediately traded to Detroit, turned into a very solid starting DT in this league.

3rd rounder Erik Williams is one of the best OT's this team has ever had. 7th Rounder Leon Lett was a pro-bowler, and 12th rounder Larry Brown was the MVP of Super Bowl XXX. That's a pretty damn good draft right there.

1992: Another great year. Historically probably seen as the best of them all. 1st round CB Kevin Smith was an upper-echelon starter for many years. Fellow 1st Rounder Robert Jones was solid, though never lived up to his 1 round status. Our two 2nd rounders can both make tempting arguments for enshrinement in Canton, although the Cowboys only reaped the benefits of one of them.  Jimmy Smith (pick 36) is the Jaguars Franchise leader in basically every receiving category. Darren Woodson (pick 37) was the quarterback of our secondary from the day he stepped on the field until his back gave out 4 years ago. I always get upset at the fact that He wasn't able to get more time tutoring Roy Williams in the art of coverage. If only...

1993: Not nearly as great as the previous four drafts, but solid starters like Derrick Smith (2nd Rd.) and Brock Marion (7th Rd.) made impacts on this team. OL Ron Stone (4th Rd.) was a very good starter for the Giants and Niners, and CB Dave Thomas had a solid career, mostly with the Jaguars.

1994: DE Shante Carver (1st Rd.) was basically a bust, but 2nd Rounder Larry Allen is a sure fire first ballot Hall of Famer, and maybe the best Guard of all time. I know Andre Gurode and Flozell Adams learned a lot from playing with big #73.

1995: Now you start to see some of the reason why the Cowboys Dynasty of the 90's fell so far. These last three drafts did not produce much, and this one might have been the worst, with really no major contributors coming onboard, unless you considered TE Eric Bjornson (4th Rd.) or backup RB Sherman Williams (2nd Rd.) contributors (which I'm sure most of you don't).

1996: Another poor year, although maybe not as bad as 95. 2nd Rounder Randal Godfrey was a good player for the Cowboys, and Stepfret Williams was a personaly favorite of mine, and had his moments as a third down receiver.

1997: Potentially the worst 1st round pick in history (TE David LaFluer) was actually out last offensive player picked in the first round until Felix Jones this year. I don't blame Jerry for being afraid of picking offense in Rd. 1 after this pick. 2nd. Rounder Dexter Coakley was pound for pound for the best linebackers in the league for a few years and got a couple probowl invites to show for it. Omar Stoutmire (7th Rd.) became a solid safety for the Giants. Other than Coakley though, another poor draft, and another example of how we got to three straight 5-11 seasons a few years later.

1998: A throwback year, in terms of picking up many solid players throughout this draft. The standouts are 1st rounder Greg Ellis and 2nd. Rounder Flozell Adams. They both have had the definition of "solid" careers, and as the elder statesmen of this team, have both seen their productivity increase as their careers went on (and as the front office finally got some talent around them). Other solid picks in this draft were DT Michael Myers (4th Rd.) who was a good if unspectacular DT, OT Oliver Ross (5h Rd.) who had some very good seasons in Pittsburgh, and safety Izell Reese (6th Rd.) who was a solid backup.

1999: Lots of disappointment in this draft. Ebenezer Ekuban never lived up to his 1st round draft spot. OL Soloman Page (2nd Rd.) was a starter for a few years, but we were always looking for someone better, basically because he wasn't really any good. Third Round LB Dat Nguyen was a steal, and in my opinion should have made the Pro Bowl a few times. I'm glad to see him still on the payroll as assistant linebacker coach. He was always a personal favorite of mine. 

2000: Another candidate for worst draft. Dwayne Goodrich (2nd), Kareen Larrimore (4th), Michael Wiley (4th), Mario Edwards (6th). Somehow we got into a position where all these players were being counted on to step up and be solid starters. That is how you get good coaches like Dave Campo fired. Horrible. Just Horrible.

