SB Nation - Mike Mickens

The Valley Ranch Review: Running Back to the Postseason; No U.S. Open for Romo

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:00:12 -0000

Darrius Heyward-Bey is a speed-merchant who played at Maryland and went 7th overall in the draft to the Raiders. Which new Dallas Cowboy ran him down in college? Make the jump to watch the video.

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Peter King puts Dallas at number nine in his top ten teams for this year, citing the running game as the key to success.

Maybe this is the year the Cowboys start putting the round peg in round hole. They have 25-, 24- and 22-year-old running backs -- Marion Barber, Tashard Choice and Felix Jones, respectively -- who last year rushed the ball 360 times for 1,623 yards (4.5-yard average) and 12 touchdowns. Meanwhile, their quarterbacks dropped back to pass 578 times. When your backs are that good, they shouldn't be handed the ball on 37 percent of the offense snaps. I'm counting on Jason Garrett to make the run game much more of a presence this year. If he does, it's not a very distant limb to walk out on and say the Cowboys should win their first playoff game since 1996. But I've got to see it to believe it.

NFL analyst Tom Marino gives the Cowboys a "C" for their draft, and sees the special teams value in the later picks. He seems to think highly of Dallas' top two selections.

The Cowboys didn't pick till round number three and caused a few eyebrows to raise with the selection of Western Illinois linebacker Jason Williams. I personally like the selection and believe he'll become a household name in the not to distant future. By the same token, many people really like second selection tackle Robert Brewster. He's a big dancing bear, but he is going to need to get a good deal stronger and re-shape his body. In my opinion, he is strictly a right tackle or guard prospect.

Marino also predicts that Brewster will be the "quickest to start" and "fastest to the Pro Bowl", while Williams is his pick to be the "best (player) in three years". Unfortunately, his love didn't spread to the two former Bearcat corners, DeAngelo Smith and Mike Mickens.

Both corners (Smith and Mickens) from the U of Cincinnati have flashed during their careers, but both have speed limitations. I thought Smith was a little tight, but has versatility and was an adequate returner. Mickens has good hands, ball skills and awareness, but does not have a lot of juice and struggled to become 180 pounds.

DC.com will be profiling both Smith and Mickens later this week.

More after the jump.

Last month, Troy Aikman applauded the Cowboys' release of Terrell Owens. Now, it's Emmitt's turn. The NFL's leading rusher has a different take than his fellow Triplet member, criticizing the team for cutting T.O. Neither Aikman nor Smith sound sold on Roy Williams.

"I don't know if he was a scapegoat or whatever it was, but I tell you what, he was a talent. He was a talent, and he didn't get in any trouble, didn't create any issues. Whenever he had the opportunity to make plays, he pretty much made them. He may have said some things at times that was kind of stupid, but we all do that.

"Bottom line is, I'm not sure (whether cutting T.O. makes the Cowboys better). Who do they have who is going to be that explosive? That's the question. Who do you have that's going to be that explosive? I don't see it."

Undrafted rookie free agent G/C Greg Isdaner gets some love for his helping hand during the Cowboys' facility collapse. The former 38-game starter at West Virginia is...wait for it....an Eagles fan.

"It's been kind of humorous in a way to hear from all my friends that they'd still boo me just because I was with the Cowboys," he said.

So, of the 7 or 8 teams that called after the draft, why Dallas?

The reason he opted for the Cowboys was because of the teaching, their ability to work with big guards and centers and develop them first into contributors, then starters and finally Pro Bowl-caliber superstars.

No U.S. Open for Romo. A triple-bogey on the 16^th sure didn't help. QB#9 can avenge some of that loss by qualifying for the HP Byron Nelson Championship today.

Watch SS Michael Hamlin run down superfast WR Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Hat tip to the DMN blog.

Cowboys Defense: Breaking Down the Training Camp Battles

Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:00:18 -0000

[Ed. Note by Grizz]: We'll still be covering the ongoing situation surrounding the collapse of the indoor practice facility, but we'll also resume coverage of straight football subjects on the blog. Carl breaks us away from the tragedy of the weekend for a while to discuss the roster battles on the defensive side of the ball for 2009 training camp. [End note]

Looking at the Cowboys’ draft class, two things are clearly evident. The Cowboys are putting an emphasis on improving special teams play and also improving depth by churning the bottom third of the roster. It is unlikely that all 12 of the Dallas Cowboys 2009 draft picks will make the team, but some will. For every rookie who makes the roster, there will be a veteran left out in the cold. We have spoken at length about how this year’s training camp will be a relentless scrap for roster spots. Let’s take a look at the cast of Survivor: Dallas, and how each particular battle shapes up. In this edition, we will examine the defense.

