Official Draft Day Thread

[dirno2000]

Rod Wright stayed in school. He and Johnathan Scott will be Texas' two first rounders next season.

[sike]

some grades from Goose

Dallas: Jimmy Johnson left the Cowboys after the 1993 season. With Jerry Jones running the draft room, the Cowboys have not carded an A for a draft since then. Until now.

Jones and Bill Parcells engineered the best draft of the post-Johnson era, receiving one of three A's on the NFL grade card. And that A could become an A-plus a year down the road if defensive end Chris Canty recovers from an eye injury that could force him to spend the 2005 season on the sideline. Because of the injury, Canty was a Top 40 talent that slid to Dallas in the fourth round.

The Cowboys had the best first day on this draft. Landing the speed of Demarcus Ware and the size of Marcus Spears was the dream scenario of Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells. The Dallas defensive front got bigger and faster overnight. Good players often come to those who don't trade down. Justin Beriault and Rob Petitti in the sixth round was a good way for the Cowboys to close the draft out. The second day is what makes a good draft great. For a change the Cowboys made some superb second-day draft picks in Canty, Beriault and Petitti.

[sike]

though Goose had no idea what was going to happen in the draft [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] ....at least he gave the Boys props...

[sike]

A+ Minnesota: The Vikings were the only team to come away with two of the 14 blue-chippers on the draft board. Marcus Johnson, Dustin Fox, Ciatrick Fason and C.J. Mosley all slid about a round lower than where they should have gone. Williamson might make them forget Randy Moss.
keep dreaming

[sike]

A Arizona: Antrel Rolle and Eric Green give the Cardinals a couple of big, physical corners. J.J. Arrington could be a steal in the second round, coming off a 2,000-yard rushing season at Cal. Dennis Green has always done well with speed backs.

[sike]

Kiper gave the Boys one of the three highest draft grades...I don't have a subscription to the insider...but if you do...post a link or something.

[chumdawg]

We should also remember that Drew Henson is part of this draft, since we traded the third rounder for him.

[sike]

great point chum.....I consider this the first good point you've ever made.

[sike]

startelegram

Draft shows Parcells still knows talent

By Gil LeBreton

Star-Telegram Staff Writer


IRVING - Once upon a time, the Cowboys were draft-day gods.

Their scouting assessments were irrefutable. They knew the player's 40-yard dash time. They knew his IQ. They knew the names of all his aunts and uncles.

Being drafted by the Cowboys was akin to a football canonization. Attaching the phrase "drafted by Dallas" to a bio could extend an average player's NFL shelf life by at least four seasons.

Times change, however. Now everybody has a computer. And a Gil Brandt.

And the Cowboys haven't been draft-day higher authorities for 20 years.

Until this past weekend. Until this 2005 draft, Bill Parcells' third as Cowboys coach and, without question, his most important.

Just when we thought Parcells had lost his once-Midas touch, just when we were convinced that, at age 63, he now prefers to nap through the draft, Parcells bellied up to the war room table Saturday and Sunday and drafted like a Hall of Fame coach.

He took one of these and one of those. And one of this one and one of that.

And when his draft seemed to be losing its steam Sunday, with three new defenders and a backup running back already in the fold, Parcells lifted his golden staff again -- actually, it may have been a 2-iron -- and parted the fourth round, picking a huge, talented defensive end from Virginia, who maybe would have gone in the first round had his head not gotten in the way of an oncoming glass bottle.

Chris Canty -- 6-foot-7, 279 pounds -- had season-ending knee surgery last September and suffered a major eye injury just three months ago.

But blessed are the patient. Parcells and the Cowboys waited, and they plucked Canty with the 132nd pick of the draft.

On the Cowboys' draft board, according to owner Jerry Jones, Canty has first-round talent. According to at least one national Web site, linebacker Kevin Burnett, taken in the second round Saturday, has "first-round ability."

