Will Cowboys roll the dice on Draft Day?
By Darrell Laurant
04/18/2006
When it comes to the NFL draft, no team has proven more creative and risk-taking than the Dallas Cowboys.
Part of the credit for that goes to former general manager Gil Brandt, who had the chutzpah to envision an Olympic sprinter (Bob Hayes) as a top wideout, a small school nobody (Rayfield Wright) as a future anchor of the offensive line, and a basketball star (Cornell Green) as an All-Pro cornerback.
That tradition continued last year, when Dallas used its top pick on pass-rushing defensive end DeMarcus Ware from Troy University and converted him to linebacker. Then, in the fourth round, they traded a later pick to get DT Chris Canty from Virginia, a player with impressive raw talent but daunting injury baggage. And the gamble paid off -- Canty healed from a damaged knee and provided quality minutes to the defense.
This year, the gambling Cowboys could wind up throwing a rope around Tennessee safety Jason Allen, considered a top prospect but sidelined by a hip injury last season. Based on his combine performance, however, Allen -- while still not the fastest guy on the field -- appears to have fully recovered. And at 6-2, 202, he's a hitter.
An Allen might pick be the logical result of the Cowboys' matching a New Orleans’ offer sheet to retain Keith Davis, last year's starter at free safety. But Davis failed to make an interception last season, and Bill Parcells reportedly would prefer moving him to strong safety. That would make players like Mike Huff of Texas, Donte Whitner of Ohio State and South Carolina's Ko Simpson attractive targets in the draft.
Huff will probably be long gone by the time Dallas drafts at No. 18, as will Virginia Tech's Jimmy Williams (highly rated at both safety and corner), but the Cowboys recently hosted Florida State's Antonio Cromartie -- perhaps this year's Canty -- at Valley Ranch. Cromartie missed last season at Florida State with a knee injury. By all indications, he has come most of the way back. He’s one of the bigger DB's in the draft (6-2, 210), and ran a 4.52 at the Indianapolis combine -- speed that should improve with time. He played cornerback as a Seminole, but could be moved to safety.
Of course, all of this is speculation, contingent upon what the teams above Dallas do. Since five of the Cowboys' top seven picks last year were defensive players, a more offensive 2006 wish list would seem logical. Dallas helped itself considerably on that side of the ball during free agency, however, picking up WR Terrell Owens, OT Jason Fabini and PK Mike Vanderjagt.
If a viable safety isn't on the table in round one, the Cowboys might wait until a later round to take another gamble, on 6-0, 205-pound Danieal Manning of Abilene Christian. Manning plays both cornerback and safety, had the speed to return kicks, and stood out in the Shrine Bowl.
One of the draft's top linebackers might also look good at No. 18, perhaps Ernie Sims of Florida State or Bobby Carpenter of Ohio State.
Finally, despite the pickup of Fabini, the Cowboys would like to draft a solid left tackle as protection for the less-than-agile Drew Bledsoe. Their preference seems to be Winston Justice of Southern Cal, although University of Texas All-American Jonathan Scott is another strong possibility -- literally.
With the Cowboys, the only given is that you never know what Draft Day will bring. That’s tradition.
04/18/2006
When it comes to the NFL draft, no team has proven more creative and risk-taking than the Dallas Cowboys.
Part of the credit for that goes to former general manager Gil Brandt, who had the chutzpah to envision an Olympic sprinter (Bob Hayes) as a top wideout, a small school nobody (Rayfield Wright) as a future anchor of the offensive line, and a basketball star (Cornell Green) as an All-Pro cornerback.
That tradition continued last year, when Dallas used its top pick on pass-rushing defensive end DeMarcus Ware from Troy University and converted him to linebacker. Then, in the fourth round, they traded a later pick to get DT Chris Canty from Virginia, a player with impressive raw talent but daunting injury baggage. And the gamble paid off -- Canty healed from a damaged knee and provided quality minutes to the defense.
This year, the gambling Cowboys could wind up throwing a rope around Tennessee safety Jason Allen, considered a top prospect but sidelined by a hip injury last season. Based on his combine performance, however, Allen -- while still not the fastest guy on the field -- appears to have fully recovered. And at 6-2, 202, he's a hitter.
An Allen might pick be the logical result of the Cowboys' matching a New Orleans’ offer sheet to retain Keith Davis, last year's starter at free safety. But Davis failed to make an interception last season, and Bill Parcells reportedly would prefer moving him to strong safety. That would make players like Mike Huff of Texas, Donte Whitner of Ohio State and South Carolina's Ko Simpson attractive targets in the draft.
Huff will probably be long gone by the time Dallas drafts at No. 18, as will Virginia Tech's Jimmy Williams (highly rated at both safety and corner), but the Cowboys recently hosted Florida State's Antonio Cromartie -- perhaps this year's Canty -- at Valley Ranch. Cromartie missed last season at Florida State with a knee injury. By all indications, he has come most of the way back. He’s one of the bigger DB's in the draft (6-2, 210), and ran a 4.52 at the Indianapolis combine -- speed that should improve with time. He played cornerback as a Seminole, but could be moved to safety.
Of course, all of this is speculation, contingent upon what the teams above Dallas do. Since five of the Cowboys' top seven picks last year were defensive players, a more offensive 2006 wish list would seem logical. Dallas helped itself considerably on that side of the ball during free agency, however, picking up WR Terrell Owens, OT Jason Fabini and PK Mike Vanderjagt.
If a viable safety isn't on the table in round one, the Cowboys might wait until a later round to take another gamble, on 6-0, 205-pound Danieal Manning of Abilene Christian. Manning plays both cornerback and safety, had the speed to return kicks, and stood out in the Shrine Bowl.
One of the draft's top linebackers might also look good at No. 18, perhaps Ernie Sims of Florida State or Bobby Carpenter of Ohio State.
Finally, despite the pickup of Fabini, the Cowboys would like to draft a solid left tackle as protection for the less-than-agile Drew Bledsoe. Their preference seems to be Winston Justice of Southern Cal, although University of Texas All-American Jonathan Scott is another strong possibility -- literally.
With the Cowboys, the only given is that you never know what Draft Day will bring. That’s tradition.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:28 PM
<< Home