This is interesting. Adam Schefter at NFL.com says the Cowboys are taking a new direction in this year's draft. I noted in my Parcells' draft article earlier this week I felt Parcells was centralizing the power to make this draft his draft. First, here's what Schefter says:
The Cowboys have instructed their assistant coaches to focus on this season's upcoming opponents rather than the upcoming draft, meaning the assistant coaches have had as little input into this draft as any coaching staff in recent memory.
Parcells, the Cowboys front office and Dallas' scouts have handled all the draft preparations, gearing up for the big weekend. It could turn out to be a great move. The men who know college talent have focused in on it, and the assistant coaches have focused in on next season, allowing Dallas to get ahead.
So, no assistant coaches whining that they need this particular player or a certain position filled. So that leaves Parcells, Jerry and Stephen Jones and the scouts. You can forget about the scouts making the decisions, they can only make recommendations. Don't believe it? Read the first few paragraphs of this SI.com article. Jeff Ireland did a heck of a job last year identifying talent and hopefully will do the same this year, but only two people are going to make decisions, Jerry and Bill.
Jerry has already made his decision. He wants to win the Super Bowl and has decided Parcells is the best way to get there. Jerry has gone out of his way in allowing Parcells to make the personnel decisions in his tenure; all you need to do is look at the turnover of the roster since Parcells has been here. He's brought in his players, changed the defense to the 3-4, everything about this team smells like the Tuna. I don't know who he's going to draft, but make no mistake; this draft belongs to Bill Parcells.