FBG Board Consensus 2010 Mock NFL Draft (2 Viewers)

[Faust]

1.01 St. Louis Rams select QB Sam Bradford (83% of the vote)

1.02 Detroit Lions select DT Ndamukong Suh (59% of the vote)

1.03 Tampa Bay Buccaneers select DT Gerald McCoy (85% of the vote)

1.04 Washington Redskins select OT Russell Okung (73% of the vote)

1.05 Kansas City Chiefs select S Eric Berry (41% of the vote)

1.06 Seattle Seahawks select OT Trent Williams (41% of the vote)

1.07 Cleveland Browns select QB Jimmy Clausen (28% of the vote)

1.08 Oakland Raiders select OT Bryan Bulaga (23% of the vote)

1.09 Buffalo Bills select OT Anthony Davis (61% of the vote)

1.10 Jacksonville Jaguars select ILB Rolando McClain (30% of the vote)

1.11 Denver Broncos select DT Dan Williams (38% of the vote)

1.12 Miami Dolphins select WR Dez Bryant (47% of the vote)

1.13 San Francisco 49ers select CB Joe Haden (52% of the vote)

1.14 Seattle Seahawks select RB C.J. Spiller (45% of the vote)

1.15 New York Giants select OLB Sean Weatherspoon (37% of the vote)

1.16 Tennessee Titans select DE Derrick Morgan (46% of the vote)

1.17 San Francisco 49ers select CB/S Earl Thomas (26% of the vote)

1.18 Pittsburgh Steelers select G-OT Mike Iupati (40% of the vote)

1.19 Atlanta Falcons select DE-OLB Jason Pierre-Paul (42% of the vote)

1.20 Houston Texans select RB Ryan Matthews (49% of the vote)

1.21 Cincinnati Bengals select S Taylor Mays (38% of the vote)

1.22 New England Patriots select DE-OLB Sergio Kindle (29% of the vote)

1.23 Green Bay Packers select CB Kyle Wilson (33% of the vote)

1.24 Philadelphia Eagles select DE-OLB Brandon Graham (33% of the vote)

1.25 Baltimore Ravens select DT Jared Odrick (31% of the vote)

1.26 Arizona Cardinals select OT Bruce Campbell (20% of the vote)

Dallas Cowboys

Positions of Need (as per NFL.com)

OL, S, LB, Specialist, DL

Needs Analysis: The Cowboys have had the quietest offseason, which is unusual for such a high-profile organization that loves to make a big splash. The reason? They have a very solid roster and many of the players that were ready to hit the open market got trapped in the uncapped year rules extending their restricted-free-agent status. Now they head to the draft looking for a long-term answer at left tackle, where veteran Flozell Adams is due a $2.5 million bonus after the draft. They need a safety with center field skills, an inside linebacker to eventually replace Keith Brooking and a better kicker than is on the roster. After those issues, the Cowboys can start to fortify the back end of the roster to help special teams.

 

[Bankerguy]

Pouncey is a no brainer here.

 

[Two Deep]

Nate Allen

 

[Faust]

http://www.reporternews.com/news/2010/apr/...t-options-open/

Cowboys draft options open

JAIME ARON Associated Press

IRVING — Jerry Jones has made it clear. He’s not taking a quarterback in this year’s draft.

Otherwise, anything is possible.

Maybe he’ll go for an offensive lineman to help replace Flozell Adams, an anchor at left tackle the last 12 years who was cut a few weeks ago.

Maybe he’ll go for a safety to replace Ken Hamlin, who was dumped the same day as Adams.

Or maybe he’ll go for a receiver to make up for the catches Roy Williams hasn’t been making.

With a team coming off an 11-5 season and its first playoff win since 1996, Jones could have the luxury of playing wait-and-see, then taking whoever is the best fit at any of those spots once his turn comes around at No. 27.

But this is Jerry Jones, master showman, and this is the first NFL draft held in prime time.

Surely he’s going to want to make a splash.