Add in the team's two true, licensed first-rounders, Demarcus Ware of Troy and Marcus Spears of LSU, and the Cowboys can be said to have enhanced their roster with four first-round-worthy football players. And make it five, if you want to count where quarterback Drew Henson likely would have gone in this draft. The trade for Henson last year cost the Cowboys their third-round pick this time.

Blessed are the patient. Parcells got away Saturday with selecting Ware with the 11th pick in the draft, and then waiting and hoping for Spears to fall into his lap at the 20th position.

Without Spears, it's likely that the Cowboys would not have waited to draft running back Marion Barber III in the fourth round. Without Spears, Parcells' master plan to be able to utilize both the 3-4 and 4-3 defenses might have been scuttled.

"Everybody is going to tell you how happy they are with the players," Parcells said Saturday at Valley Ranch. "But realistically, I don't think we could have expected to get two players like this. I certainly wasn't expecting it."

Yet, Parcells did the same thing Sunday, patiently passing on Canty and taking Barber with the first of his two fourth-round picks.

"There were four backs there that could have gone," Owner Jones explained, "but Barber was highly regarded by everyone concerned, and so it looked like if you took Canty there, you would miss Barber. I was sure that we had missed Canty."

Silly Jerry. Parcells was on a roll, retooling his defense like a carpenter marching through Home Depot.

When the draft was done, the Cowboys had selected no wide receivers, no tight ends, no cornerbacks and only one offensive lineman, sixth-round behemoth (6-5, 347 pounds) Rob Petitti of Pittsburgh.

Allow me to defend that. Owner Jones offered the opinion Sunday that the team expects receiver Terry Glenn to return from his season-ending foot injury and to reclaim his starting position. Free agency (Anthony Henry) had already addressed the need at cornerback.

Can all these guys play? That's going to be the lingering question. The answer to it probably correlates to how much you still trust Coach Bill.

Parcells, by most measurements, had a lousy 2004, from the first day of free agency to the final night in the Meadowlands. But a guy who can evaluate talent, as long as he isn't napping on the sofa, seldom loses the touch.

Parcells showed his resolve -- at Jones' urging? -- by the time he put in both at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine.

"This was a good time to have frustration," Jones said of the 2004 disappointments, "because we could do something about it."

Most of the national draft gurus and Web sites will have posted their report cards by today. The Cowboys can expect straight A's.

Just when you wondered what the old coach was going to do.

[chumdawg]

Originally posted by: sike
great point chum.....I consider this the first good point you've ever made.

You know what they say...gotta start your fortune somewhere!

On the WR thing...Jerry also said in his press conference yesterday that Quincy Morgan was having a terrific offseason thus far, and that they liked the potential of Copper and Crayton.

[sike]

Originally posted by: chumdawg

You know what they say...gotta start your fortune somewhere!

On the WR thing...Jerry also said in his press conference yesterday that Quincy Morgan was having a terrific offseason thus far, and that they liked the potential of Copper and Crayton.

lets hope their optimism is founded in reality.

[sike]

from nfl.com
Vic Carucci's Analysis on Ware
"The Cowboys wanted and needed a pass-rushing force, and Ware provides that skill in a big way. His stock has been shooting up in recent weeks. Bill Parcells loves Ware's hustle and the fact that, in addition to having excellent speed, he also offers plenty of power. He is the versatile end/outside linebacker that can play a major role in a scheme that will mix 4-3 and 3-4 fronts."

[sike]

on Spears
"Pat Kirwan's Analysis
Marcus Spears is a critical component to the conversion to the 3-4 defense. The only 300-pound defensive end in the draft with a first-round grade, Spears will line up in Parcells' defense much like Richard Seymour does for the Patriots."

[sike]

Justin Beriault FS Ball State
Gil Brandt's Analysis
"A safety who is a very good athlete. Very smart. Can intelligence and athletic ability overcome lack of speed? I think it can. "

I hope so. Did anyone see this kid?

