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The NFL draft is tonight, of course it is, and we have the final mock drafts from Todd McShay and Mel Kiper. No surprises here, both of our draft experts have the Cowboys taking Alabama safety Mark Barron.

Here's McShay's final first-round mock draft:

You have to be an ESPN Insider to get this, but we'll give you all the picks by McShay.

Michael Brockers, LSU, DT, first round.
Janoris Jenkins, Alabama, CB, second round.
Joe Adams, Arkansas, WR, third round
Akiem Hicks, Regina (Canada), DT, fourth round
James Hanna, Oklahoma, TE, fourth round
Senio Kelemete, Washington, fifth round
Chris Rainey, Florida, RB, sixth round
Tim Fugger, Vanderbilt, OLB, seventh round

Kiper doesn't do the complete draft, but here's his final mock. He has the Cowboys taking North Carolina DE Quinton Coples at No. 14.

It wouldn't be a draft without the Big Board. Here's Kiper's.

The NFL Mock Drafts are coming on pretty strong now, especially with the 2011 NFL season ending on Sunday night.

Todd McShay's Mock Draft has the Cowboys taking troubled cornerback Janoris Jenkins from North Alabama. He was kicked off the team at Florida for various offenses.

Jenkins performed well during Senior Bowl practices but his off-the-field issues make him a risk.

Here's what McShay had to say about Jenkins: "Corner is a top need area, and Jenkins proved at the Senior Bowl that he's still an elite cover corner after spending a year at the Division II level. Dallas will need to get comfortable with his character issues, though, including legal issues that led to his dismissal from the Florida program."

It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys go that route. Jerry Jones isn't fond of players with drug issues and Jason Garrett doesn't want players with off-the-field problems in his locker room. While he wasn't against the Cowboys drafting Dez Bryant, he wasn't the head coach, Wade Phillips was, so he didn't have the final say.

Now Garrett does.

Jenkins has said he's willing to tell all about his troubles at Florida.

Mel Kiper's first Mock Draft had the Cowboys taking Stanford guard David DeCastro, but McShay has DeCastro going to Arizona at No. 13.

Here's McShay's first round. You have to be an ESPN Insider to view it.

ESPN's Mel Kiper ranked the top 20 rookies from the 2011 season, and Cowboys right tackle Tyron Smith (12) and running back DeMarco Murray (21) made the list.

Kiper also ranks former Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller second behind Cam Newton. Former TCU quarterback Andy Dalton checks in at No. 5.

The Cowboys got significant playing time from young players in 2011. We rank the top rookies of 2011.

5. Bill Nagy. He earned a starting job coming out of training camp as the left guard before suffering a fractured right ankle at New England on Oct. 16. Nagy, however, might have to fight for a starting spot with the Cowboys trying to improve the interior of the offensive line next season.

4. Alex Albright. The outside linebacker was one of four undrafted rookies to make the squad. He played mainly special teams but saw some defensive snaps late in the season. He will get a chance to play more in 2012 with the possible departure of outside linebacker Anthony Spencer to free agency. He can also play a little inside, so that gives him flexibility.

3. Dan Bailey. The kicker made 26 consecutive field goals, tied for second-best mark in franchise history. Bailey also won some big games and most importantly beat out David Buehler for the field goal job. Bailey converted 86.5 percent of his field goals and tied for fifth in the league with 135 points made in 2011.

2. DeMarco Murray. He burst onto the scene with that franchise-record 252-yard rushing effort against St. Louis. Murray led rookie running backs with 897 yards and the closest anyone came to him was Washington's Roy Helu and his 640. Murray enters training camp as the starting running back.

1. Tyron Smith. The ninth pick of the draft was a solid performer at right tackle and most likely will move to the premier position of the line, left tackle, in 2011. Smith's ability to adjust during the course of the season was one of his biggest assets, and he can only get better.

MOBILE, Ala. -- ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper went back in history and redrafted the 2006 class for every team.

That year the Cowboys drafted linebacker Bobby Carpenter from Ohio State. Carpenter's claim to fame might have been that NFC wild-card playoff loss at Seattle where he played out of his mind.

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Carpenter was a disappointment overall.

Kiper now says the Cowboys should have taken South Carolina cornerback Johnathan Joseph with the 18th pick. Kiper also says Houston should have bypassed Mario Williams with the top pick and selected Haloti Ngata, the defensive tackle from Oregon.

Here's a link to Kiper's selections (you need to be an ESPN Insider to view it).

