ESPN

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South


The only NFC East team that didn't trade up in the first round is the one that just won the Super Bowl. That gives you a sense of how hungry the division's other three teams are to catch the New York Giants and take their shot at the Lombardi Trophy they were holding up in Indianapolis a few months ago.

The Washington Redskins made their trade-up a month early, dealing away three first-round picks and this year's second-rounder in order to secure the man they believe will be their franchise quarterback. The Dallas Cowboys made theirs Thursday night, when they decided it was worth spending their first- and second-round picks this year to secure the best defensive player in the draft. And the Eagles made theirs a short time later, when the defensive tackle they wanted, Fletcher Cox, fell further than they expected him to fall and the price to move up and get him became reasonable.

But after the top half of the first round, the NFC East teams' drafts went very different ways. The Cowboys, in need of 2012 help at various places on the roster, oddly began picking project players and unknown safeties. The Redskins made some head-scratchers in the middle rounds before getting workmanlike about their offensive line late. And the Eagles had one of those drafts where everything seemed to be falling their way. Time will tell, of course, and there's no way right now to know how any of these players will perform. But here are some thoughts on how it looks in the very early post-draft light.

BEST MOVE

Washington's trade to get quarterback Robert Griffin III and Dallas' trade to get Morris Claiborne were the headline-grabbers, and I believe that each team will be happy with its first-round pick. But the four high picks the Redskins gave up and the two high picks the Cowboys gave up keep me from labeling either of these the division's "best move" from this year's draft. Washington doesn't have another first-rounder until 2015. And Dallas, which needed help at multiple positions, spent its first two picks on a position they'd already addressed at great cost in free agency. Not enough value in either deal for it to be called a shrewd move.

So I'm giving this to the Eagles' deal to move up and get Cox. Philadelphia arrived at the draft Thursday convinced Cox was the player they wanted, and they believed they might have to move up to No. 6 or 7 to get him. To do that, they likely would have had to surrender at least one of their second-round picks, and they didn't want to pay either of those or their third. Once Cox fell to No. 12, the Eagles were able to move up by surrendering their first-rounder, a fourth-rounder and a seventh-rounder, securing the player they felt was their top target without giving up the picks they wanted to preserve. So while, yes, of course, I consider Griffin and Claiborne better players, I think the Eagles made the best first-round move of any NFC East team -- getting a player who can make a difference for them in the short-term as well as the long-term without handicapping themselves for the draft's second night.

On Friday, the Eagles converted their two second-round picks into a speedy outside linebacker (Mychal Kendricks) and a pass-rushing defensive end (Vinny Curry) and took the quarterback prospect they wanted (Nick Foles) in the third round. That Day 2 haul, compared with what the Cowboys and Redskins were able to get with their Day 2 picks, is what made the Eagles' trade-up the best overall move of the draft in the NFC East.

RISKIEST MOVE

This is a close contest between the two moves that lost out in the first category. It'd be easy to say Griffin, because he cost so much more. But I'm giving this to the Cowboys' trade-up to get Claiborne. It's a tough call, because I think Claiborne may be the best player any NFC East team got in this draft (barely, if at all, ahead of Griffin) and he cost less than Griffin did. But I'm basing this call on the circumstances specific to each team.

The Redskins are taking a big risk, sure, by picking a kid to be their franchise quarterback and telling him they don't have a first-round pick in either of the next two years with which to build around him. But the Redskins had no choice. Their need for Griffin was overwhelming, and they were right to let it overwhelm their priority list for this draft and the next two. Washington hasn't had a franchise quarterback in 20 years, and once they were convinced Griffin could be one, this was a risk worth taking for them.

I do not think, however, that Dallas' need for Claiborne was nearly as great as Washington's need for Griffin. Yes, the Cowboys' secondary was the obvious weak spot of their team last year -- the main reason they fell one game short of the Giants in the division race. But they'd already spent their big free-agent bucks on Brandon Carr and had Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick at cornerback. Does Claiborne have a good chance to be better than any of them? Yes. Could that happen as early as this year? You betcha. But with needs at safety, linebacker, defensive line and offensive line, the Cowboys should have conserved their picks to address multiple needs. They weren't one great cornerback away from being a championship team in 2012, and by trading their top two picks for Claiborne, and then picking project players and reaches the rest of the way, they decided to operate as though that were the case. It's a big risk, and if lingering weaknesses at those other spots do them in this season, they could regret it.