There was little player movement along the defensive line. Igor Olshansky will step in for the departed Chris Canty, but other than that the unit will look about the same as last year. There will be no real position battles along the defensive line, but there are spots up for grabs just about everywhere else.

Inside Linebacker

Starters: Bradie James, Keith Brooking

Survivor Contestants: Justin Rogers, Bobby Carpenter, Steve Octavien, Matt Stewart, Jason Williams, Stephen Hodge.

Cowboys will likely keep: 4

Breakdown: It is not inconceivable that the Cowboys would roll with two rookies backing up James and Brooking. Jason Williams was the team’s first selection, and would have to do something unthinkable not to make this roster. Hodge impressed at the rookie mini-camp with his coverage skills, and is expected to be a core special teams player. Keeping only Williams and Hodge would however present a challenge, as both are more suited to play Brooking’s weak inside position. If the Cowboys went with James, Brooking, Hodge and Williams, the team would have to look hard for a player who can fill in both inside and outside in a pinch. That scenario would all but eliminate Matt Stewart, who is not athletic enough to play outside in a 3-4. Rogers and Carpenter both have some experience outside. Rogers is the best special teamer of the group, so that may give him the edge over the disappointing Carpenter. This battle could be affected by the battle at outside linebacker.

Who will survive?

Outside Linebacker

Starters: DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer

Survivor Contestants: Greg Ellis, Brandon Williams, Victor Butler

Cowboys will likely keep: 4

Breakdown: The Cowboys spent most of this off season ridding the locker room of bad attitudes and whiners. The perpetually unhappy Greg Ellis was however spared; possibly an indication of what the team thought of it’s depth at outside linebacker. The Cowboys drafted a pair of pass rushers in Williams and Butler, but both are defensive ends making the conversion to linebacker. It is unlikely that either will learn enough in training camp allow the team to move on from Ellis. Still, the team seems to be moving towards youth and locker room chemistry. If the aging Ellis again becomes a malcontent, he just might get his walking papers. Will the Cowboys play it safe with the known commodity in Ellis, or continue the youth movement? This battle could be affected by the battle at inside linebacker.

Who will survive?

Note: The Cowboys would prefer to dress 7 linebackers, so they will be looking for a player who can fill in both inside and outside. Look for 8 linebackers to make the final 53, and 7 to make the game day 45.

Safety

Starters: Ken Hamlin, Gerald Sensabaugh

Survivor Contestants: Tra Battle, Courtney Brown, Pat Watkins, Jerome Carter, Michael Hamlin, DeAngelo Smith.

Cowboys will likely keep: 4

Breakdown: Once again it looks like the rookies have the inside track here. Michael Hamlin is the only natural strong safety of this bunch, so he has an edge there. DeAngelo Smith is being looked at as a punt returner and his experience at corner could possibly save the Cowboys a game day roster spot. Battle actually played adequately when called upon last season, but Watkins and Brown have to be running out of chances. Jerome Carter is a long shot to make the squad.

Who will survive?

Cornerback

Starters: Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins/Orlando Scandrick

Survivor Contestants: Alan Ball, Michael Hawkins, Mike Mickens

Cowboys will likely keep: 4

Breakdown: This ought to be interesting, because if DeAngelo Smith can serve as an emergency corner, this will be a 3-man scramble for one spot. Michael Hawkins is not a factor, so this will come down to Ball vs. Mickens. Mike Mickens was a highly-rated corner who slid only after a knee injury. Mickens is being tabbed by many to be one of the steals of this year’s draft. We’ve counted Alan Ball out before, but every time you look up he’s still got a star on his helmet. This one will be fun.

Who will survive?

I'll be back later in the week to break down the position battles on the offensive side of the ball.

The Valley Ranch Review: Update on the Cowboys’ Practice Facility

Aaron Novinger — Sun, 03 May 2009 21:17:54 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

Dallas Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones, left, talks on a phone after the canopy that covered the Cowboys indoor football facility collapsed,

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The cause of yesterday's practice facility collapse is a bit of a mystery as local authorities found no other damage outside the immediate area. The storm that hit the dome was nearly as powerful as a tornado.

The storm was producing winds measured at 64 mph just before it struck the Cowboys facility, said National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Harris in Fort Worth. A weak tornado is in the range of 65-110 mph, according to NWS guidelines. Power was knocked out for less than an hour.