We look at the Cowboys' draft picks that year:

Bobby Carpenter, first round, LB: The Cowboys could never find a role for Carpenter, whether it was at inside linebacker or outside linebacker. He just wasn't physical enough and always seemed overmatched. The best thing about Carpenter is he became one of Tony Romo's closest friends. After the Cowboys moved on from Carpenter, with a trade to St. Louis for tackle Alex Barron, he switched teams again. Carpenter played for Detroit in 2011 and picked off a Romo pass in the second half as part of the Lions' dramatic rally to overcome a 24-3 deficit.

Anthony Fasano, second round, TE: A physical tight end that just never took his game to the next level. He wasn't going to compete on Jason Witten's level, but he wasn't athletic enough, like Martellus Bennett was, to warrant more playing time. Cowboys eventually traded him to the Miami Dolphins. Fasano has been pretty good in Miami, catching 18 touchdowns in four seasons while Bennett has just four in four seasons.

Jason Hatcher, third round, DE: It took some time but Hatcher finally emerged as the pass-rushing end the Cowboys thought they had when they selected him from Grambling. Hatcher eventually took a starting role at end this season from Marcus Spears, a former first-round pick. Hatcher finished the season with a career-high 4.5 sacks. He will probably start at end in 2012. Hatcher is the only player from this draft class still on the team.

Skyler Green, fourth round, WR: Bill Parcells had plans for this man. The problem was that the plans were a mess. A returner, a wide receiver and a running back eventually, Green couldn't find any playing time. The Cowboys should have passed on him unless they had a defined role for him, and they didn't.

Patrick Watkins, fifth round, S: He started nine games his rookie season, picking off three passes and knocking down seven more. But Watkins wasn't physical enough for the defensive coaches and while a free safety had trouble making plays on the ball. He didn't play in the NFL last season after spending 2010 in San Diego. He was long and lean, very athletic, but just couldn't find consistency.

Montavious Stanley, sixth round, DT: He's bounced around among five NFL teams, including two stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Stanley just wasn't a fit with the Cowboys. He had the size to play inside (6-2, 302 pounds), but like most late round picks, he didn't play with the needed consistency.

Pat McQuistan, seventh round, T: He might have been a nice find to possibly replace either Flozell Adams or Marc Colombo at one of the tackle spots, but he never developed into what the Cowboys hoped. He played mainly on special teams before going to Miami in 2010. He did start eight games for the Dolphins and in 2011 he played 10 games for the New Orleans Saints.

E.J. Whitley, seventh round, G: The Texas Tech alum was the 224th player selected that year. He didn't do enough to warrant a roster spot.

The first NFL mock draft is out and ESPN's Mel Kiper has the Cowboys taking Stanford guard David DeCastro with the 14th pick. (You have to be an ESPN Insider to view the entire first round. Sign up, it's worth it.)

If this pans out it will mark the second consecutive draft the Cowboys take an offensive lineman. Last year, tackle Tyron Smith was taken at No. 9.

In his position rankings, Kiper has DeCastro (6-foot-5, 310 pounds) as the best guard in the draft, followed by Georgia's Cordy Glenn (6-foot-5, 320 pounds).

Here's what Scouts Inc. had to say about DeCastro's toughness: "Takes pride in craft and works to finish assignment. Flashes a mean streak but would like to see it with more consistency. Will chase play downfield and looks to clean up piles. Plays with the grinders mentality necessary for an interior offensive lineman."

The depth at guard is young with Bill Nagy, Kevin Kowalski, David Arkin and Daniel Loper. There are veterans as well at this spot, starting with left guard Kyle Kosier, followed by right guards Montrae Holland and Derrick Dockery.

Kosier's health and age seem to be a factor with the Cowboys. However, Kosier did a nice job in helping Smith with communication in 2011. Holland and Dockery are solid veterans who battled injuries at times and with them being free agents, it's uncertain if they'll return.

IRVING, Texas -- In April, ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper gave the Cowboys a B-minus for their draft. Now that the season has ended, Kiper has downgraded it to a C-plus.

