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2013 NFL Draft: Draft Grade For Cowboys Sixth Round Selection DeVonte Holloman

2013-05-18T17:00:07Z

After a quiet free agent period, the Dallas Cowboys entered the 2013 NFL Draft with the opportunity to improve their football team and get younger. The goal of every draft is simple, get good football players and leave the draft with a better team. In essence, the Cowboys managed to do that and along the way they solved some needs, but also left some holes open.

If you wanted this franchise to answer every need with just six picks, well then you were going to come away disappointed. It's nearly impossible to do that, so we shouldn't expect even the best drafting teams to accomplish that feat.

The Cowboys accomplished some of their goals and found value along the way. While this isn't my favorite draft class in recent years, this year's haul is a solid one and the players acquired have the potential to all become contributors or starters.

It's extremely difficult and premature to grade a draft class this early, but the grading process is common in the NFL community. Even though we won't know how successful or unsuccessful a draft will be for a few years, I always follow up with my own grades.

DeVonte Holloman: A-

Entering the offseason, Dallas had a need at Sam linebacker. Moving to the 4-3 required someone that could start next to Sean Lee and Bruce Carter, but there was really nobody on the roster besides Alex Albright who could fill that roll. With Albright moving back to his natural position of defensive end, the Cowboys made some moves to free up the cash for Justin Durant.

Even with a free agent addition, there simply weren't enough bodies and talent on the depth chart.

Now I'm sure the Cowboys wanted to target this position earlier in the draft, but they decided to wait. There was an opportunity to draft Arthur Brown back in the second round, who in my opinion would have came to Dallas and solidified the best linebacking corps in the league, but they opted to pass and use the 47th overall pick on tight end Gavin Escobar.

Eventually we will find out if Brown is the type of player I think he is, but just keep in mind the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens were both high on him. Considering they are pretty good talent evaluators, Brown's future looks promising.

As for the players Dallas passed on, there really aren't too many to get worked up about in the sixth and seventh round.

Andre Ellington: Joseph Randle was a great value in the previous round, but Dallas could have doubled up on running backs and added another player to strengthen the depth chart. Ellington fell as far as he did for a reason, so taking Holloman over him isn't exactly crazy.
Bacarri Rambo: J.J. Wilcox satisfied the safety need, but this is a position that doesn't have a lot of depth. The former Georgia standout was probably off the Cowboys' draft board entirely due to character concerns. With that in mind, it's safe to assume he was never in play. With Rambo in Washington, facing him twice a year will remind us of the decision.

Holloman does offer the Cowboys an athletic linebacker with high football IQ. He is a former safety who doesn't have the speed (4.71, 4.76) to play deep in the secondary, so his size (6'1, 243) makes him a better fit at linebacker. The only combine measurable that stands out is Holloman's 4.26 short shuttle, and that suggests he possesses some short-area quickness.

At South Carolina, Holloman started off at safety and then transitioned to the "Spur" role and acted as a hybrid safety/linebacker. Playing in the secondary gives him some experience covering tight ends, running backs and occasionally wide receivers in the slot, though his lack of straight-line speed does prevent him from doing this all the time.

Some of his most impressive highlights come from his natural hands. This is a guy who registered seven interceptions and has a nose for the football and makes plays. In his new role in Dallas, I don't expect him to thrive in coverage, but it's at least comforting knowing that Holloman has some knowledge in that area.

His best asset is that he possesses a strong understanding of the game and knows what is going on around him. As a linebacker, he seeks and destroys, dishing out punishment or making the tackle. I've seen some scouting reports that suggest Holloman isn't a good tackler, but I totally disagree with that. His pass rushing skills are also somewhat underrated.

We can expect Holloman to become a big performer on special teams. He has the physical makeup to succeed in the NFL as a bottom-of-the-roster type of player who makes a living doing that, but his passion and approach towards the game warrant more production. This is a valuable pick and if the Cowboys allow Holloman to grow and develop, then anything is possible.

Coming from the SEC, Holloman produced and faced some of the best competition in college football. He made the move to linebacker and he looked natural in that role. Holloman is a strong combination of athleticism, experience, toughness and intelligence. The Cowboys landed a very good football player late in the draft. He may never make the team or possibly just become a special teams player, but maybe Dallas has another sleeper waiting in the wings to become another playmaker on their defense.