The DMN is currently investigating the manufacturers of this particular steel-framed building.

The manufacturers, Summit Structures and Cover-All Building Systems, tout their work in building other sports facilities, including ones for the New England Patriots and Texas A&M. But I can't find any mention on the company Web sites of the Cowboys facility. Why?

Another issue we're looking at: A Summit-built warehouse in Pennsylvania partially collapsed during a 2003 snowstorm, less than two months after opening. A 2007 court order blamed Summit for design flaws.

ESPN's Matt Mosely on the facility:

Before Bill Parcells was hired as coach in 2003, the Cowboys rarely practiced indoors, unless weather was bad enough for them to ride buses to a high school team's bubble. Parcells suggested that owner Jones build one, and it was finished in time for Parcells' first season at a cost of more than $4 million.

The no-frills building was pretty much a 100-yard football field with a few more yards of clearance all the way around. The roof was 80 feet high, the equivalent of an eight-story building.

On yesterday's weather:

National Weather Service meteorologist Gary Woodall said a "microburst" may have pushed the wind beyond 70 mph at the top of the structure. A microburst also was to blame for a 1985 Delta Airlines crash at nearby DFW airport that killed 137 people.

Mosely's injury update:

Here's what I know on the injuries: Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis was set to undergo surgery for two broken verterbrae, but the prognosis is good. Cowboys assistant scout Rich Behm underwent surgery on his spinal cord late last night at Parkland Memorial Hospital and I'm not sure about his condition.

I'm told that head coach Wade Phillips and owner Jerry Jones were both with Behm's family at the hospital Saturday night. We'll keep you updated throughout the afternoon.

Brad Townsend spoke with LB Bobby Carpenter and got his reaction to the bad news.

"To think that something like that could happen," Carpenter said, shaking his head. "We've been in there when it's been windy, a little bit of light-shaking, but nothing quite that extreme."

Today, Carpenter was on his way to lunch with DBs Deangelo Smith and Mike Mickens.

Smith, Mickens and other draft picks and free agents who took part in the rookie minicamp declined to comment Sunday, other than to say they were OK. Several players said the Cowboys organization had asked them not to speak to media members about Saturday's calamity that sent 12 people to hospitals.

Jerry Jones visited the site this morning.

The Valley Ranch Review: Friday’s Rookie Mini-Camp Update

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 01 May 2009 23:58:09 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

7 months ago: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Stephen McGee (7) looks to pass during team rookie football minicamp at Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, Friday, May 1, 2009. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

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The DMN reports that S/CB DeAngelo Smith came up limping after covering wideout Kevin Ogletree, but the injury didn't seem serious.

Some other happenings in today's afternoon practice courtesy of the blog:

Sixth-round TE John Phillips isn't a great athlete, but he has a knack for getting open. He's very precise on his cuts and is a clever route runner. Case in point: He got behind third-round ILB Jason Williams on a seam route by lulling him to sleep with a little hesitation. The pass was incomplete after Stephen McGee threw a rope, which Williams was able to deflect, instead of putting over Phillips' shoulder.

Undrafted FB Asaph Schwapp got behind Williams on a wheel route. As LB coach Reggie Herring said this morning, Williams is raw.

[snip]

Sixth-round ILB Stephen Hodge looked much better in coverage during the afternoon practice than he did this morning. He had several deflections on passes to the flat.

TE Rodney Hannah, a two-year practice squad vet, looked good catching the ball again. He made a leaping grab over fifth-round S Mike Hamlin on a post route.

The defensive coaches congratulated fifth-round S/CB DeAngelo Smith after he broke up a pass to Manuel Johnson. But it sure looked like defensive holding. Smith made a nice break on a slant to break up Stephen McGee's pass to undrafted WR Julian Hawkins earlier in the practice.

Quarterback Stephen McGee spoke to DC.com about his first day at camp.

"Well, it's a lot of learning obviously, just trying to get a feel for the new plays, new routes and the new receivers," McGee said. "There's a lot of good coaching out there with Coach Wilson and Coach Garrett. I'm just trying to get into the rhythm. Obviously, everyone is new. There's a new system, new terminology. We're just trying to get adjusted and get the timing down."

QBs Coach Wade Wilson already likes what he sees in McGee.

"I was impressed with him, the way he handled it mentally and took everything from the classroom to the field," Wilson said. "He threw the ball real well. I was very impressed with his mechanics. I was real impressed with his presence in the huddle. He conducts himself very well on the field. He's got an aura about him. You can tell he is very confident and has some fine leadership qualities."

