With the Dallas Cowboys selecting Dez Bryant in the first round and trading their 3rd round pick to New England for their 4th round pick, the Cowboys will likely have an uneventful 2nd day (round 2 and 3) of the draft.

The remaining Cowboys picks are as follows:

Round 2, Pick 27 (59)
Round 4, Pick 21 (119) (From Patriots)
Round 4, Pick 27 (125)
Round 6, Pick 27 (196)
Round 7, Pick 27 (234)

With two 4th round picks, the Cowboys have the luxury of trading into the 3rd round.  They can either trade picks or package a veteran player.  As previously discussed, there are redundancies at some positions.  With Bryant now a Cowboys, it is unlikely the Cowboys will keep six wide receivers on the 2010 roster.  Seemingly Bryant, Austin, Williams, and Ogletree are safe.  Crayton and Hurd (who signed his restricted free agent tender and can be traded) may not be valued highly individually, but packaged with a 4th round pick, could allow the Cowboys to enter the third round.

After the first day of the draft, the perceived holes on the Cowboys roster are unchanged.  The Cowboys lack depth and youth at offensive line, if Jason Williams is not believed to be a viable replacement for Keith Brooking, youth at ILB is an option, a safety is an option (unless the Cowboys have confidence in Alan Ball or Mike Hamlin), and youth at defensive tackle.  Don’t dismiss drafting a running back.  While the Cowboys have three quality backs, Jones and Barber have suffered injuries that have limited their play the past two years.  Additionally, Barber is overpaid considering his production.

Players who may be available when the Cowboys draft at 27 are (my preferences are bolded):

Tackle: Rodger Saffold, Bruce Campbell, Vladimir Ducasse, and Charles Brown

Running Back:  Toby Gerhart, Johnathon Dwyer, Stafon Johnson, and Joe McKnight

Linebacker:  Daryl Washington, Brandon Spikes, Pat Angerer, and Navorro Bowman

Defensive Tackle:  Terrence Cody, though I’m going to include Doug Worthington just because

Safety: TJ Ward, Nate Allen, and Taylor Mays

Anquan Boldin, along with a 5th round pick, was traded Friday night to the Baltimore Ravens for 3rd and 4th round draft picks.  Boldin also signed a 4 year contract valued at $28 million with $10 million in guaranteed money.  In regards to salary, Boldin now earns nearly as much as the Cowboys’s highest paid WR, Roy Williams.

This trade is on the heels of the Braylon Edwards trade to the NY Jets for a conditional 3rd (could become a 2nd round pick) and a 5th round choice. WR Chansi Stuckey and LB Jason Trusnik were traded to Cleveland in the deal.

Cowboys fans are all aware that they overpaid for Roy Williams, giving up a 1st and a 3rd round pick (the Cowboys 6th round pick for the Lions 7th round pick are a wash).  There is no reason to continuing beating that horse, unless it is to upset a member of PETA.  The trade is only 8 years since the Cowboys traded 2 first round draft picks for Joey Galloway.  The question is, how can such a shrewd business man like Jerry Jones not understand the market value of a “star” wide receiver.

Jones has been a shrewd buyer and seller during the draft.  In 2004, the Cowboys traded out of the 1st round and acquired the Bills’s 2nd round pick and 2005 1st round pick.  In 2005, the Cowboys drafted Marcus Spears with the Bills pick.  What many fans may not know, is that Bill Parcells, the head coach at the time, was nearly adamant that they should draft Spears with the Cowboys 11th overall pick.  It was Jones who convinced Parcells that it would be prudent to draft DeMarcus Ware at 11, and wait for Spears to fall to the 20th pick.

In 2007, the Cowboys traded out of the first round, picking up the Browns 2nd and 2008′s 1st round pick.  The Cowboys eventually traded back into the first round drafting Anthony Spencer.  The Browns first round pick in 2008 became Felix Jones.

I suppose the moral of the above is “Once burned, twice shy.”  Jerry Jones must have 3rd degree burns.  Get well Jerry, the Cowboys need a good draft in April.

Why is it breaking news to find out that there are speculations about Jimmy Clausen being 2 inches shorter than previously reported?  Other than being prohibited from riding the new roller-coaster, Gigantus (the only roller coaster made by giants for giants), I can’t see a reason why that would prohibit him from being capable of playing in the NFL.  This story and many like it will be broadcast live in high definition on the NFL Network.  Many may assume I believe 20+ hours of fat guys running in shorts is ridiculous; even more so, someone sitting down to watch fat guys in running in shorts.

Not so fast.  I love the combine.  It is a chance to peer through the white noise and view the soon to be NFL player at his most vulnerable.  Every player at this stage of their career is on a Hall of Fame path.  Unfortunately, every player tells the media that they play hard, they are a hard worker, and they will be a credit to the franchise that takes them.  No one every says they will be a fat slob and they are just looking for one big payday.  The NFL draft is the most optimistic weekend in all of football.  Your team may have just drafted the cornerstones to a dynasty, and the combine is a chance to find out their back-story before your friends.

We all know about Florida’s Tim Tebow’s long windmill like throwing motion, USC’s Stafon Johnson‘s neck injury while working out, and Oregon’s LeGarrette Blount‘s lack of composure, common sense, and the sucker punch.  But do ya’ll know that projected 3-4 linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri) has one of the biggest mouths in the draft; he simply can’t stop talking smack.  Tight end Mickey Shuler (Penn State) is the son of a former NFL player, and it isn’t Heath.  Guard Mitch Petrus missed the entire 2008 season for Boston College due to academics (afterall BC is the Harvard of… southwest Boston suburbs?).  Tackle Bryan Bulaga (Iowa)had a viral infection in his thyroid which affected his endurance and play in 2009.  Tiny snippets about the player unfold: their background, their favorite color, whether they are a patient runner, how good are their feet, what injuries occurred during their senior year which will affect their draft position.

After the first 2 rounds, many of the draftee’s are all but anonymous to the average fan.  Even after watching the combine, many remain so. Though giving the Mercutios and Tybalts your focus just enhances the marathon that is the draft.

I fully grant that many of the drills shed light on a players athleticism, and for the most part are worthless.  Jerry Rice ran a 4.6+ forty time at the combine and he was an unstoppable force.  Ditto with Emmith Smith and his forty time of 4.6.  Jimmy Johnson labored over film and saw what Florida fans were treated to, long scoring runs.  The statistics don’t tell the tale, but rather they are the corner pieces to the puzzle.

In 2008, I was guilty of undervaluing Felix Jones.  I was a proponent of Rashard Mendenhal, though I only had influence over my wife.  They ran the same forty time – go with the player who is more than a complementary back.  Thank God Jerry Jones isn’t my wife, because Felix Jones is every bit as fast on the field as he was reported to be.

The combine isn’t a predictor of success.  Jay Ratliff wasn’t invited to the combine, and Tony Romo was only invited as a warm arm to throw to the WR’s.  Meanwhile golden boys talked about how they were going to WOW the world at their pro-day.  Parcells and Co. noticed Romo’s quick release and they were intrigued.  If Romo doesn’t attend the Combine, maybe Sean Payton still scouts Romo because of his ties to Eastern Illinois. It is indisputable, those few days in Indianapolis affected the direction the Cowboys are presently pointed.  And just maybe, that direction is Super Bowl bound.