More Cowboys Coverage

2013 NFL Draft: Draft Grade For Cowboys Fifth Round Selection Joseph Randle

2013-05-16T01:58:41Z

Joseph Randle: A

Entering the draft, the Cowboys had a major need at running back. Felix Jones unfortunately was a bust and never amounted to the type of player Dallas envisioned when they drafted him in 2008. DeMarco Murray is by far the most talented running back this team has seen since Emmitt Smith, but his durability concerns forced them to find a capable backup who can fill in and offer depth.

Knowing that this year's draft class was deep at running back, the Cowboys opted to forgo spending money in free agency. This was a smart decision by management as they ended up with one of the top backs available in the draft.

In all honesty, when the Cowboys were on the clock I knew who the pick was going to be. Randle fit the criteria they were looking for and he was a pre-draft visit. The value here was insane, it's not often you can land a player in the fifth round who came from a big school and produced the way Randle did.

This pick earns an A because Dallas got the player they wanted, most likely he was the best player available on their board who fit a need and the value was too good to pass up on.

Randle doesn't boast elite speed (4.6 at the combine, 4.5 at his pro day), but he does play faster than his timed speed indicates and he actually does show some burst in the 10-15 yard range. His 35 inch vertical, 10'03" broad jump and 4.25 short shuttle do offer some numerical evidence that Randle has the athleticism to necessary to play in the NFL. Typically slower running backs have trouble in the NFL, but like Alfred Morris this is the type of runner who could thrive on the next level.

Productive in the passing game, Randle continues the Cowboys' tradition of running backs who can catch the football. Dallas continues to look for receivers out of the backfield and they now have a handful of them on the roster. Randle also excels in pass protection, which is something that Dallas is definitely high on.

Physically, Randle (6'0, 204) does have similar size to DeMarco Murray and both have an upright running style. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy is a physical runner who has some wiggle ability and "make-you-miss". You can see in some of his 2012 tape that he wanted to bulk up, become more physical and run through his opponents. Randle has no durability issues and didn't miss a game in college, not one.

This is a player who produced 43 touchdowns and over 3,085 yards rushing in just three seasons. He has a nose for the end zone, which is something the Cowboys desperately need to see more from their running game.

2013 NFL Draft: Draft Grade For Cowboys Fourth Round Selection B.W. Webb

2013-05-12T17:00:10Z

B.W. Webb: A

Cornerback wasn't a position of need for the Cowboys, but they decided to invest their fourth-round pick into a prospect who has the ability to become a starter down the road and contribute early on in packages and in the slot. The NFL has become a passing league, teams need to have quality athletes at this position and a lot of depth. Just a few years ago, this team was in serious trouble at cornerback, but they have totally changed that and now are very strong in that area.

As for the players the war room passed on, there were a lot of quality prospects available in the fourth and fifth rounds. One of the selling points of this draft class was the depth, and you can see that was evident just by scrolling down the list of names drafted that late.

Phillip Thomas: Dallas had already drafted a safety earlier in J.J. Wilcox, but adding another ballhawk would've been interesting. Now he's a Washington Redskin, so we'll find out soon enough if passing on Thomas was a smart or bad move.
Khaseem Greene: An athletic linebacker who probably would have made sense here in our new Dallas-2 defense. The Chicago Bears selected him, seeing that he was a good fit for the Tampa-2 defense they run.
Johnathan Franklin: Surprising that he fell this far, but the Cowboys passed on the talented running back and did eventually find a good value at that position later in the draft.
Marcus Lattimore: I won't lie, this would have been a good spot to take him, but can the Cowboys afford to spend a draft pick on a player who can't help them win right away? Time will tell if Lattimore was worth the investment for the 49ers.
Jesse Williams: Obviously Dallas didn't like any of the defensive lineman in this draft class. Williams may never produce a lot of statistics, but he definitely could have provided depth to the defensive line.

Webb is an interesting selection and a great value in the fourth round.