Nick Eatman sums up today's practice here.

Tom Orsborn takes an in-depth look into the Cowboys' crop of rookies, finding no bad character issues.

Orsborn's article on David Buehler sheds some more light on the kicker's athleticism.

The Star-Telegram profiles LB, Brandon Williams, who discusses his work with kids in the south Fort Worth area and his relationship with late Broncos' CB, Darrent Williams.

The Cowboys have even found some backups to long-snapper L.P. Ladouceur. Both linebacker Matt Stewart and rookie free agent TE Jamar Hunt have experience with deep-snapping.

Cowboys Rookie Camp: Get to Know the Players

Dave Halprin — Fri, 01 May 2009 12:00:14 -0000

Today marks another step along the path to the start of the 2009 NFL season. Sure, we're still a long way away from seeing real NFL games, but the Dallas Cowboys will get their first look at all their draft picks in this weekend's mini-camp, starting today. The 12 rookie draft picks will be on hand, plus a group of undrafted free agents and some first-year veterans.

The mothership has an article about it here. Since we drafted so many guys and added UDFA's (plus some forgotten vets that will be participating), I thought I'd produce a guide to getting to know everybody. I've included some links to bios, video highlights, and good articles for the guys who will be hitting the field this weekend.

Check it out after the jump.


#58 - ILB	#59 - OLB	#18 - K/ST
Jason Williams Bio	Brandon Williams Bio	David Buehler Bio
Video Highlights	Video Highlights	Video Highlights
Video Interview 4/30	Article	Article

#36 - S	#79 - T/G	#55 - S/LB
Michael Hamlin Bio	Robert Brewster Bio	Stephen Hodge Bio
Video Highlights	Video Highlights	Video Highlights
Article	Article	Video Interview 4/30

#31 - CB/S	#7 - QB	#89 - TE
DeAngelo Smith Bio	Stephen McGee Bio	John Phillips Bio
Video Highlights	Video Highlights	Video Highlights
Video Interview 4/30	Video Interview 4/30	Article

#57 - OLB	#87 - WR	#33 - CB
Victor Butler Bio	Manuel Johnson Bio	Mike Mickens Bio
Video Highlights	Video Highlights	Video Highlights
Article	Article	Article

Undrafted Free Agents
G Travis Bright, BYU
QB Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State
WR Julian Hawkins, Boise State
TE/LS Jamar Hunt, Texas-El Paso
G Greg Isdaner, West Virginia
WR Kevin Ogletree, Virginia
FB Asaph Schwapp, Notre Dame
T Michael Turkovich, Notre Dame

Veterans
FB Julius Crosslin, Oklahoma State
DE Marcus Dixon, Hampton
G Ryan Gibbons, Northeastern
TE Rodney Hannah, Houston
RB Keon Lattimore, Maryland
LB Steve Octavien, Nebraska
C Matt Spanos, Southern Cal
DT Casey Tyler, Portland State

The Valley Ranch Review: More Cowboys Draft Reviews and Other News

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:00:14 -0000

We got a "B"! Tony Moss at TSN was nice enough to take into account the Cowboys not drafting until Sunday. Here's his analysis:

The Cowboys were the last team in the league to make their first pick, and used it on Jason Williams, the first player below the FBS level to be selected. Williams is extremely athletic but will need some polish. The same goes for Brewster, who looks like a depth guy at one of the guard slots. McGee, the first selection of the fourth round, projects as the eventual backup to Tony Romo. Butler and Brandon Williams are pure edge pass rushers who could compete to play in a situational role if things go well. Hamlin was one of the top pure strong safeties available and could also contribute early. Buehler, the first kicker selected, has a huge, erratic leg and looks like a kickoff guy. The club's final four selections could all be long shots.

Bottom Line: No sure-fire impact players when your first pick comes in the third-round, but Dallas did a good job of adding depth to a team that needed it.

Grade: B

Adam Schein said Dallas had a solid draft, giving love to the David Buehler (yeehaw!) and Mike Mickens picks. Schein even proclaimed that Roy Williams "could end up being the single best receiver in the NFL East this year."

More VRR after the jump, including some stuff on unheralded and unloved draft pick John Phillips, the TE from Virginia.

New linebacker, Victor Butler, will already have his own welcoming committee in San Antonio come training camp.

Offensive lineman, Robert Brewster, was a player the Cowboys certainly had their eye on before the draft, being both interviewed at the combine and brought into Dallas for a visit.

