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It’s Prospect Day at the Ranch

April 13, 2005

The Cowboys will host 20 prospective draftees Thursday at Valley Ranch. So far, ten of the twenty players expected to visit are known. They are:

  • 1. WR Mike Williams of USC
  • 2. DE/OLB Shawne Merriman of Maryland
  • 3. DE/OLB David Pollack of Georgia
  • 4. DE/OLB Justin Tuck of Notre Dame
  • 5. DE/OLB David McMillan of Kansas
  • 6. DT Travis Johnson of Florida State
  • 7. OT Khalif Barnes of Washington
  • 8. FS Brodney Pool of Oklahoma
  • 9. RB Ciatrick Fason of Florida
  • 10. RB Cedric Houston of Tennessee

    • Update Add these names to the list:

  • 11. DE/OLB Dan Cody of Oklahoma
  • 12. FS Sean Considine of Iowa
  • 13. OT Todd Herremans of Saginaw Valley State

    • Remember, the names NOT on this list are likely as important as the ones on it. No cornerbacks are here. OT Jammal Brown is not on the list. Neither are WRs Troy Williamson or Mark Clayton.

    In other words, all tactics are being tried. Some of the Cowboys’ targets are hiding in plain sight. Some are being kept in the dark. All the better to keep the teams around the Cowboys in the draft order guessing.

    Written by Rafael Vela · Filed Under News | 22 Comments 

    Brian Cox Speaks

    April 13, 2005

    Cowboys Blog regular Don Swalinski had the good fortune of sitting next to former NFL linebacker Brian Cox on a flight recently. Cox was one of Bill Parcells’ LBs with the Jets and Don got to quiz him on his old coach’s plans heading towards the draft. Here are some of Don’s recollections.

    So I’m coming back from my annual golf trip with the boys and who’s sitting next to me but former Parcells guy Bryan Cox.

    Like most of you I couldn’t help get some of those burning questions about the Cowboys, Parcells, and the draft off my chest.

    Some of the things he had to say…

    He and Parcells speak about once a month. Last time was at the combine.

    Look for Dallas to target an offensive lineman in the first round. He thinks Dallas isn’t likely to go hard after a receiver and that they may target a DL after the draft around June 1st cuts. Cox likes the WR’s that Dallas has now.

    He said he thought Parcells would take a look at one of the 3 top CB’s if they were available as well (Rogers, Jones, and Rolle). He felt they needed a 3rd solid guy. He says he likes Henry and thinks it was a good pick up by Dallas and that Pete Hunter won’t cut it as a corner.
    I asked if Hunter could make the move to free saftey and he basically said who couldn’t.

    Expect these picks to be more Parcells guys. It appears there was some friction with Parcells and Jones last year and according to Cox, both Wiley and George were Jones calling the shots. Parcells didn’t want them. After last season it appears Parcells will be buying most of the groceries.

    Parcells will try hard to get the guys to be 3-4. He likes the flexibility of the defense. Cox loves Glover. He also said going to a 3-4 will allow Roy Williams to show off his talent. It will allow him to be the player he is. Cox likes the pick up of Ferguson but says [John] Abraham is the best defensive player in the NFL. I didn’t follow up the question if Parcells was going to swap picks for him. Sorry guys.

    Stephen Jones appears to be the guy behind the scenes running things. Jerry is still the front man but it sounded like Stephen makes the calls.

    This had to be one of the only times when I wished a flight took longer.

    Written by Rafael Vela · Filed Under News | 21 Comments 

    Draft Jockeys

    April 13, 2005

    Jerry Jones hinted last week that he wants to trade down with one or both of his first round picks. But it takes two to tango. Who would be willing to move up in a year when the first round is so muddled, especially among players in the 10 to 25 range?

    Some information on that front is emerging.

    Buffalo Bills’ GM Tom Donahoe apparently wants to move up from his current top pick at 55, and is using RB Travis Henry as bait. Donahoe mentioned that he’s already getting lots of calls from teams willing to bail out of the first round.

    Cleveland Browns GM Phil Savage shows a willingness to trade down, from either the 3rd overall pick, or from the 34th pick that sits at the front of round two. Savage’s comments suggested that some teams are willing to move up to get quality players who may slip out of round one.

    The most tantalizing crumb comes from Pittsburgh, where Kevin Colbert, the Steelers’ Director of Football Operations says the Steelers are investigating moving up from the 30th pick.

    Written by Rafael Vela · Filed Under Draft | 23 Comments 

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