While he lacks height (5'10") and is on the small side (184 pounds), Webb is a dynamic athlete who tested well at the combine. His 4.51 40 yard dash is good, but his short-area quickness is elite. His short shuttle time of 3.84 was the best time for any player tested at the combine this year. Also his 40.5 inch vertical demonstrates he has explosiveness.

At William & Mary, he thrived in zone coverage. Webb is a smooth athlete who has excellent footwork and his athleticism jumps off the tape. His ball skills are tremendous and he also has the awareness and instincts to capitalize on mistakes. After recording eight interceptions as a freshman, teams decided to stay away from him. Webb can go up high and get the football, but he can also jump routes and make plays with his hands.

The only thing that can hold Webb back from performing at a high level in the NFL is that he didn't play against the best level of competition and comes from a small school. During his time at the Senior Bowl, Webb did step up and played very well against some quality talent from across the nation. His limited experience in man-to-man coverage is also something to watch for, but he hid play in some man at the Senior Bowl and did very well in it.

For a smaller corner, most assume Webb wouldn't be physical enough to play outside in the NFL and would be strictly a slot guy, but I believe he is much more than just that. Had he been a few inches taller, then we are looking at a second or third round pick, but because of his size Webb dropped to the Cowboys in the fourth. Webb doesn't shy away from contact and is a very solid tackler.

The Cowboys love versatility and Webb offers them a lot. Obviously he is going to be a cornerback for them in the slot or on the outside, but it wouldn't shock me to see him play some safety. His athleticism, ball skills and tackling ability all relate to the safety position. He's also an excellent punt and kickoff returner, but his speed could allow him to play the gunner role on special teams.

Lastly, this also means Orlando Scandrick is finally receiving some competition. I thought extending Scandrick was a smart move, but he's never developed into the type of player his athleticism warrants. His coverage ability is on point, but his awareness and ball skills are not good. Scandrick seems to be out of position to make a play and has trouble looking back for the football.

With Webb coming in, Scandrick is in trouble down the road. It's likely Scandrick will still play a valuable and important role with Dallas in 2013, but he needs to step his game up. If he doesn't, then Webb has all of the tools the Cowboys are looking for.

More Cowboys coverage:

Jakar Hamilton: Next UDFA To Make The Roster?

News And Notes From Day 2 Of Cowboys' Rookie Minicamp

Garrett Press Conference: Tempo, Talent, Turnovers

Dallas Cowboys Injury Updates And Roster Moves

News And Notes From Day 1 Of Cowboys' Rookie Minicamp

Cowboys News: Links, Quotes And More

2013-05-10T01:35:56Z

The NFL Draft is over, and now we have a few more months before our Dallas Cowboys all come together and unite for yet another training camp. This downtime can be a buzzkill and draining, but there is some news out there for us to cover and some of the players have been speaking to the media.

Let's take a trip around the net and see what some of the Cowboys are up to.

Joseph Randle had a productive career at Oklahoma State and entered the draft as one of the featured running backs available, but for some reason he fell to the fifth round. The Cowboys were looking for another runner to pair with DeMarco Murray and they were very happy to pick one up that late in the draft who has similar qualities.

Murray recently welcomed his newest running mate with open arms.

"He’s definitely a quality running back, coming from Oklahoma State, they’ve always been known for great running backs," Murray said Wednesday before participating in a home run derby at Rangers Ballpark with eight of his teammates and Cowboys coach Jason Garrett. "I’m excited to bring him in the family and get after it a little bit and help him out as much as we can."

The combination of Murray and Randle is enticing and exciting because they are very similar. Even though DeMarco clearly has better speed, both running backs do look alike on tape.

Last year was the breakout season that we've all been waiting for from Dez Bryant. The talented young man started off with some trouble off-the-field, then struggled with actual football on-the-field and finally put it all together and became the superstar player that dominated games. Along the way Bryant broke his left index finger, but instead of shutting it down for the season, he fought through it because his team needed him and they had a chance to make the playoffs.

So how is Dez doing? He recently talked about the finger during a recent charity event held in Arlington.