Brewster was a mainstay on the Cardinals' offensive line the past four years, starting all 50 games and contributing to one of the Mid-American Conference's most powerful offenses. The Cincinnati native, who allowed just two sacks in 2008, was a first-team All-MAC performer each of the past two seasons.

[snip]

He will participate in a Cowboys mini-camp beginning Friday. Brewster said the Cowboys plan to give him a look at guard and tackle in mini-camp.

Cowboys' TE coach, John Garrett, may have been the main recruiting tool for Dallas' drafting of UVA tight end John Phillips as well as the signing of UVA wide receiver Kevin Ogletree. Garrett, a former Cavalier assistant coach when both players were brought in as freshmen, provided the Cowboys' coaching staff some perspective on Phillips and Ogletree.

Garrett remembers the Cavaliers' first day in pads during training camp in August 2005. Virginia coach Al Groh challenged his players to make a positive impression in a kickoff-coverage drill.

"Well, John raced down there, knocked over a guy and tackled the kickoff returner inside the 20," Garrett recalled with a laugh. "I mean, he just smashed into the wedge, and we were like, 'Who is this guy?'

"John Phillips loves football, he loves to compete. . . . He is just sort of intangibly the consummate player that Al Groh wants in his program: a smart, tough, reliable, dependable player who loves football."

If you don't know much about Dallas' special teams coach, Joe DeCamillis, Nick Eatman has a nice write-up on him. Our own Jim Vance did a profile on Joe D. a couple of weeks ago.

Here's some guys who could've been Cowboys.

Cowboys Draft Review: Pass Rushers Aplenty

Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:56:41 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones chats with Texas Rangers team owner Tom Hicks about the pass rushers he added in this weekend's NFL draft. Hicks noted that Jones didn't come away from the draft with a good lefty for the bullpen and gave it a C- grade.

Browse more photos »

You can never have too many pass rushers. That’s Wade Phillips’ modus operandi, correct? Say what you want about the amount of influence Wade has on the Cowboys’ draft plans, but this draft haul has Wade Phillips written all over it. Jerry Jones and Tom Ciskowski have now provided Wade Phillips with a potent pass rushing arsenal.

In this year’s draft, Dallas went heavy on "attack players". Nearly all of the defenders drafted by the Cowboys this weekend are active, aggressive, disruptive players who are natural pass rushers. The Cowboys even added some guys with pass rushing skills at positions that this team has not traditionally used to attack the quarterback. One thing is for certain, there are not many coaches in the business better suited to incorporate all of these weapons into a scheme than Wade Phillips.

Wade Phillips’ new crop of pressure players, and how they may be used in Dallas:

Jason Williams, ILB, Western Illinois - 69th overall selection (3rd round) - When this pick came down, NFL Network’s Mike Mayock gushed about Williams’ speed and natural pass rushing skills. Williams is definitely a "fly to the football" type of linebacker, who caused 14 fumbles in his collegiate career. While Mayock had Williams tabbed as an outside linebacker in our system, Jerry Jones said that he will play inside. It looks for now as though Williams will play the nickel linebacker spot vacated by Kevin Burnett, while being groomed to eventually take over for Keith Brooking inside on a full-time basis. The Cowboys have not blitzed a great deal from either spot; having a player in that role with such a disruptive skill set just might spark ol’ Wade’s imagination. Either way, teams will have to at least respect the blitz when Williams is on the field.

Victor Butler, OLB, Oregon St. - 110th overall selection (4th round) - A converted college end, Butler will compete for a spot as an outside linebacker in Dallas. When I finally found a little footage of Butler, two things really stood out about his game. Butler seems to play with a fantastic motor. He’s extremely active, and chases a lot of plays down from behind. Butler also uses his hands and long arms to control blockers. Offensive linemen are rarely able to get into his chest. Butler registered 12 sacks as a senior, and should give Wade Phillips another option attacking off the edge.

Brandon Williams, OLB, Texas Tech - 120th overall selection (4th round) - Another end transitioning to linebacker, Williams is similar in a lot of ways to Butler. Williams is a bit more raw as far as using his hands, but is really great at turning the corner. Despite his below average timed speed, Williams can really get up field and will not allow his momentum to push him past the quarterback. While Butler is a bit more of a "wrap-and-spin" tackler, Williams meets ball-carriers with malicious intent. The drafting of Butler and Williams could possibly spell trouble for veteran Greg Ellis.

