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Former Indianapolis Colts GM Bill Polian writes for ESPN now, which is especially handy this time of year because he's actually made NFL draft picks and can offer insight that schlubs like me can't offer. Today, Bill ranks the draft performance of each NFL team over the past three years . (Except the Colts, since he made those picks and doesn't feel he can be objective. Fair enough. If I were ranking the best ESPN.com NFL blog entries of the past calendar year, I'd have a hard time figuring out how to handle the NFC East ones.)

Anyway, Bill's got the New York Giants ranked among "The Best" in his rankings, behind only the Ravens, Lions and Packers. He picks a "best value pick" and a "cornerstone pick" for each team, and for the Giants he lists wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (29th pick, 2009) as the best value pick and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (15th pick, 2010) as the cornerstone. Based on the results alone, these are both very good picks for the Giants, and they offer different types of examples of the Giants' broad-thinking approach to the first round.

Nicks was the fifth of a whopping six wide receivers taken in that year's first round. The Giants, who take a best-player-available approach to the draft and almost never pick based on need, identified that this was a year in which those two concepts overlapped. They needed a receiver, and this was a first round that offered great value at that position. After Darrius Heyward-Bey went seventh to Oakland and Michael Crabtree went 10th to the 49ers, the Giants were locked in on Jeremy Maclin and reportedly had a deal in place to trade up to No. 20 to take him if he fell that far. Instead, the Eagles moved up and picked Maclin at 19. The Vikings took Percy Harvin at 22 and the Giants, with well-regarded Rutgers product Kenny Britt still on the board at 29, went with Nicks.

The Giants believed Maclin and Nicks were both top-15 value picks that had slipped into the second half of the round. They had them rated very closely together and believed each offered something special. With Maclin it was his raw speed and special-teams ability. With Nicks, it was his studious nature and everything they'd been told by his college coaches about his attention to detail and the level of responsibility he'd assumed as a leader of the wide receiver corps at North Carolina. They were ecstatic to get him at 29. If not for the saturation of first-round wide receiver talent in that particular year, they might not have been able to sniff either guy. They took advantage of a rare and exciting confluence of value and need to make that year's first-round pick, and it's paid off.

As for Pierre-Paul, we've been over this story a million times. The Giants were picking in the middle of the first round that year, and the value at that spot was going to be pass-rushers, which is their wheelhouse. Five defensive ends went in that year's first round, and the names of Brandon Graham and Derrick Morgan were being kicked around for teams in the middle of the first round. Pierre-Paul was a mystery man -- raw and inexperienced but unquestionably gifted as a pure athlete. Everybody saw the tape of him doing the backflips. No one -- not even the Giants -- knew for sure how that would translate into NFL football.

But the Giants fell in love. Tom Coughlin went to watch Pierre-Paul work out. They decided that his talent was worth taking a chance on, given the strength of their belief in the ability of their coaches and their veteran players to groom great defensive linemen. Their need was at linebacker, but there was no linebacker in that year's first round that offered value at No. 15. And they didn't need a defensive end who could help right away, since they were already loaded at that position. So why not take the guy whose potential cornerstone talent you believed you could mold into a cornerstone player?

The Eagles traded up to get Graham at 13 -- a move that has subjected them to derision in light of Pierre-Paul's rapid ascent and Graham's health struggles (and the fact that safety Earl Thomas went one pick later). And with the seemingly more NFL-ready Morgan still on the board, the Giants picked Pierre-Paul. They didn't know he'd be one of the best defensive players in the league two years later. They thought maybe he could eventually be that, and that his potential combined with their program made him worth the pick. This was a pick that made more sense for the Giants than it might have made for any other team picking in that spot. They identified that, and again, it has paid off.

