Grading a draft the next day is extremely difficult. I do not know how these guys will translate to the next level, but then again neither do the Cowboys. So all I will do is give my opinion on who was the better player in college who I think has the tools that normally translate to the NFL.
I will just go in order. The first pick was the only problem but I felt it was a big problem. Like I said before the draft, I do not feel Felix Jones is a first round talent. Only because from whatever I read he is a change of pace back, In other words he is a good player, he may help this team a lot, but to me his skill set is not a first round value. From everything I read, and from Jerry Jones’ mouth, Felix Jones is not going to be a back capable of being the guy you count on, however he is a superb change of pace, explosive back. If he can be a guy who if Marion Barber gets hurt can carry the load. He may he just has not shown it. Normally change of pace backs are not first round picks. And if the cowboys thought Jones was more than that I would agree with the pick but Jerry Jones said that Marion Barber allows the Cowboys to draft a change of pace back. He said Mendenhall was a guy who could carry the load for a whole game but they did not need that type of back because of Barber. Well if you do not need the carry the load, starter type of back, then you wait until it is of value to draft him. I really see only a small difference between Steve Slaton, Jamaal Charles, or Felix Jones. The other guys were available in the third round. However if the Cowboys do feel that Jones can carry the load if heaven forbid we lose Barber, his agent is Drew Rosenhaus, then I am OK with the pick for now until we see him hit at the NFL level. The guy we should have picked was Mendenhall or Mike Jenkins(who the Cowboys did get later). Mendenhall is bigger, carried the load for Illinois last year and ran a faster 40 time than Jones did. I also think the drafting of another running back later shows what the Cowboys see as Jones’ role. If Barber leaves or goes down we got insurance for Jones because hes not a first and second down back.
here is a video of Mendenhall
Here is a video of Felix Jones
I see Felix Jones as a second round pick with only a possibility of being a good running back in this league. I see Mendenhall as a big, fast, punishing running back who has all the tools of an every down back who may take a few trips to Hawaii in this league.
The Jenkins pick I thought was stellar and they should have traded up because from all accounts the Texans traded to 26 to take their cornerback they needed. Now they have to endure Jacques Reeves, LOL. Meanwhile I expect Jenkins to start this season while Pacman is working back into football shape(Remember he has not played or trained with a team in a year and a half by the time he is reinstated). That is assuming he is reinstated by training camp. Either way the secondary looks to have shifted from a weakness to a strength. Good work there Jerry.
I like the pick of Bennett but I do not like the trade that facilitated the need of a tight end. The trade of last years second round pick plus our starting MLB from last year all for a fourth round pick seemed perplexing. I guess Bill Parcells had pictures of Jerry nailing some Coed on the SMU campus.
The rest of the picks no one really knows how they will turn out until we see them on the field.
All in all it looks like a decent draft except one glaring omission, thats two years in a row now the Cowboys talked about taking a receiver and neither trading for one or taking one on draft day. I love Glenn and T.O. Owens but we need something else they are 34 and 35 respectively and one already has injury issues. We need a younger wide receiver and you need to draft them early because receivers rarely make impacts in their rookie years.
One last thing, Can she come with Mike Jenkins?