2001: As i go through some of these drafts from '95 till the early 2000's, it dawns on me that it is really a miracle that we are at the level we are now. These drafts were really horrible. Quincy Carter in the 2nd round of this draft just says it all. But he wasn't the only horrible pick. Safety Tony Dixon (2nd Rd.) never came close to being the eventual replacement to Darren Woodson that we had hoped for. Willie Blade(3rd), Marcus Steele(4th), Delroy Stewart(6th), and Colston Weatherington(7th) all had legitimate shots at being starters on this team. Seriously? Oh yeah, and Matt Lehr (5th), who actually started for a bit, might be the linchpin in a steroids scandal that I always fear is just around the corner for this league. What a waste of a draft.

2002: Finally, some hits. Roy Williams (1st Round) and Andre Gurode (2nd) are starters and have multiple probowls on their resume. We can debate the real value of Roy Williams for hours, but he is certainly at the very least a solid starter, although not worth what he is getting paid. However, this draft has some big blunder as well. Antonio Bryant (2nd) has never harnessed his great talent. We all had such great hopes for him. Derek Ross (3rd) and Pete Hunter (4th) were just the latest in the multitude of horrible defensive back picks for this team. 

2003: Now we really start to see the base of this current team coming to life. Bill Parcel's first draft landed us a very good starter and leader (4th rounder Bradie James) a pro bowler (1st rounder Terrence Newman), and an all-timer (3rd rounder Jason Witten). Those are some great picks, especially considering Newman came out of Kansas State, which does not produce many NFL stars. 2nd rounder Al Johnson started for a while, and is still starting out in Arizona. On the three big players picked in this round, it certainly can be considered the best of the post Campo years.

2004: Parcel's second draft looked more like what the cowboys were doign before he got here. Trading out of the first round (where we could have taken now Ram Stephen Jackson) to take Julius Jones in the 2nd still stings a lot of us. However, with Jacksin struggling now behind a horrible line in St. Louis, and JuJo seeming to be having the beginnings of what could be a career resurgence, maybe that trade doesnt look so horrible anymore (check: it still looks horrible). Whiffs on OL Jacob Rogers and Stephen Peterman are still hurting our O-Line depth. I cannot imagine how, after all the years of horrible depth in the secondary, that the brain trust felt that Nate Jones and Jaques Reeves were the answer for those troubles, and the fact that they both were counted on last year makes me puzzled as to how we went 13-3 (but it helps understand why we lost in the playoffs). 7th rounder Patric Crayton is certainly the highlight out of this draft. He's starting slow this year, but in my eyes he is still a solid #2 receiver. Terrance Copper was a rookie free agent this year, and he is a good backup WR in New Orleans.

2005: BOOM. Maybe this is the best draft of the 20 years. If this team goes on to win multipe championships, this draft may be looked at like those of '90, '91, and '92. 1st rounder Demarcus Ware has blossomed into a top 5 defensive player in the NFL. Fellow first rounder Marcus Spears, while some feel hasnt lived up to his billing, is still a better than average/good starter on the D Line. 2nd rounder Kevin Burnett has found his role on this team as a nickle linebacker, and may turn into a starter down the road. Chris Canty (4th), despite a somewhat slow start this year, is still a beast. The steal of this draft may have been DT Jay Ratliff in the 7th round. Our D-line is beastly once again with Spears, Canty, and Ratlif, along with Tank Johnson, and Jason Hatcher. 

But the best pick in this draft, and potentially of any draft, was 4th rounder Marion Barber. This kid is for real. Pray to the lord he can stay healthy, and we have our franchise back again. One of the most productive and entertaining players to watch that we have had on the Cowboys in my lifetime, and with this franchise, even for only 24 years, that is saying something.