Anyway, the other teams in the NFC East are much further down the list, all in the bottom-17 portion of Bill's list labeled "The Rest of the Rest." He picks Sean Lee as the Cowboys' value pick and Tyron Smith as the cornerstone. The Eagles' value pick is Jason Kelce (sixth round!) and the cornerstone pick is LeSean McCoy. The Redskins' value pick is Roy Helu (fourth round!) and their cornerstones are Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan, though the Redskins are hoping the real cornerstone is the guy they're picking No. 2 overall next week.

Continuing our team-by-team series on the history of the specific draft picks each NFC East team has this year, we take a look today at the Dallas Cowboys, who have eight picks in this year's draft.

Turning up some interesting trivia in these. For instance, the Cowboys have the 186th pick, which produced Deacon Jones, and the 152nd pick, with which the Houston Texans last year took a quarterback who a few months later started their first two playoff games in franchise history.

PICK 14 (14th pick, first round)

Last five players taken

2011 -- Robert Quinn, DE, Rams

2010 -- Earl Thomas, S, Seahawks

2009 -- Malcolm Jenkins, DB, Saints

2008 -- Chris Williams, T, Bears

2007 -- Darrelle Revis, CB, Jets

Cowboys' history of No. 14 picks

The Cowboys have never had the No. 14 pick.

Hall of Famers picked No. 14

Jim Kelly (1983), Gino Marchetti (1952), Len Ford (1948, AAFC)

Other notables

Jeremy Shockey (2002), Eddie George (1996), Dick Stanfel (1951)

PICK 45 (13th pick, round 2)

Last five players taken

2011 -- Rahim Moore, DB, Broncos

2010 -- Zane Beadles, G, Broncos

2009 -- Clint Sintim, LB, Giants

2008 -- Jordon Dizon, LB, Lions

2007 -- Dwayne Jarrett, WR, Panthers

Cowboys' history of No. 45 picks

1968 -- Dave McDaniels

Hall of Famers picked No. 45

Dave Casper (1974)

PICK 81 (19th pick, third round)

Last five players taken

2011 --DeMarcus Van Dyke, DB, Raiders

2010 -- Earl Mitchell, DT, Texans

2009 -- Roy Miller, DT, Buccaneers

2008 -- Early Doucet, WR, Cardinals

2007 -- Jay Alford, DT, Giants

Cowboys' history of No. 81 picks

1984 -- Fred Cornwell

1982 -- Jim Eliopulos

1981 -- Glenn Titensor

1977 -- Val Belcher

Hall of Famers picked No. 81

None, though Art Shell was the 80th pick in 1968 and Joe Montana was the 82nd in 1979.

PICK 113 (18th pick, round four)

Last five players picked

2011 -- Chimdi Chekwa, DB, Raiders

2010 -- Aaron Hernandez, TE, Patriots

2009 -- Vaughn Martin, DT, Chargers

2008 -- Dwight Lowery, CB, Jets

2007 -- Brian Smith, DE, Jaguars

Cowboys' history of No. 113 picks

1989 -- Keith Jennings

1984 -- Steve Pelluer

1975 -- Kyle Davis

Hall of Famers picked No. 113

None. But Steve Largent was picked 117th in 1976 and George Blanda was picked 119th in 1949.

PICK 135 (40th pick, fourth round)

Last five players picked

2011 --Ricky Stanzi, QB, Chiefs

2010 -- Dominique Franks, DB, Falcons

2009 -- Troy Kropog, T, Titans

2008 -- Josh Sitton, G, Packers

2007 -- Joe Cohen, DT, 49ers

Cowboys' history of No. 135 picks

1983 -- Chuck McSwain

Hall of Famers picked No. 135

None. Closest were Jackie Smith and Roger Staubach, who were picked No. 129 in 1963 and 1964, respectively.

PICK 152 (17th pick, round 5)

Last five players picked

2011 -- T.J. Yates, QB, Texans

2010 -- Otis Hudson, G, Bengals

2009 -- James Casey, TE, Texans

2008 -- Letroy Guion, DT, Vikings

2007 -- Antonio Johnson, DT, Titans

Cowboys' history of No. 152 picks

1984 -- Eugene Lockhart

1969 -- Rick Shaw

Hall of Famers taken No. 152

None. Closest I found was Arnie Weinmeister, No. 166 in 1945.