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You have to be an insider to read all of the grades here, but here’s what he wrote about the Cowboys:

Summary: I said then that I liked the conviction Dallas had to get younger on the offensive line, stay at No. 9 and take Tyron Smith, even though that was no home run in terms of value. Still, that pick turned into a win for the Cowboys. Smith, who started all season as a 20-year-old, played on the right side, but all indications are he could develop into a blindside tackle if they find it necessary to move him there. The grade rises if he can. Right now, a right tackle isn't your goal with a lineman taken at No. 9 overall. Bruce Carter’s NFL script is still unwritten, but DeMarco Murray obviously was a great value in the third before he went down for the year. Murray's injury, incidentally, is why it's hard to ever say a great running back out of the third round is a "steal" -- RBs land in the third because you expect them to get hurt. It's just reality. There isn't much else here so far. Dwayne Harris flashed in the preseason but wasn't a factor. Aside from Smith, the best rookie was kicker Dan Bailey, but alas, he wasn't drafted and thus can't be factored in here.

My take: I would’ve kept it at a B-minus maybe even given it a B because you knew going into the season that Carter was facing a redshirt season because of the knee injury. Murray changed the Cowboys season and he didn’t suffer the type of injury that labels guys as “injury prone.” This was a fractured ankle. He’s largely right about the rest of the draft class, but Bill Nagy was a starter before he got hurt. Now, did he earn the starting spot or was it a case of him being the best of a “meh” lot?

I think too much is put into the left and right tackle breakdown. Look at the six games the Cowboys play against NFC East foes: the left and right tackle have to block some hellacious pass rushers. Washington has Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo. The Giants have Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora. The Eagles have Trent Cole and Jason Babin. You better have top-flight tackles on both sides to exist.

By some accounts, Smith was among the best tackles in the game as a rookie. That seems like pretty good value at the No. 9 pick.

The NFL draft is about 10 hours away or in the Cowboys' case maybe 11 hours away with the ninth pick of the first round. It seems after reviewing several mock drafts this morning, the Cowboys are projected to take an offensive lineman.

Here are the mock drafts:

Bryan Broadus, ESPN Dallas picks Anthony Castonzo, T, Boston College

Mel Kiper, ESPN, chooses Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal.
UPDATE: Mel has hedged his pick, saying he thinks the Cowboys will now take USC OT Tyron Smith.

Todd McShay, ESPN, selects J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin

Don Banks, SI, likes Tyron Smith, T, USC

Mike Maylock, NFL.com, also likes Tyron Smith, T, USC

(One note, Pat Kirwan, Steve Wyche and Bucky Brooks of NFL.com all picked Smith as well in their final mock drafts)

Rob Rang, NFLDraft Scout, projects Anthony Castonzo, T, Boston College

(Chad Reuter of NFLDraft Scout is picking Smith)

Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News picks Smith and Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram selects Castonzo. One note, you must be an ESPN Insider to read Kiper and McShay's mock drafts. Please check it out, it's worth the time and effort.

Mel Kiper Jr. targets the Dallas Cowboys as one of the teams that potentially could move up or down on draft day. Watch above.

And who might the Cowboys select if they stay put at No. 9? Former NFL scout Bryan Broaddus has submitted his first Mock Draft as we have less than two weeks until the real thing.

Twitter is a beautiful thing.

Florida center Mike Pouncey, who visited Valley Ranch on Wednesday, said on Twitter he expects to be drafted by the Dallas Cowboys.

"Headed back to Pittsburgh ... would be shocked if i wasn't in a dallas uniform nxt year! The draft is april 28th so we will see ... To all the steelers fans i would love to be playing for the steelers and if i had a choice i would but it isnt my choice ...

The Cowboys have been projected in several mock drafts to take either USC tackle Tyron Smith or Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara. Two recent mock drafts -- by Todd McShay and Mel Kiper -- have the Cowboys drafting Smith.


McShay has Pouncey being selected by the Miami Dolphins at No. 15, while Kiper has him going to the New York Giants at No. 19.

It's interesting if the Cowboys do pick a center/guard over a tackle. Despite going to the Pro Bowl last season, center Andre Gurode has knee issues that concern the organization. Left guard Kyle Kosier is a free agent who will turn 33 in November. And while Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett would like to bring Kosier back, his age could be a concern. If you can get younger at this position, a team should do it.

The Cowboys' other guard, Leonard Davis, didn't have his best season in 2010, but it would seem he would return in 2011.

The latest Big Board is up, and Mel Kiper Jr. has this to say about the Cowboys and the No. 9 pick:

If you're a team, like the Dallas Cowboys, that needs to address the offensive line but is among the first 10 picks, for the first time, you may have matching value for that spot.

That player? USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith.

The other player that has impressed Kiper -- and NFL scouts -- immensely is DeSoto High School product Von Miller, the linebacker who dazzled at Texas A&M. How much has Miller impressed? Kiper has him at No. 2, and possibly challenging LSU's Patrick Peterson as the best available talent in the NFL draft.

