NFC East: Jared Odrick
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.
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.
OK, we're about 45 minutes away from the first pick of the NFL Draft. I'll make a few observations and predictions involving the Beast:
- I think all the talk about the Washington Redskins being on the phone with the St. Louis Rams about the No. 1 pick was a smokescreen. But there may be something to this Eric Berry talk. Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett covets Berry's playmaking ability and his biggest emphasis is to increase the Skins' takeaways in 2010. But as of right now, I still think Oklahoma left tackle Trent Williams is the pick. If you talk to any scouts they'll tell you the draft begins with the No. 4 pick. We'll be writing about it in an hour or so.
- Some folks think the New York Giants will trade up to No. 11 to select Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain. That doesn't sound like Giants general manager Jerry Reese to me at all. If
Rich Seubert.
- I'm about to listen to Vinny Cerrato analyze the Redskins' first pick on ESPN Radio. This should be priceless. He's on with John Clayton and Freddie Coleman as we speak. Clayton just said that Cleveland made one last run at the Rams' No. 1 pick this afternoon. Interesting.
- OK, I'm hearing a ton of things on the Dallas Cowboys. A lot of folks have them doing whatever it takes to trade up for Dez Bryant. Well, they're not willing to do whatever it takes from what I'm hearing. If Bryant falls all the way to No. 27, Jerry Jones will be there to take him. Anything short of that, I don't think the Cowboys make a move. If Bryant makes it to No. 25, the Ravens will take him. I feel pretty strongly about that. If the Cowboys stay at No. 27, look for them to take Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick. He can play nose tackle and defensive end in Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme. But it's more likely the Cowboys bail out on the pick and try to take South Florida safety Nate Allen early in the second. Also keep your eye on defensive end Tyson Alualu. The Cowboys love him, but they won't take him at No. 27. I think Rutgers cornerback Devin McCourty is also a good name at No. 27.
- Our guy John Clayton just said on ESPN Radio that the Redskins could trade Albert Haynesworth "in the next 10 minutes." I think he just meant that it could happen in a hurry. Cerrato thinks the first trade could occur when Jacksonville tries to trade out of the No. 10 spot.
- ESPN's Sal Paolantonio has told us that Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has been wanting to move into the top 15. And while I'm sure Roseman's made a lot of calls, I don't see Andy Reid wanting to move that far to take someone like Earl Thomas out of Texas. I've seen Thomas play a lot in person. Great player, but he's not special enough to move up 10 or 11 spots. If Florida guard/center Maurkice Pouncey slips to No. 24, the Eagles would have to think about taking him. I also think Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson's a name to keep in mind. If Haden goes early, though, Wilson will be long gone before the Eagles pick.
Thanks for your prolific letter-writing campaign over the past few weeks. I've read your thoughtful e-mails/threats and I'm prepared to respond in a meaningful way. Let's start on this important journey together:
One of our Canadian readers, Anton, has a question regarding the Cowboys' defensive line: Hey Matt, I just had a thought about the Cowboys: Since they have at least four quality defensive ends (Olshansky, Spears, Hatcher and Bowen) but have little depth behind Jay Ratliff at nose tackle, why don't they move one of those players to defensive tackle?
Mosley: Anton, it takes a unique player to fill the nose tackle spot in the Wade Phillips 3-4. Jay Ratliff has such a high motor that he rarely comes off the field. In some of the sub-packages, Bowen and Hatcher can move inside. But I agree that the Cowboys could use more depth at the position. Be interesting to see what happens if Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick makes it to No. 27 in the first round. Pretty versatile player and the Cowboys certainly like him.
Hunter in Anchorage has a Skins trade proposal: I'm surprised that the Redskins haven't talked to the Bills about a trade scenario that includes Jason Campbell for Marshawn Lynch. Wouldn't he be a lot better option for RB than the Skins most recent pickups of Larry Johnson and Willie Parker?
Mosley: Lynch is younger and more talented than Johnson and Parker, but he also carries some baggage. I think Mike Shanahan really has to watch who he brings into this locker room. I still wonder if bringing the petulant Johnson into the fold was the right move. If a trade's completed with the Bills for Campbell, I think it will involve a draft pick. Watch what happens at No. 9 for the Bills. If they take Jimmy Clausen, we'll have our answer. That would eliminate a potential landing spot for Campbell. I still think the Panthers would be wise to trade for Campbell, but apparently they're going to ride this out with Matt Moore.