Besides, he has more than the usual reasons to be aggressive because the upcoming Super Bowl will be held at his $1.2 billion palace, Cowboys Stadium, and he’s driven to become the first host to also play in the big game.

So don’t be surprised if Jones trades up to grab a guy he really likes. Or if he trades down to get an extra pick or two. Or if he deals picks for a veteran he thinks might be a perfect fit — anything to drum up interest, airtime and, of course, to help his roster.

This guessing game is based on the first 21 years of Jones’ ownership. The problem is, this 22nd offseason has been baffling.

Dallas is the only team that hasn’t signed a free agent. Jones also stayed on the sidelines in the trade

sweepstakes for receivers Brandon Marshall and Santonio Holmes.

Stranger still is that this inaction comes after Jones declared at the scouting combine, “I want some people nervous. I want our players nervous. ... It wouldn’t surprise me to have 10 or 11 new faces on our team,” including three or four who he said “would be in the 30-40 play position, rather than to call them starters.”

Because Jones hasn’t made trades or signed free agents, he must be expecting those upgrades to come through the draft.

The Cowboys go into the three-day event holding six picks, one in every round but the fifth. They will pick 27th in the first, second, fourth, sixth and seventh rounds, and 26th in the third round.

Offensive line appears to be the biggest need, especially after Tony Romo hardly had time to breathe in the playoff loss to Minnesota.

Doug Free is likely to inherit Adams’ job, but his promotion opens a backup spot, someone who’d be one injury from protecting Romo and opening holes for Dallas’ trio of running backs.

That would seem worthy of a top pick, except it doesn’t seem to be in Jones’ blood. The Cowboys have never taken an offensive lineman in the first round during the Jones era.

Never.

Offensive line is the only position outside punter and kicker that Jones hasn’t tried in the first round. Then again, Jones has a good excuse: He snagged Larry Allen and Adams in the second round, Erik Williams in the third.

But the most recent of those picks was 1998. Since then, the Cowboys have whiffed on a bunch of second-tier guys; anyone remember Jacob Rogers, a second-round pick by Bill Parcells who never made it onto the field?

Jones probably has an open mind this time, but don’t be surprised if he sticks to his status quo if he can land someone like Southern California safety Taylor Mays or Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant, both of whom offer more of a wow factor than any lineman could.

Jones often said last season the Cowboys already had a head start on their 2010 rookie class because several 2009 draft picks spent the year on injured reserve. Others who got minimal playing time will be expected to challenge for more this season, all of which plays into Jones’ vision for the upcoming season.

Another issue is the shakeup within the NFC East.

Philadelphia sending Donovan McNabb to Washington drastically changes both teams. It remains to be seen whether either can be serious contenders this season. Dallas likely will be favored to repeat as division champions and probably will be second to reigning champion New Orleans among the teams to beat in the NFC.

“I think it’s a bad thing for this team to think that we’re about ready to take that next step,” Jones said. “It’s almost dreaming to basically try to take last year and project it into another win or another home playoff game. We’ve got a lot more to do here than that.”

He hasn’t done much so far this offseason. Maybe he’s just been waiting for draft week.

 

[Texasmouth]

The Cowboys have young players they like at Safety and at OL. Just because they aren't media friendly names doesn't mean anything. I think they make a play to get Earl Thomas. Jerry wants to create some attention, doesn't really need to draft 6 players, and has the luxury of being solid at every spot on the line up so he can burn a pick to move up.

I wouldn't be shocked to see him trade the 1st, 2nd and 6th for a 1st and 5th or something like that to move up and grab Earl Thomas.

I just DONT want to see Dez Bryant in Dallas. My fear is JJ has hated himself for passing on Randy Moss for all those years because of some minor character issues and now he doesn't want to make the same mistake. I'm not a fan of Dez Bryant at all and I think the pick should be used on defense while Wade Phillips is there to coach them up.