[endtroducing]

I think I did, but I'm not totally sure...we did play Ball State a few years ago, and I remember a DB of theirs wreaking some havoc. he played around the entire field, basically the equivalent of a basketball help defender...not sure if it's the same guy, though.

[sike]

Originally posted by: endtroducing
I think I did, but I'm not totally sure...we did play Ball State a few years ago, and I remember a DB of theirs wreaking some havoc. he played around the entire field, basically the equivalent of a basketball help defender...not sure if it's the same guy, though.

thanks for nothing [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[jayC]

If the boys add Aaron Glenn to the fold this will be an excellent offseason. The cowboys addressed all their needs grabbing both size and speed in the draft as well as free agency.

[Ninkobei]

already done, mate. check the cowboys offseason thread ;P

[dalmations202]

If they do the trade of Hunter for Ray Mickens --- will he get any burn?

[dirno2000]

Only if somebody gets hurt or none of the young guys has improved.

[kingrex]

Originally posted by: sike
Justin Beriault FS Ball State
Gil Brandt's Analysis
"A safety who is a very good athlete. Very smart. Can intelligence and athletic ability overcome lack of speed? I think it can. "

I hope so. Did anyone see this kid?

If this kid is really as smart as Brandt says, then he his a perfect guy for Parcells. Parcells always says that knowing where to go and when adds speed. If your football brain can anticipate where you need to be to make a play, then you'll get there quicker than a 4.2 guy who has no ability to anticipate.

[sike]

I love all the moves in the off season and was the draft had a "wow factor of 11"....but WHAT ABOUT THE OFFENSE??? Is it going to be Julius running 25 times a game and Bledsoe trowing deep to Glenn??? What about the O? I love Whitten, but will they go to him like they should? Will Keyshawn and Glenn stay healthy etc, etc, etc....

[kingrex]

Glenn is always an injury question from now on, but if he stays healthy, a stable of Johnson, Morgan and Glenn (though not impressive) will be competitive. The Cowboys are also banking on Crayton and/or Copper stepping up in pre-season. If they don't, then I can see them signing or trading for another receiver.

Witten and Jones I'm fine with at tightend and running back (with Campbell and Barber III backing them up).

[sike]

to rex or anyone with opinions....

so, our O will be average to below average at best?

[sike]

the more I read on this Burnett kid...the more I think he may really be a stud...

"OVERVIEW
Kevin had considered early entry into the 2004 NFL Draft, but decided to return to Tennessee for his senior season. Coming back from 2002 knee surgery, he felt he needed another year at the collegiate level to prove to the pro scouts that he was fully recovered. He went out and had a banner senior campaign, delivering momentum-changing plays on a regular basis.

The two-time Academic All-Southeastern Conference recipient who earned his Sport Management undergraduate degree in May 2003, was also named to the AFCA and SEC Good Works teams. Well respected by his Volunteers staff, assistant head coach John Chavis recently stated, "Kevin is a tremendous talent with big-play capability. He's extremely smart and gives us a great look with his pass rush off the edge."

Kevin was a Prep Star All-American free safety at Dominguez (Carson, Ca.) High School, where he intercepted seven passes as a senior. He also garnered All-League honors as a running back that year, rushing for 650 yards and 16 touchdowns on 48 carries (13.5 avg). Selected to the "Best of the West" team by the Long Beach Press-Telegraph, he led his team to the state playoffs in 1998 and 1999.

Burnett immediately earned playing time as a true freshman at Tennessee in 2000, appearing in eleven contests as a free safety early in the year and at weak-side linebacker after mid-season. He finished with 11 tackles (10 solos) and a pair of sacks. Kevin started two of eleven games at weak-side linebacker in 2001, posting 52 tackles (33 solos) with 3.5 sacks, 6.5 stops for losses and a forced fumble. He took over the weak-side slot in 2002, but suffered a knee injury in the season opener vs. Wyoming that would force him to miss the rest of the year. He returned to action in 2003, starting the final twelve games. Kevin was credited with 90 tackles (65 solos), 1.5 sacks, 7.5 stops for losses and eight pressures.