MOST SURPRISING MOVE

Without a doubt, it was the Redskins' selection of Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins with the seventh pick of the fourth round Saturday. It was Washington's third pick of the draft and the second that had been used on a quarterback. Their reasoning is that quarterback is a vitally important position at which it's impossible to be too deep, and as long as they make it clear to the players involved and to their fan base that Griffin is the starter and Cousins is the backup, it can work. They can develop Cousins in the backup role, have a player they like in reserve in case Griffin gets hurt and perhaps eventually trade him for something of great value in a league in which quarterbacks are the most prized commodities.

FILE IT AWAY

Nobody in this division does the draft better than the Giants, and it'll be worth remembering that the wide receiver (LSU's Rueben Randle) they picked at the end of the second round was a player they considered taking at the end of the first. Randle is a dynamic talent who now gets a chance to develop behind brilliant and selfless starting wideouts Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz and with the help of quarterback Eli Manning, who has an outstanding record of getting the best out of his receiving targets. Randle could not have been drafted into a better spot for his own development, and he could potentially be an immediate asset for the Giants in the passing game, because he can play the outside spot vacated by free-agent defector Mario Manningham and allow Cruz to stay in the slot position from which he exploded onto the scene in 2011. The Giants managed to combine need picks and value picks at almost every turn in this draft, and their second-rounder may turn out to be their biggest prize.

IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys agreed to terms Saturday night with Memphis guard Ronald Leary as an undrafted free agent.

Cowboys offensive line coach Bill Callahan attended a private workout for Leary in late March and came away impressed. The key for Leary is his knee. Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said the team gambled by not selecting an offensive lineman in the three-day NFL draft because they figured Leary would not get drafted. Leary's knee issues scared off several teams.

After extensive research, the Cowboys determined Leary has a chronic knee problem that will allow him to play now but might limit his long-term future.

"The issue for him is how long [he can play], it's not now. It's how long he can play," Jones said Saturday night. "That's why he fell the way he fell. We had our coach think he might be the readiest of any [drafted] offensive linemen."

In free agency, the Cowboys signed guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau to contracts worth $30 million. As the draft approached, the Cowboys were linked to Stanford guard David DeCastro, but instead moved up from the No. 14th overall spot to No. 6 and selected LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne.

The Cowboys picked defensive players with their first four picks, the first time that's happened since 1982.

And while the Cowboys still wanted to draft an offensive linemen at some point during the draft, team officials saw getting Leary as a positive.

"Here's a guy who gives us a chance to [play him] now," Jones said. "It helped me because there's risk here, and it helped me talk about [playing] now as opposed to development. He can get in here and play now."

Leary, at 6-foot-3, 325 pounds, was a second-team All Conference USA selection in 2011.

The Cowboys also agreed to terms to an undrafted free agent contract with North Texas running back Lance Dunbar.

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys selected five defensive players in the 2012 NFL draft, the most since 2009 when they grabbed seven players on defense with their 12 picks.

The Cowboys used their first four selections on defensive players, moving eight spots from No. 14 to No. 6 in the first round to pick the top cornerback in the draft, LSU's Morris Clairborne.

In the third round, the Cowboys grabbed Boise State defensive end Tyrone Crawford, who is considered a project.

The Cowboys used the first of two fourth-round selections on linebacker Kyle Wilber at 113, a player who can play strong side linebacker. The Cowboys then took safety Matt Johnson with the last pick in the round, a compensatory selection. Johnson is a strong safety who finished with 17 interceptions in his career at Eastern Washington.

The run on defense ended in Round 5 when Virginia Tech wide receiver Danny Coale was selected.

It's the first time the Cowboys have selected four consecutive defensive players since 1982, when the franchise's first five selections were defensive players.

Out of 12 picks that season, five made the team and eight were defensive players overall. The first-round pick that season was cornerback Rod Hill from Kentucky State.

Last year, the Cowboys drafted six offensive players out of eight selections. But after a 2011 season in which the Cowboys finished 14th in total defense and 23rd against the pass, several changes were needed.

Dallas cut veteran cornerback Terence Newman and elected not to re-sign safety Abram Elam and two inside linebackers, Bradie James and Keith Brooking.

In free agency, the Cowboys signed cornerback Brandon Carr to a five-year $50.1 million deal and also gave Brodney Pool, a safety, a one-year contract.

Outside linebacker Anthony Spencer was kept off the free-agent market when the team placed the franchise tag on him worth $8.8 million.

IRVING, Texas -- Caleb McSurdy hoped to visit the area in January as part of the FCS National Championship Game at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, but Montana lost in the semifinals.