 

[Faust]

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/colum...&id=5123212

With draft freedom comes responsibility

10 things to watch: Well-stocked Cowboys would be wise to address long-term needs

By Tim MacMahon

ESPNDallas.com

The Dallas Cowboys are coming off a division title and have a "redshirt class," as owner/general manager Jerry Jones calls the group of rookies that spent last season on injured reserve.

As a result, the Cowboys feel like they'll have a lot of freedom during this week's NFL draft.

"We will not be held hostage by any position," Jones said.

But the Cowboys do have several needs, some of which are significant. A rookie could emerge as their starting free safety. They need depth in the form of potential future starters at offensive tackle, guard, cornerback, inside linebacker. Wide receiver and defensive end could fall into that category as well.

Jones has indicated that it's likely the Cowboys will stay put at No. 27, but that would go against his wheelin' and dealin' nature. The only certainty for the Cowboys entering this draft is that almost anything is a possibility.

Here are 10 things to watch for from a Cowboys perspective:

1. Will the Cowboys trade up? Jones downplayed the possibility this week, saying he couldn't see it happening. However, he hadn't had a sip of truth serum. Here's guessing you'll see Jerry working the phones as hard as he can if former Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant or Texas safety Earl Thomas are still available in the late teens.

2. Could the Cowboys trade down? Such moves have been the trend around Valley Ranch in recent years. Jones would like to get an extra pick or two and would be willing to entertain conversations if there isn't a player high on the Dallas board available at No. 27. South Florida safety Nate Allen, Cal defensive lineman Tyson Alualu and Penn State inside linebacker Sean Lee are among the Valley Ranch visitors whom the Cowboys could target if they move into the early second round.

3. Load up on offensive linemen: It'd be surprising if the Cowboys didn't pick a tackle and a guard. Jones doesn't want to keep paying big money to free-agent offensive linemen. The only way to avoid that is to draft and develop them. The Cowboys need to get a guard ready to replace Kyle Kosier, who is entering the final season of his contract.

4. Free safety first or second? After releasing Ken Hamlin, free safety is the one position that the Cowboys aren't pretty certain about their starter. It could be Alan Ball or 2009 fifth-rounder Mike Hamlin. But odds are the Cowboys will add a premium pick to that competitive mix. They might have to make a tough call on USC's Taylor Mays, a freakish athlete whose physical style and coverage flaws lead to Roy Williams comparisons.

5. Corner market: The Cowboys have a pair of Pro Bowl cornerbacks (Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins) and a solid slot man in Orlando Scandrick. Yet depth at corner is a significant concern, especially with Newman nearing his 32nd birthday. Ball, who might start at free safety, was the Cowboys' fourth corner last season. Rutgers' Devin McCourty, an excellent special teams player, would be a solid pick at No. 27.

6. Trade a veteran? Jones acknowledged that the Cowboys have already had conversations about some of their players with other teams, which increases the odds of a deal going down on draft weekend. Martellus Bennett intrigues other teams, but it'd be surprising if the Cowboys gave up on the talented young tight end. Marcus Spears, whose grasp on the starting job at left defensive end is tenuous, might tempt a team switching to the 3-4.

7. Inside job: Penn State's Lee tops the list of realistic prospects at a significant need position for the Cowboys. Their starters are set, but this could be Keith Brooking's last season and Bradie James is getting up there in the years. Bobby Carpenter, an adequate nickel linebacker, is entering the last year of his contract. Jason Williams, the team's top pick last year, is a phenomenal athlete who has a long way to go before the Cowboys can count on him.

8. Deon Anderson departing? The Cowboys have been quiet about the fullback's future since he was charged with misdemeanor deadly conduct after he allegedly threatened a restaurant employee with a gun in February. Drafting a fullback in the late rounds would speak pretty loudly. Keep an eye on Kentucky's John Conner.