Burnett ranked second on the team with 120 tackles (90 solos) as he won AFCA All-American and All-Southeastern Conference first-team honors. However, he only had a career-low one sack, six stops for losses and one pressure. In 49 games as a Volunteer, Burnett started 28 times. He finished his career with 274 tackles (199 solos) with eight sacks for minus 76 yards, 23 stops for losses of 122 yards, ten quarterback pressures, three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, seven pass deflections and an interception.

Kevin is a street smart kid who was raised by his mother. He joined tackle Michael Munoz as the first two-time team captains in school history since J.G. Lowe (1924-25) and also earned American Football

Coaches Association "Good Works" team honors. In 2003, both became the first juniors since 1944 to serve as team captains."

[sike]

two-time Academic All-Southeastern Conference recipient
wow

[sike]

on Ware

"OVERVIEW
Called by the Trojans coaching staff the school's finest athlete, not only is Demarcus one of the fastest defenders on the 2004 squad (4.51 in the 40-yard dash), but he was also the strongest (430-pound bench press). He is also blessed with incredible leaping ability (38.5-inch vertical jump).

Ware only played football for two years at Auburn (Ala.) High School, earning All-Area honors as a senior. That year, he collected 55 tackles (40 solos) with seven sacks as a linebacker and also competed as a receiver while picking up team MVP accolades. He also participated in basketball, baseball and track.

Demarcus appeared in eight games as a reserve defensive end in 2001 at Troy, posting 14 tackles (5 solos) with a pair of sacks. He started eleven games at left end in 2002, responding with 72 tackles (47 solos), nine sacks, 13 quarterback pressures and 20 stops for losses (second-best season total in school history).

Ware earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors the next two years, adding league Defensive Player of the Year honors while being named a finalist for the Hendricks Award (nation's top defensive end) as a senior. He made 62 tackles (43 solos) with six sacks, 16 stops behind the line of scrimmage, 32 pressures and five forced fumbles in 2003. He capped off his career with 47 tackles (31 solos), 10.5 sacks, 18 stops for losses, 27 pressures and four forced fumbles in 2004. In 43 games with the Trojans, Demarcus started 34 times. He collected 195 tackles (126 solos) with 27.5 sacks for minus 236 yards, 57 stops for losses of 251 yards and 74 quarterback pressures. Only Charles Pickett (43, 1974-76) had more sacks in a career at Troy than Demarcus' 27.5. His 57 stops behind the line of scrimmage broke the old school career-record of 40 by Osi Umenyiora (1999-2002). He also recovered four fumbles, caused ten others and deflected one pass.

CAREER NOTES
2004 SEASON
All-American third-team choice by The NFL Draft Report...Earned All-Sun Belt Conference first-team honors and chosen the league's Defensive Player of the Year...Finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award, given to the top defensive end in college football...Started all year at left defensive end, but also saw action on the right side, as a rush end and several plays as a weak-side linebacker...Recorded 53 tackles (37 solos) with a career-high 10.5 sacks for minus 87 yards, 19 stops for losses of 103 yards and 29 quarterback pressures...Also recovered a fumble, caused four others and deflected a pass."

[sike]

I had no idea that Ware was a 4.5 guy....

can't wait to see our top three picks play....they will all start right?

[sike]

on Spears
"OVERVIEW
Marcus is a multi-talented and versatile defensive lineman for the Tigers. He is a player with tremendous power and an enormous wingspan who often draws a great deal attention from the offensive line. He is very athletic for a player of his size and was so highly regarded for his skills, the coaches used him on both sides of the ball (defensive end and tight end) as a freshman in 2001.