"It’s never going to be normal, but I promise you, it’s never going to be an issue," the Cowboys receiver said Wednesday at a charity event in Arlington. "I’m ready to go and catch some footballs. I actually feel like I’ve been catching better with the finger problem.

"Hey, I’m ready to go."

Read more here: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/cowboys/2013/05/dez-bryant-says-hes-catching-better-despite-finger-feels-like-a-veteran-no-more-games-no-more-wonder.html#storylink=cpy

I had suggested that Bryant go on injured reserve and end his season early because it wasn't worth the possible long-term damage to his finger, which so far is evident by his claim above that it will never be normal again. He's an extremely tough kid who leaves everything he has out there on the field, but his passion could shorten his career. Hopefully Dez finds a happy medium where he can harness his energy and play the game aggressively.

Moving away from the offense, some of our defensive players were in the news. There has been a lot of hoopla made about whether our cornerbacks will be able to thrive in a scheme that won't truly feature and utilize their coverage capabilities.

Brandon Carr believes the new 4-3 system that Monte Kiffin is bringing to Dallas will allow him to be the type of cornerback he wants to be.

"It allows me to be the corner that I want to be," he said. "Go up there each play and challenge the receiver. That’s what I came into this league doing and that’s what I’ve been doing for some time in this league, and that’s how I made my name.

"It allows me to go back up to the line of scrimmage and it allows Claiborne to do the same thing."

Carr and Claiborne are going to be effective players no matter what system they are in, these are talented guys that are passionate, athletic and dedicated to improving their craft.

If the Cowboys had to go back in time, they would make the Carr signing over and over again. He's a good player that may not have had the instant impact most of us were expecting, but he began to come on strong late in the season and was playing his best football when it mattered. He's going to be just fine in this system, trust me.

Perhaps the best player on the defense last year was linebacker extraordinaire Bruce Carter. After basically spending a redshirt season during his rookie campaign, Carter came out of the gates smoking and looked like the player the war room envisioned he would be when they took a gamble in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Carter is another player who is going to thrive in this system, especially considering it will allow him to play to his strengths and take on less blockers than he saw in the 3-4. Bruce believes playing in the 4-3 will be a very comfortable transition.

"It just puts us in position, guys like me, Sean, the rest of the linebackers, just to go out there and make plays, just fly around," he said Wednesday at a charity event in Arlington. "That’s what I did in college. That’s what got me to this point. I feel natural there. I feel comfortable. I’m just going to go out and play ball."

Read more here: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/cowboys/2013/05/bruce-carter-says-cowboys-new-defense-feels-natural-to-him-lets-him-do-what-got-me-to-this-point.html#storylink=cpy

If there is anything our scouting department can do well it's evaluating linebacker talent. We all know what the "Bruce Lee" tandem can do, but there will actually be depth behind them and another talented guy next to them this year in the new defensive alignment. It may be time to invest in that new Nike #54 jersey, just saying....

The other member of the most interesting linebacker duo in the world also had some kind words. Sean Lee is slated to start at middle linebacker, but believes every job is open to competition and he may be playing one of the outside spots.

"Right now, I’m in the middle, but you never know," he said Wednesday at a charity event in Arlington. "You always have to come in there and win a spot, and that’s what I plan to do."

Read more here: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/cowboys/2013/05/sean-lee-says-hell-consider-it-a-competition-for-the-lb-spots-in-cowboys-camp-and-he-plans-to-win-on.html#storylink=cpy

Hey, you have to love that Lee kid, but you can basically marker him in at the Mike. The only thing that can hold back Carter and Lee are the injuries. If our guys have some good juju this season, then we will see some amazing football out of that deadly combination.

2013 NFL Draft: Draft Grade For Cowboys Third Round Selection J.J. Wilcox

2013-05-08T01:26:45Z

J.J. Wilcox: A-

Outside of the quarterback and offensive line, there isn't a more talked about position on the Cowboys than safety. During the offseason we analyzed what Dallas had at the position and determined it just wasn't enough. Entering this draft it was obvious that we were going to have some new talent there, but we just didn't know what round that help would come in. Our new safety happens to be the first selection of the Kiffin regime on defense.