2006: Meh. Parcel's last draft was certainly nothing special. 1st rounder Bobby Carpenter is still waiting to make the impact he, and we, hoped he would have. I am still holding out hope that he will eventually turn the corner. 2nd Rounder Anthony Fasano is now down in Miami with the Tuna. He is a marginal starting TE in this league, but i wish him well because i had always heard he was a good guy. A few blown picks in the draft, like 4th rounder Skyler Green, and 6th rounder Montavious Stanley, but 3rd rounder Jason Hatcher is progressing well and some feel is pushing Marcus Spears for a starting spot. Pat Watkins is a very good backup safety, who some beleive could eventually step into the starting lineup permanently whenever Roy Williams is gone. I dont know about that one, but he's good in spurts.

2007: I know, its too early to be making predictions on this draft, but as of now things are looking good. Anothony Spencer has shown periods of great talent. I hope he starts to come along more, because as good as Gregg Elliss is playing still, he won't keep it up forever. The lineman (3rd Rounder James Martin and 4th Rounder Doug Free) don't seem to be coming along as well as he coaches would like. Isaiah Stanback is still a project, but even he is startign to show a little bit. I'm excited for him to eventually "get it" and turn up all that athleticism into production. The big scores from this draft were the two 6th rounders. Nick Folk has immediately established himself among the leagues best and most cutch kickers in less than a year and a quarter. After the revolving door of kickers since Chris Boniol, I for one, am relieved that Jerry finally drafted a kicker instead of tring to find one off the scrap heap every year. Deon "Criket" Anderson from UCONN (love it) seems to be a good fit in this offense. A wiling and improving blocker, and an improving threat out of the backfeild. And a team favorite in the locker room. Love this guy. Hope his knee gets better soon.

And this leads us up to the reason I just spent the last 2 hours not working on the memo that is due on tuesday: The 2008 draft class. Jerry claims its the best. Feix Jones certainly seems to have come as advertised. I've was excited about the possibility of him doing what hes doing since the beginning of last college football season. GREAT pick, so far. The other first rounder, Mike Jenkins, is still a bit of an unknown. The reason for that, is that we finally have good (great?) depth in the defensive backfeild. Fans have been screaming to take a corner in the first round for years, and then when we finally take one, we don't even really need him, yet. The long rumored Anthony Henry to safety move might be a season away, at which point Jenkins will help form hopefully the best 1-2-3 at the CB position in the league with T-New and Adam Jones. Orlando Scandrick might finally be a late round hit at the CB position, something this team has been horrible at over the years. Again, we finally hit on one, and we don't really need him. He will provide great depth however. 2nd rounder Martellus Bennet is raw talent, and if he gets his head on straight, he may be another great weapon in this offense. Learning from Jason Witten is not a bad way to get an education. Lastly, 4th rounder Tashard Choice might have been my favorite pick of this last draft. With Marion Barber finally stepping into the every day starter shoes, you lose that ability to bring a guy off the bench to bang agaisnthe defense at the end of the game to preserve a win. While Barber will still do that a lot, it is nice to be able to take him out and not worry about taking a huge step down. With these two rookie running backs behind Barber, he have the best depth we've had back there since Chris Warren was backing up Emmitt.

So, what have we learned? Is 2008 the best rookie class of he Jerry Jones Era? It's certainly too early to tell. If i had to give my vote, i'd say...no. 1991, and 1992 are just epic drafts. It is hard to top them in the history of the league, let alone this franchise. Of the recent drafts, i certainly look at that 2005 draft. If this team reaches the heights of its historic past, that draft may be viewed on the same level as '91 and '92. Is it possible for the 2008 draft to get to that level? Sure. But it is facing an upward battle. Every player in this draft is backing up a Pro Bowler, still in the prime of their careers. Of course i hope that Felix, Jenkins, Bennet, Scandrick, and Choice become great players. But at the expense of Marion Barber? Jason Witten? Terence Newman? uh uh. It will be interesting to see who the next few years go.

Anyways, if you've read this far, thank you for indulging me. I apologize for the spelling and grammar errors. i'm not proofreading this thing. Now i'm going to reluctantly go back to the real world, where my memo is still due tuesday, and I don't think my professor will allow me to submit my analysis of Jerry Jones draft record.

HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS!!!!