He got another chance to come back when the Cowboys took him with the 222nd overall pick in the NFL draft Saturday.

“Today’s been amazing,” the inside linebacker said on a conference call. “It was a little nerve wracking because I knew if I would get drafted it would be towards the end, so just to get that phone call and talk to Mr. Jones, so many emotions. I’m very excited, and it’s an honor.”

McSurdy, at 6-foot-1, 245 pounds, led the Grizzlies with 131 tackles and was an FCS All-American. He joins a crowded inside linebacker group that includes Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, Dan Connor and Orie Lemon.

He is not very fast or athletic, but he shares a common trait from a few of the Cowboys’ other draft picks: He works hard and was a team captain.

“I just think on a daily basis I tried to be an example of a guy getting it done on the field and at school and off the field and someone who worked hard, took football and everything that comes with it seriously and be trusted to make plays,” McSurdy said.

The Cowboys also worked McSurdy out at fullback with running backs coach Skip Peete, but McSurdy said he expects to play linebacker. The Cowboys have another linebacker/fullback type on the roster in Isaiah Greenhouse.

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys' part in the NFL draft ended when they selected Caleb McSurdy, an inside linebacker.

Pros: He's a sure tackler who is good against the run. Cowboys running backs coach Skip Peete worked McSurdy out at fullback, so there's a possibility of getting position flexibility from him. McSurdy was a captain his senior season and that was something coach Jason Garrett likes to have on his roster -- captains were respected by their teammates and they understand the team concept. He does have good instincts for the ball, especially against the run.

Cons: McSurdy isn't that big, 6-1, 245, and that could give him problems in taking on NFL-type tight ends and offensive linemen. He's not very fast and could be exposed against the pass. If he's moved to fullback, there's uncertainty about his ability to block and get to defenders.

Cowboys fit: The Cowboys could use another good tackler for the special teams units, and McSurdy was active on special teams for two seasons. He did return punts and kicks his last two seasons. If he's moved to fullback the Cowboys get a bulky, strong player who can make an impact if he's not afraid to mix it up. If the Cowboys move him to fullback, they have a veteran in Lawrence Vickers who can be a good mentor.

Could have had: Edwin Baker, RB, Michigan State; David Molk, C, Michigan; Matt Reynolds, T, BYU; James Brown, G, Troy; Kelcie McCray, S, Arkansas State.

IRVING, Texas -- The final pick of the day for the Dallas Cowboys was a defensive player. Montana inside linebacker Caleb McSurdy was selected in the seventh round.

In all, the Cowboys used five of their seven picks on defensive players.

Dallas used the first four picks on defensive players, trading up eight spots in the first round to get the top cornerback in the draft in LSU's Morris Claiborne.

The Cowboys now have four inside linebackers on the roster: Sean Lee, Dan Connor, Bruce Carter and McSurdy.

It's the second time in the last three NFL drafts that the Cowboys selected a defensive player with the last pick of the draft. In 2010, the Cowboys drafted defensive end Sean Lissemore from William and Mary in the seventh round.

IRVING, Texas -- Over the years the Cowboys have been wildly successful finding undrafted free agents and turning them into starters. Tony Romo and Miles Austin are at the top of the list, but don’t forget about a guy like Stephen Bowen, too.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones anticipates the Cowboys adding 13-17 undrafted players.

The Cowboys have been willing to pay solid signing bonuses to undrafted players over the years, totaling more than $100,000 on occasion.

Those days are over.

According to the new collective bargaining agreement, teams can spend only $75,000 total in signing bonuses to undrafted players.

Will that discourage the Cowboys and other teams from signing players? Not really. What teams did last year to get by that rule was to guarantee a small portion of the player’s base salary so it would not count toward the $75,000 limit.

Last year the largest signing bonus the Cowboys gave was to offensive lineman Jose Acuna ($6,500). Wide receiver Lyle Leong received $6,000 to sign.

The four undrafted free agents who made the 53-man roster -- Kevin Kowalski, Dan Bailey, Alex Albright and Phillip Tanner -- combined to make $10,500 in signing bonus money. Bailey had a signing bonus of $2,500.

IRVING, Texas -- James Hanna won’t have to travel far to get to the Cowboys’ rookie mini-camp next week. It’s just about a 20-minute ride from Flower Mound to Valley Ranch.

The Cowboys took the Oklahoma tight end in the sixth round Saturday, fulfilling a need pick with only Jason Witten and John Phillips on the 53-man roster.