Spears was rated the best tight end prospect in the country by every recruiting service during his senior year at Southern Lab (La.) High School. He caught 28 passes for 435 yards andf three touchdowns, rushed for 245 yards and six scores and recorded 11.5 sacks with 22 stops for losses of 151 yards in his final prep season.

The third-best overall prospect by Super Prep was a consensus All-American (Parade, ESPN, Fox Sports, Super Prep, Prep Star, The Sporting News, USA Today) and also a member of the Baton Rouge Advocate's Super Dozen, the Shreveport Times Top 20 and the New Orleans Times-Picayune's Top 16 Blue Chip list for the state of Louisiana. Spears was named first-team Class 1A All-State on both offense and defense, the first player to be honored on both sides of the ball in Louisiana in any class since 1991. He was also considered one of the nation's top basketball prospects.

Heavily recruited in both football and basketball, Spears decided to stay at home and enrolled at Louisiana State. As a freshman at LSU, he was a reserve tight end on the gridiron and also performed on the Tigers' basketball team. He saw action later that year on defense, making eight tackles (6 solos) with a sack. Marcus took over left defensive end duties in 2002, collecting 46 tackles (31 solos) with three sacks, sixteen quarterback pressures and two interceptions as a sophomore, despite suffering an ankle sprain in the sevent game of the season vs. South Carolina (would sit out vs. Auburn and the injury would hamper him throughout the second half of the season).

In 2003, he earned All-Southeastern Conference honors, registering 49 tackles (32 solos) with six sacks, 13 stops behind the line of scrimmage, 23 pressures, an interception (that sealed the Sugar Bowl vs.Oklahoma) and six pass deflections. In 2004, Marcus appeared to be two different players. Earlier in the year, Marcus had a total of three tackles in a three-game span vs. Arkansas State, Auburn and Mississippi State. With the team struggling at the time, they needed Marcus to step up or 2004 would have been a lost season. In the final five regular season games, he had at least two tackles for losses in each of those contests (Troy State, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Mississippi, Alabama), to move up to fifth on the school's career-record list with 19 sacks under his belt.

He closed out his senior campaign with 49 tackles (32 solos), nine sacks, 17 stops for losses, six pressures, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an interception and two pass deflections. Through 48 games as a Tiger, he started 38 times. Spears closed out his career with 152 tackles (101 solos), 19 sacks for minus 131 yards, 34.5 stops for losses of 180 yards, 47 quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles, four interceptions, ten pass deflections and a blocked kick. Only Jarvis Green 920, 1998-2001), Gabe Northern (21, 1992-95), Ron Sancho (23, 1985-88) and Rydell Malancon (25, 1980-83) had more sacks in a career at Louisiana State. His 34.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage rank seventh on LSU's all-time record list. CAREER NOTES
2004 SEASON
All-American first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report, Walter Camp Foundation and American Football Coaches Association, adding second-team honors from Sports Illustrated...Semi-finalist for the Bednarik Award (nation's top defensive player), Lott Trophy (courage) and Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman)...Added All-Southeastern Conference first-team honors...Named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week vs. Alabama and Arkansas...The defensive team captain extended his string of consecutive starts to 31 games, lining up at left defensive end...Recorded 49 tackles (32 solos) as he ranked second in the SEC with nine sacks for minus 72 yards and 17 stops for losses of 96 yards...His nine sacks are topped only by Ryan Melanson (10 in 1981), Gabe Northern (11 in 1994) and Oliver Lawrence (12 in 1989) on the school's season-record list...Credited with six quarterback pressures and two pass deflections...Recovered a fumble and caused two others...Also returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown."

[sike]

on Beriault

"OVERVIEW
A criminal justice major, Beriault has been "policing" the secondary for the Cardinals ever since arriving on campus as a freshman. A model of consistency, Beriault started 45 of the 46 games he played in at Ball State. He is one of just a handful of players in the history of college football to register at least 100 tackles in each season played.