9. No quarterback: Unless there's stunning value in the late rounds, the Cowboys will not draft a quarterback. They're confident in Tony Romo as the starter and Jon Kitna as the backup. They want to give Stephen McGee, a fourth-round pick last year, another season to prove whether he's a worthy developmental project.

10. No kicker: The Cowboys will not use a draft pick on a kicker for the third time in four years. They're optimistic that David Buehler, who excelled as a rookie kickoff specialist, can develop enough to handle the field goal gig. Their backup plan is Conor Hughes, a 26-year-old who has never attempted a field goal in the NFL.

 

[Faust]

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/colum...&id=5119650

Faith in Free allows Boys to think safety

By Calvin Watkins

ESPNDallas.com

When the Dallas Cowboys released left tackle Flozell Adams this offseason, it meant Doug Free, a man with just seven career starts, was in line to protect quarterback Tony Romo's blind side in 2010.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reinforced his commitment to Free on Tuesday afternoon.

And with that, Jones erased the possibility he will select an offensive tackle in the first round of the NFL draft, which starts Thursday night.

After letting Ken Hamlin go, Jones most likely will go for a safety, and the Cowboys have first-round grades on Tennessee's Eric Berry, Texas' Earl Thomas and USC's Taylor Mays.

Jones said the replacement at free safety could be Alan Ball, who started four games while Hamlin was injured last season. Mike Hamlin (no relation to Ken) also could move in at safety, but the team didn't see him play enough after he suffered a broken wrist.

But there are no guarantees the Cowboys draft a safety in the first round. They pick so low -- 27th overall -- that Berry, Thomas and Mays could already be off the board.

"We aren't hostage to any position in this draft," Jones said. "If you look at our numbers, then just something as simplistic as the number of safeties you take to camp or the number of [cornerbacks], then you'd say we need to draft a safety."

As of today, the Cowboys have four safeties -- Gerald Sensabaugh, Patrick Watkins, Mike Hamlin and Ball -- on the roster, one fewer than last year.

"Ball is a key ingredient there, and obviously Sensabaugh is being counted on when I say we feel good about our safety," Jones said. "Mike Hamlin is someone that we think that's got a chance to help us. He's a year farther along."

If the Cowboys can't get one of their top three at safety, there are other options that would be available in the lower stages of the first round -- Georgia Tech's Morgan Burnett, who worked out with Sensabaugh this spring, and South Florida's Nate Allen.

Jones will tell you it's difficult to replace Ken Hamlin with a rookie. After all, Hamlin made the defensive calls in the secondary.

"Certainly we will miss Ken Hamlin's quarterbacking and so that adds a dimension to it," Jones said.

While with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sensabaugh made the defensive calls under former secondary coach Dave Campo, who is now with the Cowboys. In 2008, after the Cowboys cut Roy Williams, Campo told the team he had the man for the job.

Sensabaugh, whom Jones on Tuesday said he wanted to lock up to a long-term deal, had 66 tackles and eight pass breakups last season.

So if one answer in the secondary is Sensabaugh, the other answer should be taken care of Thursday night.

 

[LarryAllen'sJockstrap]

Pouncey; there should still be value at S available in the 2nd.

 

[Faust]

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm...CCCD0AD0320512E

Pre-Draft Notes

Jones Keeping his draft options open

by Rob Phillips

DALLAS - Two days before the 2010 NFL Draft, Jerry Jones addressed just about every possible scenario regarding the Cowboys' draft position in a 30-minute press conference.

Two days before the 2010 NFL Draft, the Cowboys' actual strategy still remains a mystery.

They could trade up. They could trade down. They could stay put and take the best available player - with additional consideration to the roster's primary needs - at No. 27 overall.

Nothing was really ruled out.

Jones provided insight, though nothing concrete, about his team's plans during the league's new three-day draft format. After all, why lay out a blueprint for the other 31 clubs?

Here's what we learned (we think) heading into Thursday, as well as an update on two key restricted free agents:

Receiver Miles Austin and safety Gerald Sensabaugh have long-term futures in Dallas.