Constantine from London wonders if the Giants might be interested in Albert Haynesworth: Big BIG fan of the blog, read it EVERYDAY! Huge Giants fan from the UK and would like your opinion on something. Reportedly the Redskins want a second-round pick for Haynesworth now that they've paid his bonus. With the Giants being interested in him during free agency last year, would they spend a second on him? I think they should. We'll cover our most pressing need (MLB) in the first round, and since getting Rolle and Grant in free agency, we need a big defensive tackle -- especially as Jay Alford is coming off a torn ACL. Your thoughts?
Mosley: First of all, love your use of the CAPS button. Second, I'm afraid the Donovan McNabb trade has skewed the way we look at everything in the Beast. Now it seems possible that a team might trade a former All-Pro defensive tackle to a division rival for a second-round pick. And by the way, I have not seen a report with anything as specific as what you're suggesting. I've written that I think the Redskins might settle for a second-rounder for Haynesworth, but that's more of a gut feeling. And despite Mike Shanahan's apparent disgust with Haynesworth, I don't think he wants him playing for the Giants. I think he would immediately make the Giants better on the defensive line. If you're Giants general manager Jerry Reese, you make that deal in a heartbeat.
Robert in Austin has the final word on our "owners gone wild" segment: Really, the owner of an NFL team seen mocking a former NFL head coaching legend? As a child, the Cowboys were seen as one of the classiest organizations in the NFL. Great ownership (Clint Murchison), management (Tex Schramm) and coaching (Tom Landry). Oh no more, as Jerry Jones in his short stint as owner has made the Cowboys a laughingstock from an ownership and management standpoint. The tone at the top for the Cowboys is horrible. An owner who drove out one coach because he could find "500 coaches to coach this team to a Super Bowl," and now mocking one of the great NFL coaches in the league who resurrected the football team? This incident makes me envious of the Steelers, a truly class organization.
Mosley: Hmm... It's an interesting time for a Cowboys fan to be envious of the Steelers. I didn't get the feeling that Art Rooney II felt particularly proud while delivering that public rebuke of Ben Roethlisberger on Thursday. And by the way, Jones has owned the Cowboys for 22 years now. That's not exactly a "short stint." I've been highly critical of him over the years, but I don't see this whole video incident as that big a deal. Jones likes Bill Parcells and I didn't hear anything in that video to make me think otherwise. He's made some awful moves over the past two decades (Roy Williams, Joey Galloway come to mind), but to say he's turned the organization into a "laughingstock" seems a bit harsh. OK, I'm getting tired of defending the man. Let's put this story to bed.
Patrick from Arkansas has an Eagles question: Hey, with the draft picks the Eagles have gotten in recent trades, do you think it's possible that they trade up to get someone like Eric Berry? They have already worked him out. Your thoughts?
Mosley: Berry's a rare talent at safety. The Eagles would have to sacrifice much of their draft to move up that far. In fact, I'm not sure the No. 24 and No. 37 would get you close enough to Berry. (I'm scrambling for my trade chart as we speak.) It's much more likely the Eagles stay right there at No. 24 and select a cornerback such as Boise State's Kyle Wilson. I also think USC's Taylor Mays will be available, but there are a lot of concerns about his ability to make plays on the ball. OK, let's do this again soon. You guys have been on fire lately.
One of our Canadian readers, Anton, has a question regarding the Cowboys' defensive line: Hey Matt, I just had a thought about the Cowboys: Since they have at least four quality defensive ends (Olshansky, Spears, Hatcher and Bowen) but have little depth behind Jay Ratliff at nose tackle, why don't they move one of those players to defensive tackle?
Mosley: Anton, it takes a unique player to fill the nose tackle spot in the Wade Phillips 3-4. Jay Ratliff has such a high motor that he rarely comes off the field. In some of the sub-packages, Bowen and Hatcher can move inside. But I agree that the Cowboys could use more depth at the position. Be interesting to see what happens if Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick makes it to No. 27 in the first round. Pretty versatile player and the Cowboys certainly like him.
Hunter in Anchorage has a Skins trade proposal: I'm surprised that the Redskins haven't talked to the Bills about a trade scenario that includes Jason Campbell for Marshawn Lynch. Wouldn't he be a lot better option for RB than the Skins most recent pickups of Larry Johnson and Willie Parker?