“Honestly I didn’t know where I’d go and just coming to the Cowboys, it was an even better feeling than I thought it would be,” Hanna said. “It was real exciting.”

Hanna did not take part in the Cowboys’ Dallas Day workout because he was visiting Minnesota, but he met with the Cowboys at the NFL scouting combine. Hanna caught 52 passes for 720 yards and nine touchdowns in four years with the Sooners. He was a second-team All-Big 12 pick last year with 27 catches for 381 yards.

The Cowboys love to use multiple tight end sets and had only Jason Witten and John Phillips on the roster.

“He’s my role model,” Hanna said of Witten, a seven-time Pro Bowler. “I’ve grown up all through football since I’ve been playing a Cowboys fan and just watching him, he’s been there a long time. He’s a great player and I’m really looking forward to getting to learn from him.”

Hanna was timed at 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash, incredibly fast for a tight end, but with players like Witten, San Francisco’s Vernon Davis, New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham and New England’s Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, tight ends are becoming downfield threats.

“There seems to be so many teams that really look to use tight ends, even multiple tight ends,” Hanna said, “and I couldn’t be happier with the time I’m in the league and I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

IRVING, Texas -- With their sixth-round pick, the Cowboys grabbed tight end James Hanna.

Pros: He's fast and athletic. Hanna ran a 4.46 40 at the combine and displays nimble feet. He shows natural burst in and out of his breaks. He picks up speed at the top end when trying to get away from defenders. Hanna has showed an ability to get better as a player. He weighed 215 pounds as a freshman and is now 252 pounds.

Cons: Hanna has trouble holding on to the ball and is an inconsistent blocker. The Cowboys need a tight end who is a good blocker, after losing Martellus Bennett in free agency. Hanna is a raw as a route runner and struggles at changing directions. Part of this is because he backed up Jermaine Gresham and didn't get snaps in the pass-oriented offense at Oklahoma.

Cowboy fit: Hanna needs to improve his blocking and ability to catch the ball and he's got the perfect coach to help him in John Garrett, the Cowboys' tight ends coach. Garrett pushed Bennett into becoming a better blocker and player and while they clashed, you could tell Bennett improved in certain areas of his game. The Cowboys will use Hanna on a limited basis on offense until he improves on his route running.

Could have had: Antonio Allen, S, South Carolina; David Molk, C, Michigan; Tom Compton, T, South Dakota; James Brown, G, Troy.

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys have added depth to the tight end position by drafting Oklahoma tight end James Hanna with their sixth-round pick Saturday.

The Cowboys came into the draft with Jason Witten and John Phillips as the only tight ends because Martellus Bennett signed a one-year deal with the New York Giants.

Picking up another tight end, either in free agency or the draft, is something the Cowboys wanted to do since.

Hanna, a Flower Mound native, is 6-3 and 252 pounds. As a senior, he started 13 games and finished with a career-high 27 catches with 381 yards with two touchdowns. He was named to the Big 12's second team.

In his junior season, Hanna picked up seven touchdown catches earning All-Big 12 honorable mention honors.

After picking four consecutive defensive players, the Cowboys grabbed a wide receiver in the fifth round in Virginia Tech's Danny Coale and now Hanna.

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys like versatile players and Virginia Tech’s Danny Coale is versatile.

He played outside wide receiver and excelled in the slot. He had four carries. He returned punts. He was on the Hokies’ punt block team and also was on the kick return and punt return teams.

He even punted as a senior, averaging 43.5 yards per punt.

“I want an opportunity to contribute to a team and it seems like a great fit,” Coale said.

Coale was the Cowboys’ fifth round pick and their first offensive selection. He left Virginia Tech with 165 catches for 2,658 yards and eight touchdowns. His receptions and yards are second-most in school history.

Coale did not come to Valley Ranch for a pre-draft visit, but he met with coach Jason Garrett and assistants John Garrett and Jimmy Robinson at the NFL scouting combine.

“I like to challenge myself to make tough catches over the middle and I really enjoy playing the middle of the field, seeing it from the slot,” Coale said.

The Cowboys have an opening for Tony Romo’s No. 3 wide receiver spot after losing Laurent Robinson. However, owner and general manager Jerry Jones has expressed his belief that Andre Holmes, Raymond Radway, Kevin Ogletree or Dwayne Harris can be playmakers. Coale will be in a competition

“He does a lot of exciting things,” Coale said of Romo. “I’m really thrilled to have an opportunity to catch from him.”