Jones made that unequivocally clear. Both players haven't signed their one-year restricted tenders yet, but both have recently joined the team's voluntary off-season program at Valley Ranch. They should eventually sign multi-year deals, but in the meantime the Cowboys have retained their rights for 2010 because the April 15 deadline has passed for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets elsewhere.

"Both of them are long-term players in my mind with the Cowboys," Jones said.

Drafting an offensive lineman in the first round is a "real consideration."

The Cowboys haven't done so since Jones became owner in 1989. That's 18 first-round picks and counting.

But this year's class could challenge the NFL Draft record for first-round linemen (10 in 1968). There might be a strong prospect still available at No. 27, or the team could decide there's better value in Round 2 and beyond.

With Flozell Adams now gone, Jones declared Doug Free ready to line up at left tackle, but long-term depth is still an issue with several players essentially on one-year contracts.

"It's certainly possible for us to do it because we're at 27; we're real close to the second round," Jones said. "Where we are there, if we keep that pick it's unlikely that we would use that pick to trade up to go in that direction. I don't see that happening. When you're there at the 27th pick, if a quality offensive lineman were there, it'd be a real consideration."

Drafting a safety is possible, but Jones doesn't feel a "hostage to any position."

That includes offensive tackle.

The Cowboys do have some uncertainty at free safety, however, with ex-starter Ken Hamlin released on the same day as Adams. Jones praised cornerback/safety Alan Ball, who started four games for Hamlin last season, as well as last year's fifth-round pick Michael Hamlin.

Neither has been a full-time starter in the league, but Jones indicated he already has pieces to get the job done.

"Do you have that in place? Can you get that done? The answer is yes, I think that we do," Jones said. "And it would be asking a lot to be drafting a rookie and say he's going to be your quarterback back there. So that'd be quite a reach. But that's not impossible."

Teams have inquired about players on their current roster.

Jones didn't name names, but this type of league-wide chatter is commonplace in the days leading up to the draft. And there is precedent in Dallas.

Two years ago, the Cowboys traded Anthony Fasano and Akin Ayodele to the Dolphins on the eve of the draft.

Jones said he'd like to have more than his current six selections in this year's draft, but realizes he'd have to give up something - picks or players - to increase his war chest.

Don't count on the Cowboys drafting a third kicker in the last four drafts.

This one seems pretty certain. Nick Folk (2007) didn't pan out, and David Buehler (2009) appears to be the favorite to win the job this year. The Cowboys hired ex-kicker Chris Boniol as a kicking consultant for Buehler, who didn't practice field goals regularly but did lead the league in touchbacks.

"That gives me a better feel about investing in a kicker and that's why it would be a big thing for us if Buehler can be our field goal kicker as well," Jones said, "because I know the value he is to us with his touchbacks."

 

[Faust]

With the 1.27 pick in the FBG Consensus Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select C Maurkice Pouncey

 

[Faust]

Cowboys make a solid pick here according to the following:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/foot...ders/index.html

Risers

Maurkice Pouncey/OL/Florida: Pouncey is benefiting from a number of variables. League coaches who've broken down his film love his skill and feel Pouncey is the only NFL-ready center in this draft. Many are also of the opinion that Pouncey has the versatility to effectively handle the guard position at the next level. Steve Everitt was the last center to break into the top half of round one as the Cleveland Browns selected him with the 14th pick in 1993. Pouncey could be selected as early as the 11th selection Thursday.

and:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writ...ings/index.html

4. I think you'd be surprised at the one name I've heard the most about in the past three or four days.

I don't mean the guys at the very top of the draft -- I'm talking more about, say, 10 to 25. One name: Maurkice Pouncey. ( http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/...yers/63634.html ) So many teams look at him and say, "He's a plug-and-play player for the next 10 years.'' Meaning you can put him in the lineup for the next 10 years and not worry about it. Solid as a rock. There are, quite literally, six teams seriously considering him in the middle 15 picks of the first round.