Mosley: Lynch is younger and more talented than Johnson and Parker, but he also carries some baggage. I think Mike Shanahan really has to watch who he brings into this locker room. I still wonder if bringing the petulant Johnson into the fold was the right move. If a trade's completed with the Bills for Campbell, I think it will involve a draft pick. Watch what happens at No. 9 for the Bills. If they take Jimmy Clausen, we'll have our answer. That would eliminate a potential landing spot for Campbell. I still think the Panthers would be wise to trade for Campbell, but apparently they're going to ride this out with Matt Moore.
Constantine from London wonders if the Giants might be interested in Albert Haynesworth: Big BIG fan of the blog, read it EVERYDAY! Huge Giants fan from the UK and would like your opinion on something. Reportedly the Redskins want a second-round pick for Haynesworth now that they've paid his bonus. With the Giants being interested in him during free agency last year, would they spend a second on him? I think they should. We'll cover our most pressing need (MLB) in the first round, and since getting Rolle and Grant in free agency, we need a big defensive tackle -- especially as Jay Alford is coming off a torn ACL. Your thoughts?
Mosley: First of all, love your use of the CAPS button. Second, I'm afraid the Donovan McNabb trade has skewed the way we look at everything in the Beast. Now it seems possible that a team might trade a former All-Pro defensive tackle to a division rival for a second-round pick. And by the way, I have not seen a report with anything as specific as what you're suggesting. I've written that I think the Redskins might settle for a second-rounder for Haynesworth, but that's more of a gut feeling. And despite Mike Shanahan's apparent disgust with Haynesworth, I don't think he wants him playing for the Giants. I think he would immediately make the Giants better on the defensive line. If you're Giants general manager Jerry Reese, you make that deal in a heartbeat.
Robert in Austin has the final word on our "owners gone wild" segment: Really, the owner of an NFL team seen mocking a former NFL head coaching legend? As a child, the Cowboys were seen as one of the classiest organizations in the NFL. Great ownership (Clint Murchison), management (Tex Schramm) and coaching (Tom Landry). Oh no more, as Jerry Jones in his short stint as owner has made the Cowboys a laughingstock from an ownership and management standpoint. The tone at the top for the Cowboys is horrible. An owner who drove out one coach because he could find "500 coaches to coach this team to a Super Bowl," and now mocking one of the great NFL coaches in the league who resurrected the football team? This incident makes me envious of the Steelers, a truly class organization.
Mosley: Hmm... It's an interesting time for a Cowboys fan to be envious of the Steelers. I didn't get the feeling that Art Rooney II felt particularly proud while delivering that public rebuke of Ben Roethlisberger on Thursday. And by the way, Jones has owned the Cowboys for 22 years now. That's not exactly a "short stint." I've been highly critical of him over the years, but I don't see this whole video incident as that big a deal. Jones likes Bill Parcells and I didn't hear anything in that video to make me think otherwise. He's made some awful moves over the past two decades (Roy Williams, Joey Galloway come to mind), but to say he's turned the organization into a "laughingstock" seems a bit harsh. OK, I'm getting tired of defending the man. Let's put this story to bed.
Patrick from Arkansas has an Eagles question: Hey, with the draft picks the Eagles have gotten in recent trades, do you think it's possible that they trade up to get someone like Eric Berry? They have already worked him out. Your thoughts?
Mosley: Berry's a rare talent at safety. The Eagles would have to sacrifice much of their draft to move up that far. In fact, I'm not sure the No. 24 and No. 37 would get you close enough to Berry. (I'm scrambling for my trade chart as we speak.) It's much more likely the Eagles stay right there at No. 24 and select a cornerback such as Boise State's Kyle Wilson. I also think USC's Taylor Mays will be available, but there are a lot of concerns about his ability to make plays on the ball. OK, let's do this again soon. You guys have been on fire lately.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Dan Graziano
Graziano joined ESPN.com in 2011 after two years as a Senior NFL Writer for AOL FanHouse. He covered Major League Baseball, the Olympics and various other sports during his time at the Star-Ledger and the Palm Beach Post. A New Jersey native and author of two published novels, he now lives in Ridgewood, N.J., with his wife and two sons.