For more on Kiper's Big Board (it's Insider content), click here.

We have a little more than month before the NFL Draft and we've looked at a few Mock Drafts.

First ESPN's own Mel Kiper still has the Cowboys taking Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara with the ninth pick of the first round.

Kiper isn't alone.

Rob Rang, NFL Draft Scout, Don Banks from SI.com and Pat Kirwan of NFL.com also have Amukamara going to Dallas.

But Chad Reuter of NFL Draft Scout took a different route. He has Dallas taking tackle Tyron Smith from USC.

Here's what Scouts Inc. has on Smith.

Kirwan went a little deeper in the draft and has the Cowboys taking outside linebacker Martez Wilson in the second round. Wilson from Illinois missed the 2010 season due to injury.

Scouts Inc. has this on Wilson.

With Mock Draft 3.0 now available, Mel Kiper still has the Cowboys taking Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara at No.9. What's also interesting is Kiper points out the possibility of the Cowboys trading down to get some offensive line help.

Says Kiper: "This is a pick I've stuck with through the first two mocks. Again, because the mock draft can't account for draft board trades -- the Cowboys could certainly deal down the board, particularly if they target the offensive line -- Dallas could do a lot worse than to grab the best pure technician at the corner position."

What's interesting about Kiper's mock is Da'Quan Bowers, the defensive end from Clemson, is going No. 8 to Tennessee. But there are two defensive ends, J.J. Watt from Wisconsin and Robert Quinn of North Carolina, who go after Amukamara. I can see all three players in Cowboys' uniforms in 2011.

Nothing against the young man from Nebraska, but having a strong pass rush can solve some of these secondary problems the Cowboys had during the 2010 season.

It seems the only long-term commitment this team has at the end position goes to Igor Olshansky. The other two ends, Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher, were given second-round tenders. The uncertanity of the CBA could allow Bowen and Hatcher to become unrestricted free agents.

If that's the case and if that decision is made before the draft, I wonder if the Cowboys still focus on the cornerback position?

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has come out with his draft grades for each NFL team. He handed out two A's, to the Seahawks and the Ravens.

He gave the Cowboys a B-minus, praising the Dez Bryant and Sean Lee picks but showing concern about one remaining area of weakness:

But unless they do something in the interim, the Cowboys will head into camp with Doug Free as the best left tackle on the roster, and while the team likes Free's potential, Tony Romo's blindside protection is still a concern.

See all of Kiper's grades here (Insider).

ESPN.com also has a new formula to evaluate and rank how each team did in the draft. It factors in team needs and veteran players acquired in trades for draft picks. The Seahawks are No. 1 in these rankings. The Cowboys were tied for No. 7, second best in the NFC East behind the Redskins (tied for fourth). The Eagles are ranked No. 14, and the Giants are all the way down at No. 30.

See the full rankings here (Insider).

At midday on Saturday, I ran into Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who was excited about working the phones toward the end of the draft.

Jones said this is the time where you can find a star among the undrafted free agents. The Cowboys have been lucky to find quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Miles Austin among other players who weren't drafted.

However (thanks to Profootballtalk.com for finding this), New Hampshire tight end Scott Sicko told the Cowboys and several other NFL teams he would not play for them unless he was drafted.

The Cowboys made a personal plea to Sicko to play. But he said no thanks according to the Albany, N.Y. Times-Union.

"If I were to be drafted I would have had more confidence of a much longer career in the NFL,” Sicko told the Albany Times Union. "I have to look at my life and decide what will make me the happiest. And the thing that will make me the happiest now and in the long run is to pursue my education."

We wanted to see if Sicko was rated by ESPN's Mel Kiper and he was. Sicko is ranked 27th among tight ends in Kiper's 2010 Draft Report.

Patriots beat writer Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston offered this insight on Sicko back in March.

So it's not like Sicko is some unknown player, NFL teams wanted him, but he just decided to do something else with his life.

ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper has the breakdown of the Cowboys' first four picks for the 2010 draft.

The interesting thing is that Kiper says the Cowboys will draft a tackle in the first round (27th overall), USC's Charles Brown, the fifth-rated tackle in Kiper's 2010 Draft Report.

He says Nate Allen, the South Florida safety ranked No. 5 by Kiper, will go to Dallas in the second round (59th).

Here's the other Kiper picks: Vanderbilt CB Myron Lewis in the third round (90th) and Wisconsin LB O'Brien Schofield in the fourth (125th).

For a summary, go here.