PICK 186 (16th pick, round 6)

Last five players taken

2011 -- D.J. Smith, LB, Packers

2010 -- Clifton Geathers, DE, Browns

2009 -- Robert Henson, LB, Redskins

2008 -- Colt Brennan, QB, Redskins

2007 -- Thomas Clayton, RB, 49ers

Cowboys' history of No. 186 pick

2003 -- Zuriel Smith

1976 -- Greg Schaum

Hall of Famers picked No. 186

Deacon Jones (1961)

PICK 222 (15th pick, round 7)

Last five players taken

2011 -- Anthony Gaitor, DB, Buccaneers

2010 -- Marc Mariani, WR, Titans

2009 -- Pat McAfee, P, Colts

2008 -- Chester Adams, G, Bears

2007 -- Derek Schouman, FB, Bills

Cowboys' history of No. 222 picks

1984 -- Mike Revell

1978 -- Homer Butler

Hall of Famers picked No. 222

None. Closest was Andy Robustelli, picked 228th in 1951

The New York Giants like to run the ball. They believe it's an important part of what they do and who they are. And while they're not sneezing at their 3-1 record, they aren't real impressed with their average of 87.5 rush yards per game and 3.3 per carry average. I know this because Ohm Youngmisuk asked them about it, and I read everything Ohm writes:

Chris Snee, the Giants' best offensive lineman, sounds as though he's had enough.

"We just have to get it going, period," Snee said. "I'm tired of seeing 80 yards a game average and three yards a carry. So it's got to be fixed."

Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are averaging a combined 86 yards rushing per game this year. While the two running backs have a total of four rushing touchdowns, the Giants need more out of their running game.

The question is whether they'll be able to get it Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. In his weekly Wednesday news conference, Giants coach Tom Coughlin said of Seattle, "They give up literally no yards against the run," which is of course hyperbole since the Seahawks allow 105 rush yards per game and 3.3 per carry. But Coughlin's point is that Seattle is a tough team against which to run and that the Giants have their work cut out for them.

Mike Sando, over on the NFC West blog, explains what's different about Seattle's run defense now compared to the unit that New York played last season, when the Giants were able to rack up 197 rush yards on 47 carries. At that time, they were without key run-stoppers Red Bryant, Chris Cole and Brandon Mebane. Seattle is at full strength on defense now, and as Coughlin points out, they like to use safety Earl Thomas to support the run. There's no doubt the Giants will try to get the ground game going Sunday. The question is whether they'll succeed.

Update: It's come to my attention that Blogging The Boys (via Theebs from CowboysZone) had the Cowboys' draft photo well before the Miami Herald (via the comments section). I took some vacation after the draft and did not read about the draft-board snafu until today. My apologies to the good folks at Blogging The Boys blog and it was not my intention to slight you in any way. Here's all the legwork they did.

Original post: One of the helpful things Cowboys owner Jerry Jones does other than making colorful statements about his buddy Bill Parcells into hidden cell phone cameras is sharing his NFL draft board with the American public every other year or so. This year, Armando Salguero from the Miami Herald secured an image from the Cowboys' draft room. Salguero's a fine reporter, but he admittedly had a pretty easy scoop on his hands this time around.

A reader in Iowa sent him an image of Jerry Jones standing in front of the sacred board that had mistakenly been published on the Cowboys' website for a few moments. The picture was from Saturday, April 24, which was the third day of the draft. So what did we learn?

The Cowboys had Dez Bryant listed at No. 11 on the board before trading up to select him at No. 24. I'm told by scouts that players are often given the same first-round grade, so the player listed at No. 10 on the Cowboys' board, guard Mike Iupati, could have actually been tied with Bryant. In fact, I believe that running back C.J. Spiller, Iupati and Bryant essentially had the same grades in the 9-11 spots.