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys fourth-round pick, safety Matt Johnson, endured health issues at Eastern Washington.

Johnson missed a spring game in 2010 with a concussion and had his season cut short his senior year in 2011 with a torn biceps.

"Yes, I got a lot of questions," Johnson said, alluding to what NFL teams asked when it came to his health. "I went through the physical with every place I went and checked out my shoulder and got all of the background checks and got everything checked out and I'm ready to go."

He added: "My health is the best I've felt in all of college."

Johnson visited with not only the Cowboys but Chicago and Philadelphia.

It was his visit with the Cowboys he enjoyed the most.

"My dad was a Cowboys fan," said Johnson, who grew up in Tumwater, Wash. "So I remember the first day watching them with Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin. I had the Emmitt Smith jersey growing up. So from the first time I can remember watching football, I was a Cowboys fan."

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys' fifth-round pick is wide receiver Danny Coale.

Pros: He's pretty quick, 4.5 40, and has the ability to play all three wide receiver spots. He's not afraid to go over the middle or try and run deep. He was a team captain at Virginia Tech and that's a big thing with coach Jason Garrett, who wants players who are respected in the locker room. He can also punt. He did some of it in high school and college, on a limited basis, and can be used in that area in case of an injury. He's a scrappy receiver who is dependable.

Cons: He had limited work on returns, and the Cowboys wanted to get a receiver in the draft who possessed the abilities to return punts and kicks. He's got average height, 5-11 and size, 201 pounds with short arms, measured at 30 1/2, inches which could present a problem. He's not a very good blocker and averaged just one touchdown for every 20 catches.

Cowboy fit: He will compete for the fifth wide receiver spot with Andre Holmes and Raymond Radway. Coale does have speed and size to be a slot receiver but is considered small by some scouts. His positive attitude allows the Cowboys to move him into special teams, he worked on kickoff coverage in college but is willing to play all the units. He can also help out on punts, and anytime you get position flexibility you take advantage of it.

Could have had: Marv Jones, WR, Cal; Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa; James Brown, G, Troy; James Hanna, TE, Oklahoma.

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys stopped taking care of the defensive coaches and selected wide receiver Danny Coale from Virginia Tech with the fifth-pick of the NFL draft Saturday afternoon.

The Cowboys were open to taking a wide receiver if he possessed the ability to return kicks. Coale caught 60 passes for 904 yards with three touchdowns last season for the Hokies.

After taking four defensive players, wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson talked to the Cowboys brass in the war room during the fourth round.

At 5-11 and 201 pounds, Coale ran a 4.5 40 at the scouting combine and appears to have some quickness the Cowboys can use coming out of the slot.

Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said he wanted to see competition at the backup wide receiver spots. Dwayne Harris, Raymond Radway, Andre Holmes and Coale will try to backup Miles Austin and Dez Bryant.

The one thing I'll say is I thought the Dallas Cowboys had to make this just about a defense-only draft, and so far they have. They have made four picks, all have been defensive players, and they just wrapped up the fourth round by taking strong safety Matt Johnson from Eastern Washington. I'd love to tell you something interesting about Johnson, but I just don't have anything. Our Scouts Inc. rating service ranked him the No. 72 safety available in this year's draft, and his scouting report page on our site is blank. I found him on Draft Scout, which ranked him the No. 16 strong safety in this draft and says he's been rising on boards this spring. Kid ran a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day, which I'm sure opened some eyes. He's 6-foot-1, 212 and made the Big Sky's preseason all-conference team. He was a very productive college player, with 17 interceptions in his career.

So I don't know. The Cowboys have scouts and they have coaches and those guys know what kinds of players they like and look for. There's no reason to take a guy in the fifth round that everybody else likes if you find something you like about a guy much further down the list. Perhaps Rob Ryan sees something in Johnson that he believes will ultimately make an impact.

My issue is that the Cowboys have drafted three straight head-scratchers. Tyrone Crawford, Kyle Wilber and now Johnson are all guys who appear to be long-range projects if not (in Johnson's case) outright fliers. And they used their first-round and second-round picks on one player, albeit the best defensive player in the draft in cornerback Morris Claiborne. For a team that had as many needs at as many positions as the Cowboys did going into the draft, I'm just not sure they've done anything since early Thursday night to make their 2012 team better. We may look a few years down the road here and say they built a monster championship defense with their quirky picks in this year's draft, but in the instant-analysis period, it's hard to understand what they're up to.