Sidenote: When thinking of Butler and Williams, think of Chicago Bears defensive end Mark Anderson. As a rookie in 2006, Anderson’s role was limited almost exclusively to passing downs. Anderson still tallied 12 sacks and was a major factor in the Bears’ success. Though the Bears run a different defensive system, the same principles apply. Butler and Williams are raw, but both are natural pass rushers. Both can be used as situational players until they have learned enough to be counted on on an every-down basis.

Stephen Hodge, S/LB, TCU - 197th overall selection (6th round) - It is unclear what Hodge’s role will be in Dallas. What is clear is that Hodge, like many of the Cowboy’s other selections, is an attacker. Hodge was a roving linebacker at TCU, and was frequently used as a blitzer. If he makes the team, Hodge will earn his keep on special teams. If there is a spot on the defense for him, it may be in the hybrid safety/linebacker role that the Cowboys created for Roy Williams a few years back. We’re only talking about a sub-package role that is more of a coverage position, but putting a pass rusher in that spot presents a different dynamic.

Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati - 227th overall selection (7th round) - Mickens has to be in this conversation based on the fact that he is just so damn violent. If you watch a Mike Mickens highlight tape you see a ton of collisions. While he is a good cover man, Mickens is the type of defensive back who lives for the big hit. Mickens would be a great option blitzing off the slot in the dime package.

The Dallas Cowboys lead the league last season with 59 sacks. The team now has more pass rush options than it ever has in Wade Phillips’ tenure. If the front three can be effective, this team now has endless rush options at the next level. It is even conceivable that DeMarcus Ware may finally get a play or two off next season.

It will be interesting to see how Wade Phillips will utilize all of his new toys. I for one would like to see DeMarcus Ware inside, isolated on a guard every once in a while, much the way the Giants do with Justin Tuck. It will be interesting to see how many of these guys Wade can get on the field at a given time. Coach Phillips’ 46 subset may have a different look as well. While this draft should improve a dismal special teams unit, it will also allow Wade Phillips to turn the pressure dial one more notch to the right.

The Valley Ranch Review: Dallas Cowboys NFL Draft Grades and Other Draft Stuff

Aaron Novinger — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:45:53 -0000

Draft grades the day after the draft. Why bother? We all know it takes 2-3 years to properly evaluate a draft class. Living in a world of instant judgment and instant gratification means we'll always get the snap draft grade the day after the NFL holds its draft. I won't get into detail about what's on the web today in terms of grading the Dallas Cowboys draft, I'll just breeze by it quickly for a couple of reasons.

The national media doesn't follow the team like we do and only have a tentative grasp on what our needs/issues are - let me offer an example. Pete Prisco from CSB Sports gives us a D+. Fair enough - he didn't like our draft. Everybody is entitled to an opinion and we've seen a wide assortment on this blog already. Even Cowboys fans aren't going to agree about this draft. But, it's statements like these that really cause me to lose faith in the national media.

Why use a pick on kicker in the fifth round when Nick Folk is so good? It makes no sense.

Well, it does make sense if you know much about Nick Folk. I love the kid, he finally solved our FG woes and has been money in the clutch. But, as Rafael so eloquently pointed out in this article, he's the absolute worst in the league in terms of kickoffs/touchbacks. He got zero touchbacks last year. Zero. Many teams in the past have solved this problem by carrying two kickers, one who handles the kickoff duties, the other FGs. Enter fifth-round draft pick David Buehler who supposedly has a howitzer for a leg on kickoffs.

Now, before I become too dishonest, you can absolutely argue the logic of drafting a kickoff specialist in the fifth-round, you can question the idea of ever drafting a kicker. I've been known to entertain that thought a time or two. But, to say it makes absolutely no sense to add a kicker in the Cowboys current situation means you haven't been following the team closely. We have a real problem on special teams and the Cowboys just took a shot at solving it. I notice no one is saying that David Buehler can't do the job we've drafted him to do, which is probably the more proper evaluation of him as a draft pick.

To be clear, I'm not that over-hyped about drafting David Buehler although I complained bitterly on the DC Fanatic Show last year that we could use a kickoff specialist. But it's just an example of how the national guys don't really understand the Cowboys the way we do. And they don't take the time to look it up afterward. Look, most of us were stunned when we took a kicker, but moments later after I read about the kid I instantly saw "kickoff specialist" written all over him. Then Jerry and Co. came out and told us they were prepared to go with two kickers. Still, we get statements like it makes no snese to solve a big problem on our special teams. Even when we have 12 picks in our hands.

[UPDATE] BTB-reader tasan chimes in with and even more egregious example of misinformation in the comments section:

The idiot over at USAToday actually said this:

"Grabbed a couple of DEs in fourth round to offset loss of Chris Canty."