The board also backs up Jones' claim that the Cowboys gave Penn State linebacker Sean Lee a first-round grade. He showed up at No. 14 in the image that was mistakenly supplied by the club's in-house TV department, which may or may not still exist. The Cowboys were able to land Lee at No. 55.

I know the Cowboys were in love with Texas safety Earl Thomas (No. 12 on their board), but the price to move up the board was too steep. If the Cowboys had remained at No. 27, I think Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick would've been the pick. He appears at No. 15 on the Cowboys' board.

The Cowboys were also interested in left tackle Bryan Bulaga of Iowa, but he went off the board one pick before they selected Bryant with the 24th overall pick. Next year, we're hoping the Cowboys will release a photo of their board a couple days in advance of the draft. It would really be helpful in the mock draft community.

Some of you remember a pretty solid defensive back for the Philadelphia Eagles named Eric Allen. Now, the Eagles have used their "Donovan McNabb" pick, No. 37 overall, to select South Florida safety Nate Allen. That's the name we had been talking about the past 24 hours. I'm told that defensive coordinator Sean McDermott was a huge fan of Allen.

Marlin Jackson will certainly be in the mix, but I would expect for Allen to eventually take over as the starter. If you've watched any South Florida football the past three years, you know how many plays Allen makes. He's not as special as Earl Thomas and Eric Berry, but he's a huge upgrade over what the Eagles had last season.

The Eagles now match up with Jason Witten a lot better. And don't think that wasn't on Andy Reid's mind when he made the pick.

From several conversations I've had today, it became clear that a couple of NFC East teams were thrilled the Eagles decided to take Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham instead of Texas safety Earl Thomas after trading up 11 spots in the first round of Thursday's draft. The Cowboys liked Thomas so much that they considered trying to move from No. 27 to 12 or 13.

That may have required them giving up a first-round pick in 2011 in addition to their second-rounder, which was too steep. When the Cowboys saw the Eagles move to No. 13, they just knew the pick would be Thomas. And there was some relief in the room when Graham's name was called instead.

Tennessee's Eric Berry and Thomas were both considered "special" players. But Eagles coach Andy Reid and general manager Howie Roseman coveted Graham's pass-rushing ability. And I believe an elite pass-rusher has more effect on a game than a top-flight safety.

So what do the Eagles do this evening? They have the Donovan McNabb pick, which is the fifth pick of the second round. Paul Domowitch of the Daily News takes a look at all of the candidates at safety and cornerback. There was a big run on corners late in the first round. That's why it wouldn't surprise me if the Eagles selected South Florida safety Nate Allen. He's not in the Berry/Thomas category, but Allen makes plays on the ball and he has excellent range. He's a much better fit for Sean McDermott's defense than USC's Taylor Mays, who is still available.

Obviously, the story of the night in the league will be the quarterbacks. When will Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy go off the board? But the Eagles have a couple of premium picks in the second round. It's still too early to draft based solely on need, but don't be surprised if Allen's the guy. I also know the Cowboys like Allen, but not enough to move all the way from No. 59.

PHILADELPHIA -- After failing to trade with the Miami Dolphins at the No. 12 pick, Eagles head coach Andy Reid was concerned that the division rival New York Giants would select Philadelphia's first choice, defensive end Brandon Graham of Michigan with the 15th pick.

"It was a sticky area right there," Reid said. So, Reid, who had been talking to Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels for weeks about possibly moving up, quickly got on the phone to Denver and offered Philadelphia's two third-round picks, plus the No. 24 pick in the first round, to jump ahead of the Giants and take Graham of Michigan.

"We wanted to keep our two second round picks," said Reid. The Dolphins had been asking for the Eagles 37th pick -- the so-called Donovan Pick -- which the Eagles got from the Redskins for Donovan McNabb. But the Eagles refused to part with that pick. When San Diego jumped up to Miami's slot and took a running back, Reid knew he had to make a move soon or lose out to Tom Coughlin and the Giants.

