Cowboys: Todd McShay
Final mock drafts are in for McShay, Kiper
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.
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay looks at how potential first-round trades could impact several teams, including the Cowboys.
Todd McShay has Cowboys taking Janoris Jenkins
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.
Mock drafts are split on Cowboys pick
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.
Guard visiting Valley Ranch on Tuesday
Iupati will get to Dallas after a visit with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Cowboys' starting left guard, Kyle Kosier, is in the last year of his contract, and a replacement is needed should the Cowboys go in another direction.
Leonard Davis is the starting right guard and seems comfortable at that spot.
However, we asked Jerry Jones last week at the owners meetings if tackle Pat McQuistan can play at guard and he said yes, but the team prefers to leave him at tackle.
Mel Kiper and Todd McShay have Iupati going a little higher than 27 in their mock drafts, where the Cowboys draft, but the team wants to prepare itself should it move up in the draft.
Drafting a wide receiver in first round
Drafting a wide receiver in the first round appears doubtful, seeing the Cowboys haven't done it since they took Alvin Harper in the 1991 draft, as the 12th overall selection. (That same year, the Cowboys took Russell Maryland, No. 1 overall.)Dez Bryant, according to his agent, Eugene Parker, will visit Valley Ranch on April 1. Now this doesn't mean the Cowboys will draft him in the first round. Bryant is projected as the first wideout taken in 2010. But taking a wide receiver in the first round has its issues.
"On wide receivers there are more busts in the first round than the majority of other positions," ESPN's Todd McShay said. "That’s reason No. 1. Reason No. 2 is almost more important to me, is that it is not one of the positions of value. If you’re drafting in the first round, especially high in the first round, when the money is so overwhelming and can cripple you if you make a mistake. Or even if you get a solid player in a position that’s not one of ‘the big fours’ as I like to call it, I really think it can set your organization back."
Jerry Jones doesn't like to do it for financial reasons, we understand that. Why kick out big money to a wide receiver when you can't get a return on it until three or maybe four years down the line.
Now this not to say the Cowboys are not interested in drafting a wide receiver. Arrelious Benn, Demaryius Thomas and Carlton Mitchell are some of the names being thrown out among agents that the Cowboys are targeting.
Will it happen in the later rounds of the draft? Stay tuned.
Will Jerry stray from his draft-day norm?
However, with no salary cap in place for the 2010 season, we wonder if Jones will be as active this year, especially with him drafting in the bottom half of the first round.
"It's money. It really is. It all has to do with money and fitting within the salary cap," ESPN's Todd McShay said "Basically if there's going to be an adjustment, it should be in the top seven to 10 picks."
Jones said money isn't an issue for him. We believe him since he kicked out $7 million for a boxing match last week. He is under a budget, and that'll dictate whether or not he wants to move up in the first round and pay some picks or even go after some free agents.
Dez Bryant to the Cowboys at No. 27
It's a surprise here because we thought, or think, Bryant will go much higher in the draft.
Our own draft experts, Mel Kiper and Todd McShay have Bryant going Denver at No. 11, but are split on what the Cowboys might do.
Kiper has safety Earl Thomas going to the Cowboys while McShay has tackle Charles Brown being available at No. 27.
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