Yikes, guess he couldn't be bothered to note that we run a 3-4 defense and those "DEs" will actually be LB's in our scheme and have nothing to do with Chris Canty. [END UPDATE]

One other detail, the acquisition of WR Roy Williams gets scant attention among these grades. He really belongs to the Cowboys 2009 draft class since he's why we don't have a flashy, shiny, named-talent player in the first round to show off today - that guy was already here. But since that didn't actually happen over the weekend, it's like it didn't really happen.

For better or worse, some of our draft grades, which are pretty representative of what I saw this morning. Tread carefully and don't lose your mind if you like our draft, and don't think that these grades justify your view if you hate this draft. For example, check out how wrong these guys can be with this PFT.com article.

USA Today D+
Mel Kiper D
Yahoo Sports C+
Fox Sports C
NBC Sports D

- Dave Halprin

There's more VRR after the jump including talk of our new Cincinnati Bearcat secondary, new QB Stephen McGee and a look at our NFC East brethren.

Hopefully with this draft, the Cowboys will be a better team come training camp. Dallas simply can't risk falling behind in the NFC East race.

Here's who the Giants, Eagles, and Redskins selected in this weekend's draft.

The New York Giants picked:

RD 1 Hakeem Nicks WR, N.Carolina
RD 2 Clint Sintim OLB, Virginia
RD 2 William Beatty OT, UConn
RD 3 Ramses Barden WR, Cal Poly
RD 3 Travis Beckum TE, Wisconsin
RD 4 Andre Brown RB, NC State
RD 5 Rhett Bomar QB, Sam Houston St.
RD 6 DeAndre Wright DB, New Mexico
RD 7 Stoney Woodson DB, S. Carolina

The Philadelphia Eagles picked:

RD 1 Jeremy Maclin WR, Missouri
RD 2 LeSean McCoy RB, Pitt
RD 5 Cornelius Ingram TE, Florida
RD 5 Victor "Macho" Harris, CB, Virginia Tech
RD 5 Fenuki Tupuo OT, Oregon
RD 6 Brandon Gibson WR, Wash. St.
RD 7 Paul Fanaika OG, Arizona St.
RD 7 Moise Fokou OLB, Maryland

The Washington Redskins picked:

RD 1 Brian Orakpo DE, Texas
RD 3 Kevin Barnes CB, Maryland
RD 5 Cody Glenn OLB, Nebraska
RD 6 Robert Henson OLB, TCU
RD 7 Eddie Williams TE, Idaho
RD 7 Marko Mitchell WR, Nevada

- Aaron Novinger

Dave Campo and Brett Maxie must have been impressed by the defensive backfield at the University of Cincinnati. The Cowboys drafted both Bearcat CBs; although, Mike Mickens may be the only who stays at that position. Deangelo Smith, taken by Dallas in the fifth-round, may swing inside to safety. Smith is excited to be a Cowboy.

"This is where I wanted to go and this is where I thought I would go," Smith said. "I was a Cowboys fan growing up and I dreamed of playing there. That was the only visit I took. I felt comfortable down there and they felt comfortable with me."

Speculation in Dallas was that Smith, who played mostly cornerback at UC, would be a safety in the NFL.

Smith's joy over being taken by the Cowboys was further enhanced later in the afternoon when Mickens, his UC teammate, also was taken by Dallas.

- Aaron Novinger

Drafting QB, Stephen McGee, at the top of the fourth-round has broken Dallas' dry spell. Not since 2001 (Quincy Carter) had the Cowboys selected a player at that position. The team felt some pressure to do so on Sunday.

With the threat of either the Denver Broncos or New England Patriots drafting McGee looming, the Cowboys picked the player that for the past few years they have been so reluctant to select.

Pre-draft, sounds like McGee couldn't imagine going anywhere else.

"[T]hat Dallas visit will be huge for me because growing up here in Texas I had Troy Aikman and so forth on my wall for a long time now," McGee told Monty. "I'm so excited to be one of the guys to go on the visit and if I have the opportunity to play in Dallas I know that I would be thrilled and honored."

- Aaron Novinger

Cowboys Draft 2009: Quick Snapshot of the 12 Picks

Dave Halprin — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:01:31 -0000

Quick wrap-up of the Dallas Cowboys 2009 Draft.

Later tonight, Raf will post his breakdown on the players we drafted so be sure to come back to read that.