Reid said Graham, whom he compared to former Eagles Pro Bowl defensive end Hugh Douglas, was the only player Philadelphia considered worth the investment of the extra picks. Many people had speculated that the Eagles wanted to move up for safety Earl Thomas of Texas.

"When you have a good defensive line, that makes everybody on the defense better," said Reid, who has now moved up four times in the first round in his 12 drafts with the Eagles.

The Giants wound up selecting Jason Pierre-Paul of South Florida. Will they now listen to trade offers for veteran defensive end Osi Umenyiora?

-- Sal Paolantonio covers the NFL for ESPN

As ESPN's Sal Paolantonio predicted/reported on this blog earlier this week, the Eagles went roaring up the board to pick Michigan defensive Brandon Graham. Obviously, coach Andy Reid and general manager Howie Roseman desperately wanted another pass-rusher to play opposite Trent Cole.

We thought it would be Texas safety Earl Thomas for a moment or two, but Graham was the pick. The guy played on a bad defense at Michigan last season. I've heard him compared to Pittsburgh linebacker Lamar Woodley at times. The only downside is that he's only 6-1. But he's a fierce tackler and he plays with an unbelievable amount of energy. I'm anxious to hear what the Eagles fans think about this trade. The Eagles give up two third-rounders, but retain the No. 37 overall pick -- also known as the Donovan McNabb pick.

I don't think that's too high a price to pay to move 11 spots in the draft. But I do think it would've been a high price to pay for Thomas.

Good morning and welcome to one of the greatest days on the NFL calendar. While I stepped out for a moment Wednesday afternoon, the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat's 49ers blog suggested that Jerry Jones might make a play for Texas safety Earl Thomas. It sounded pretty unlikely to me since the Cowboys would have to give up the first two days of their draft to make it happen.

But just to make sure, I checked with sources on the ground at Valley Ranch. They indicated there was no way the Cowboys would move all the way up the board to select Thomas. He's certainly a special player, but not that special. From what I'm hearing this morning, the more likely scenario would be to trade down and select South Florida's Nate Allen in the second round.

Now the Eagles are a different story. New general manager Howie Roseman is very interested in moving into the top 15, according to a report ESPN's Sal Paolantonio filed to the Beast on Wednesday. If the Eagles do make a move, I think Thomas would be a likely candidate. It would be high drama to watch the Eagles leapfrog the Giants in the first round. Here's hoping Roseman makes another splash this evening.

And what are the Skins thinking this morning? I'll get to that in a moment.

» NFC dream/Plan B: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)

Each week leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Dream scenario/Plan B.

Dallas Cowboys

I guess a dream scenario would be someone like Texas safety Earl Thomas slipping all the way to No. 27, but we know that will never happen. So a more realistic "dream" might be a team behind the Cowboys desperately wanting safety Taylor Mays. I don't believe the Cowboys want Mays, but he would be tempting if he's still there at No. 27. If the Cowboys can bail out on that pick and land an extra one, that would be a positive scenario. If none of that works, the Cowboys will stay at home and take someone such as USC left tackle Charles Brown or Rutgers cornerback Devin McCourty. We know they love safety Nate Allen, but No. 27 is too high for him.

New York Giants

The dream scenario is Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain slipping to No. 15. But that seems like a stretch at this point. If McClain's not there, the Giants will be looking at defensive tackle Dan Williams. They need another defensive tackle who can hold at the point of attack. Williams would be that player. He'd be an immediate upgrade to Rocky Bernard and he would likely push Chris Canty. General manager Jerry Reese loves creating competition in training camp. I think Idaho guard Mike Iupati could also be an option in a Plan B scenario.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles would be thrilled with Texas safety Earl Thomas, but he'll never slide to No. 24. And that's why I'm sticking with Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson as the Plan B. He has the tools to be a starter in the league for several years. Another strong Plan B would be Florida center/guard Maurkice Pouncey. Andy Reid would be thrilled to land Pouncey. Especially with Jamaal Jackson recovering from the knee surgery.

