Cowboys Need To Avoid Repeats Of The 2010 Draft

A site called The Sideline View recently re-graded each teams' 2010 draft based on what we know today. First, let's look at that re-grading, then we'll discuss.

DALLAS COWBOYS
Pro Bowlers: 1
Players remaining on the roster as of May 2014: 2
2010 Draft Grade (as of April 2010):  Bleacher Report - (A), Consensus - (B-) 
REAL Draft Grade (as of May 2014):  (B-)
1st Round - Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant
2nd Round - Penn State OLB Sean Lee
4th Round - Indiana (PA) CB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
6th Round - Notre Dame OT Sam Young
6th Round - Texas Tech CB Jamar Wall
7th Round - William & Mary DT Sean Lissemore

When Jerry Jones selected Dez Bryant at No. 24 in the first round, it was a boom or bust selection. Luckily for "Jerrah", he got that one right. It’s been a little rocky at times, but there’s no more athletic receiver in football than Bryant. If Lee could ever stay healthy, he’d end up in a Pro Bowl or three. 4th round on down? Disaster, but rolling the Dez Bryant dice, and winning, was a decision that will always be a feather in Jerry’s cap.

My initial reaction is that a re-grade of (B-) is a little generous. Personally, I would give it a (C). Obviously the Dez pick was a home run. The Sean Lee pick could be a home run, but he just can't stay healthy. The Cowboys knew coming into that draft he had injury issues, so it can't all be written off as bad luck. That's not to say they shouldn't have picked him, they should have because when he's healthy he is one of the best. Hopefully his health situation will turn around for him in 2014.

But it's the rest of the draft that's a killer. They basically got nothing out of it. It's this kind of hits at the top, but busts in the later rounds, that have left the Cowboys with a top-heavy roster. The Cowboys need to make sure the 2014 draft doesn't look like this draft. If the Cowboys end up getting nothing out of the 2014 draft except for Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence, then they will suffer for it a few years down the line.