The Cowboys went with the "Death Match" strategy proposed in this earlier post. After drafting 12 players on the second day, training camp is going to turn into a death match between all these rookies and some veterans who have been on the edges of the roster, and possibly a couple of semi-regulars.

I won't even try to offer analysis of the skills and value of most of these picks. Many of them I haven't seen play a down of football, so I can't give them a true evaluation. I'll leave that to the draftniks. But you can get an idea of what their roles may be should they make the team and who they'll be battling in camp for roster spots.

Jason Williams, ILB, Western Illinois - This guy looks like a replacement for Kevin Burnett. Small but very active and athletic, he should battle for the nickel ILB spot. Bobby Carpenter could be in trouble.

Robert Brewster, T/G, Ball State - Played tackle but the talk is he might be better sliding inside to guard at the NFL level. He'll battle for a backup spot along the line and could replace a player like Pat McQuistan.

Stephen McGee, QB, Texas A&M - If you draft a QB when you have a confirmed starter and a competent backup, you must see something special in him. Otherwise, you can find a third QB in a lot of places and not in the fourth round. We'll see.

Victor Butler, OLB, Oregon State - With this pick and the following one, Greg Ellis is sure to be whining soon. The Cowboys had Ware, Spencer and Ellis as the options at OLB, which was dangerously thin. Now they have Butler to compete.

Brandon Williams, OLB, Texas Tech - See above.

DeAngelo Smith, CB, Cincinnati - We needed some more bodies in the secondary behind the starters. There's talk Smith could be better suited to safety. He could also end up being a punt returner on special teams.

Michael Hamlin, S, Clemson - It was no secret the Cowboys needed depth at safety, behind Ken Hamlin and Gerald Sensabaugh we had very little. Pat Watkins and Courtney Brown now have competition.

David Buehler, K, USC - Kind of a surprise, but I guess with 12 picks you can take a chance like this. Nick Folk is a money kicker on FG's, but is far below average on kickoffs. Buehler could battle Folk but more likely would have to stick as a kickoff specialists. Yes, teams do use kickoff specialists sometimes; it's not a totally nutty idea. Buehler is also a good athlete and might be able to do some other things, so that might help his cause.

Stephen Hodge, S, TCU - A big safety, he could add depth and could possibly play a hybrid S/LB position in the dime defenses. Similar to what we tried with Roy Williams.

John Phillips, TE, Virginia - It's a rule that Dallas has to draft a TE every year.

Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati - Huge value at corner. I have no idea why he dropped, but he was expected to go much sooner. Did the knee scare teams off? Alan Ball doesn't like this draft at all.

Manuel Johnson, WR, Oklahoma - Well, they had to draft a receiver at some point.

This draft isn't flashy and I don't see anybody here who could immediately challenge the starters for time, but two or three may be playing significant roles in rotations as nickel and dime defenders. The Cowboys also concentrated on special teams and decided they needed an infusion of new blood, especially with the departure of Keith Davis and Kevin Burnett. Some of these guys are special teams aces. Another binding characteristic - good guys, character guys.

What are your thoughts? Stick around, later Raf will have his breakdown up.

ROTB Community Mock Draft: With the 57th Overall Pick, the Baltimore Ravens Select...

Hawkwind — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:14 -0000

Mike Mickens (CB), University of Cincinnati

6'0", 184

Between age and free agency, corner back became a big need for the Ravens after having Samari Rolle and Chris McAllister anchor the outside of their defense since 2005. Mickens is corner who fits the Ravens system with his size and physicality and he offers great value here in the late second round.

Positives: Mickens has very good size with long arms and fluid hips. He's got great ball skills and soft hands to pluck the ball away from his body. He's a legit cover corner who's equally comfortable in man or zone coverage. He's got a nice burst to close on the ball or the ball carrier and is capable of being a reliable tackler in run support.

Negatives: Mickens does need to bulk up a bit and doesn't have elite top end speed. He can also get into trouble when trying to make a big play because he'll either gamble and go after the ball or give too much cushion trying to bait the quarterback. Not experienced in jamming receivers and has some durability concerns.

First Round Pick: Hakeem Nicks

Many thanks to Red Reign for submitting this pick. The Patriots and my wife are now on the clock (email pick to revengeofthebirds@gmail.com) with the Panthers and Aces on deck. If anyone needs to refresh their memory on the second round draft order, check here.

Also guys, we're in draft 'crunch time' right now with eight picks to cover in the next two days so we're going to be hitting these fast and furious. Please, send a list of three players who you'd like to draft as your pick approaches so that we can stay ahead of the action and knock these picks out quickly.