Washington Redskins

I guess the dream scenario would be thwarting Andy Reid's evil plan and landing Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. It wouldn't thrill Donovan McNabb, but it would give the Redskins more of a long-term answer than McNabb. But I don't see that scenario happening, so let's go with a left tackle at Plan B in Oklahoma State's Russell Okung or perhaps Oklahoma left tackle Trent Williams. Is it just me or is the Big 12 going to dominate the top of the draft board?

The Skins need more draft picks. That's why they should pull the trigger on an Albert Haynesworth. It's clear that Shanahan doesn't want to move forward with the talented defensive tackle. See what a team's willing to give up for him. I think you'd at least get a second-round pick.

» NFC Approach: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)

Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Draft approach.

Dallas Cowboys

Now that Jerry Jones has released left tackle Flozell Adams and safety Ken Hamlin, there's more of a sense of urgency at those spots in the draft. The Cowboys will replace Adams with Doug Free, but they could still take an offensive tackle or guard at No. 27 overall. Safety Nate Allen and cornerback Devin McCourty are two players the Cowboys really like late in the first round.

There's a belief that safeties Alan Ball and Mike Hamlin could get the job done in a pinch, but the Cowboys will focus on that position in the draft. Last year's approach involved saving money -- if you can believe that. The Cowboys' first picks were Nos. 69 and 74. The only true impact player from the '09 draft was kickoff specialist David Buehler. In this year's draft, the Cowboys need to select players who can have a more immediate impact. If an offensive tackle starts to slip in the first round, don't be surprised if the Cowboys are there to catch him.

In the past, the Cowboys have emphasized need over value out of necessity. In this year's draft, I think staying at No. 27 and going with the best value is what the Cowboys are trying to accomplish. Releasing Hamlin and Adams certainly changed the dynamic heading into the draft, but it also provided some clarity.

New York Giants

General manager Jerry Reese almost never gets caught reaching in a draft. He doesn't normally go for project players in the first three rounds, although Ramses Barden is certainly the exception. This year's approach has to be a little different, though. The Giants were exposed on defense in several areas last season.

They can't afford to simply take the "best-player-on-the-board" philosophy. The Giants need help at linebacker and defensive tackle. And another pass-rusher would be nice. I'd be very surprised if the Giants took an offensive player at No. 15 overall. If Rolando McClain out of Alabama is there, look for Reese to take him. He's exactly the type of player Reese and Coughlin love -- remarkably intelligent and a natural leader. After losing Antonio Pierce, the Giants need more players like that.

Philadelphia Eagles

With the Sheldon Brown/Chris Gocong trade, the Eagles are now thin at cornerback and linebacker. And it's not as if they had an embarrassment of riches at those positions before the trade. In the past, the Eagles have been very open to moving down in the first round. And with the depth of talent in this year's draft, that's certainly a possibility. But at No. 24, something tells me the Eagles will stay right there and draft the best cornerback or safety available. They've taken a long look at Texas' Earl Thomas, but he won't be available at that point.

The Eagles need more firepower at linebacker, so that's also an option in the first round. They've spent the past couple of drafts bolstering their offense with speed at the skill positions. Now it's time to start retooling that defense. I'd be very surprised if the Eagles don't take a defensive player at No. 24.

Washington Redskins

Mike Shanahan continues to meet with quarterbacks despite the blockbuster trade for Donovan McNabb. I recall McNabb not enjoying a certain draft pick in '07, so it will be interesting to see whether Shanahan addresses the quarterback position in the draft.

Of course, the draft focus now turns to left tackle. The Redskins don't have a viable candidate there unless they sign the aging Flozell Adams. And general manager Bruce Allen said on a local radio show that he's talked to Adams' agent. But I still think left tackle Russell Okung of Oklahoma State is the way to go for the Redskins at No. 4 overall. The Redskins will have to wait until Saturday to pick again unless they somehow land a second-round pick in a trade.