Beriault earned three letters in football, three in basketball and one in baseball at Warren Central High (Indianapolis, Ind.). The all-state and two-time The Indianapolis Star Marion County Player of the Year and two-time Warren Central Most Valuable Player had 102 tackles (91 solo), four interceptions and one fumble recovery as a senior. He tallied 242 tackles (213 solo), seven interceptions and four fumble recoveries in his career. He also had 21 catches for 468 yards with five touchdowns as a senior (35 catches for 710 yards and seven scores in his career).

Beriault redshirted in 2000 at Ball State, then started every game in 2001. He led the team with 117 tackles (77 solo) that year, adding two stops for losses, three pass deflections and an interception. He earned a spot on the Football Writers Association and The Sporting News' Freshman All-America squads.

In 2002, Beriault ranked second on the team with 121 tackles (55 solo), including six stops behind the line of scrimmage, an interception and two passes defensed. He outdid those figures as a junior, recording a career-high 145 tackles (71 solo) with six stops for losses, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an interception and six pass deflections to earn All-Mid-American Conference first-team accolades in 2003.

Beriault ranked 10th in the nation with 125 tackles (64 solo) in 2004, again picking up All-MAC first-team recognition. He added five stops behind the line of scrimmage, an interception and a fumble recovery.

The two-time winner of the team's Mark Hays Inspirational Award, Beriault closed out his career with 508 tackles (267 solo), 19 stops for losses of 63 yards, four interceptions for 24 yards in returns, 12 pass break-ups, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a blocked field goal.

ANALYSIS
Positives: Well-built athlete with good upper body muscle definition, strong arms, tight waist, good bubble and thickness in his lower frame ... Team leader who works hard in his offseason conditioning program ... Has good hip flexibility and quick feet, showing the ability to change direction smoothly ... Smart and instinctive player who reacts quickly and makes proper reads, especially in run support ... Shows adequate vision in the passing game, doing a decent job of sniffing the ball out in front of him ... Makes plays on the ball in the air and while not an explosive tackler, he is reliable to wrap and secure ... Tough and aggressive in run support, squeezing through trash to quickly plug the rushing lanes ... Stays low in his pads and drives hard with his legs to push the fullback back through the hole ... Shows good field smarts in zone coverage, flowing quickly to the ball ... Has good strength for his position, but could use additional bulk and power to compete effectively at the next level ... His instincts and ability to break down plays allows him to take good angles in order to compensate for a lack of top-end speed.

Negatives: Needs to improve his speed, as he might not be quick enough to cover receivers in the deep zone at the pro level ... A little stiff in his hips and does not have the short-area explosion to be relied too much in man coverage ... Has good range, but needs to build up to top speed ... Struggles to adjust to the ball with his back to it, and is better making plays in front of him ... Will not usually bite on a receiver's double moves, but if they get by him, he does not have the recovery speed to make the play ... Effective with his hands to keep blockers off his body, but they are not natural enough to get good production on the interception ... Not a quick-twitch type, but is reliable getting to the ball.

INJURY REPORT
No injuries reported.

AGILITY 4.59 in the 40-yard dash ... Bench presses 225 pounds 11 times ... 38�-inch vertical jump ... 4.15 20-yard shuttle ... 30�-inch arm length ... 8 1/8-inch hands ... Right-handed ... Wears contact lenses."

[sike]

sounds like they just drafted a smaller slower Roy Williams....

[capitalcity]

Sike - if our defense can limit opponents to 16 points per game like we did in 2003, then our offense is more than adequate.

[chumdawg]

He sounds a a lot to me like a softer-hitting Lynn Scott. Funny that one of his strengths is "good hip flexibility" and one of his weaknesses is that he is "a little stiff in the hips."

Is a "bubble" a rear end?

[sike]

I don't know anything about Lynn Scott's college stats...but Beriault is a tackle machine.