So in reality, the Redskins will only find one immediate starter in this draft. And by the way, Shanahan needs to start drafting some larger inside linebackers. As I've said many times, London Fletcher is not going to hold up in this defense for very long. Part of that is age, but most of it is size.

» NFC Schemes/Themes: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)

Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Schemes and themes.

Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin showed some improvement in '09, but the club will continue looking for his replacement. The Cowboys were very pleased with Gerald Sensabaugh's performance last season and would like to find another safety who has similar cover skills. The Cowboys are taking a long look at South Florida safety Nate Allen, who has the ball skills of a cornerback. USC's Taylor Mays might make Cowboys fans remember Roy Williams at safety -- and that's not a good thing. On offense, the Cowboys have to keep trying to draft and develop linemen. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett seems to prefer enormous linemen who can engulf defenders. Maryland offensive tackle Bruce Campbell turned heads at the combine with his 4.8 speed and 32-inch vertical, but the Cowboys rarely call plays for left tackles to leap into the air. It's more likely the Cowboys would go after a big right tackle such as Iowa's Kyle Calloway later in the draft. NFL scouts and coaches swarm to Iowa because head coach Kirk Ferentz keeps delivering such technically sound players. A player such as Calloway could be developed as Marc Colombo's eventual replacement.

New York Giants

I asked general manager Jerry Reese to describe a Perry Fewell defense. He simply indicated that the Giants will be much more aggressive under Fewell and that you'll see a lot of creative alignments with an emphasis on getting to the quarterback. Reese also said he wouldn't enter the season on a wing and a prayer that Kenny Phillips will be fully healed. That's of course what the Giants are hoping for, but that won't keep them from potentially selecting Texas safety Earl Thomas at No. 15 overall. Thomas needs to get stronger, but he's excellent in coverage. I think he'd be a great fit for the Giants. There's also a chance the Giants could try to land inside linebacker Rolando McClain out of Alabama. Will he slip to No. 15? I have a hard time believing that. But I do think the Giants love his intelligence and playmaking ability. He'll start in the league for the next 10 years or so.

Philadelphia Eagles

The theme of the offseason will be closing the gap with the Cowboys. So you need a safety who can cover Jason Witten and a linebacker who can help account for Felix Jones. A cornerback who can cover Miles Austin would also be nice. I think the Eagles would be better off finding a safety via trade or free agency. We've seen how the defense works with a rookie safety. And even if you land Mays or Allen, there's no guarantee it will be a huge upgrade. A veteran safety who can make plays would be perfect. Darren Sharper anyone? I think new general manager Howie Roseman is also on the hunt for another pressure player to go along with Trent Cole. After doing some research during the combine, I think Roseman's much more adept on the football side than I'd realized. Keep your eye on Michigan's Brandon Graham. He's a little undersized but the guy has 29 sacks over the past three seasons in the Big 10.

Washington Redskins

Even though Mike Shanahan wouldn't confirm the Skins are transitioning to a 3-4, you know it's coming. That's what new defensive coordinator Jim Haslett feels the most comfortable doing. Everyone will talk about quarterback and offensive tackle this offseason, but the Redskins need to be on the lookout for 3-4 defensive tackles. As we saw with the Cowboys, transitioning to a 3-4 isn't always smooth. There's no guarantee that linebacker London Fletcher can hold up in a 3-4 because he'll have to take on enormous guards and centers on a regular basis. You'll see a big transformation with this team over the next couple years. If Sam Bradford's already gone, look for the Redskins to zero in on left tackles Russell Okung and Bryan Bulaga. Either one of those players could end up anchoring the offensive line for nine or 10 years. Tremendous college players who both have a high ceiling. The Skins have taken a long look at Campbell out of Maryland, so they'll be looking to see if he slips into the second round.