There are only a few players that the Cowboys passed on that really made sense in the third round. Damontre Moore could have been a steal that late and we definitely need more pass rushers. Now we will get an extremely close look at him when we take on the New York Giants twice a season. Shamarko Thomas was a good fit for us, but he was passed on and was eventually drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round.

Passing on Eric Reid, Matt Elam and Jonathan Cyprien earlier, the Cowboys are taking a calculated risk on Wilcox. We've seen the war room pass on established talent and select a small-school safety before in the fourth round, so hopefully we don't have another Akwasi Owusu-Ansah on our hands, but Wilcox is a different cup of tea. For starters, Wilcox played college ball at Georgia Southern. That's a smaller school, but it's a nationally recognized program that may become a Division I school soon.

Unlike Akwasi, Wilcox has better football instincts and Kiffin has enough trust in a safety that has only played the position for one year because of his intelligence and athleticism. As a former wide receiver, J.J. knows the route tree and tendencies of a wideout. It may not make him elite right away, but the experience playing on offense will help him down the road.

Wilcox is also going to be a piece of clay for Kiffin to shape and mold. Our defensive coaches can coach him the way they want to coach him. Limited time at the position means that he hasn't had a lot of time to develop bad habits. The Cowboys are getting a great athlete, but they are also getting a football player with high character and a strong work ethic. Wilcox has urgency and he wants to become a successful NFL player, and I really didn't see that type of urgency in AOA.

The size (6'0", 213) and speed (4.5 40 yard dash, 4.09 20 yard shuttle) combination are elite numbers for a safety. Regardless of where he came from, this was one of the best athletes in the entire draft. Wilcox has the fluidity and range to play free safety, but he also has the size and physicality to play strong safety. This is a solid selection in the third round. At worst, we will see him play packages and special teams in his rookie season. Wilcox is very dangerous with the ball in his hands, so he could see some time on the return team.

There is definitely some risk here, but the upside of drafting a high-ceiling safety who could become a starter is worth rolling the dice on. The Cowboys are due to hit on a safety, maybe this is the player we have all been waiting for to become the playmaker this secondary desperately needs.

2013 NFL Draft: Terrance Williams Draft Grade

2013-05-05T10:00:05Z

Terrance Williams: A+

In my opinion, this was the best draft pick the Cowboys made last week. Williams not only fit a need, he was most likely the highest rated player on the board and that is a combination for draft success. Tom Ciskowski said on the On Air With DC Star (around 22:30) that our first three picks were rated in the top 30 and the productive Baylor wide receiver excited the war room when he fell to them in the third round 74th overall. It's possible that Williams was a target in the second round, and getting him in the third was great value.

With the previous draft grades, we discussed some of the players the Cowboys passed on. Terron Armstead is athletic and talented, but he's another small-school project that the team clearly didn't value enough to take a chance on. They also passed up the opportunity to land Cal wide receiver Keenan Allen, but his injury history and off-the-field concerns probably factored into that decision.

This is the type of pick that makes you scratch your head as to why Williams was there so late. As a senior he led the nation in receiving yards (1,832) and yards-per-game (140.9), was a unanimous first-team All-American and All-Big 12 selection and a finalist for the Biletnikoff award. Williams has an impressive list of accomplishments and production.

His combination of size (6'2", 208) and speed (4.52) make him the perfect weapon as an outside wide receiver. Our very own rabblerousr profiled pre-draft visitors and in his profile on Williams he summed up why the Cowboys were looking to add another wide receiver.

Despite his astounding production, I'm less enamored of WIlliams than I am of Clemson's DeAndre Hopkins, who seems more NFL ready. What Williams provides that Hopkins doesn't is deep speed. If you look at the Cowboys' skill position players, talent abounds, with the exception of a wide receiver with the speed to take the top off of a defense. Consider: how much more room might Jason Witten and DeMarco Murray find with a Mike Wallace-type speed merchant lined up outside the numbers?

In Williams, Markus Wheaton and Josh Boyce, the Cowboys have three invitees who boast the deep speed to ensure that Murray sees far fewer men in the box. Of the three, Williams offers the least appealing combination of skillset and value (I think Wheaton is a better receiver, and Boyce can be had in a later round). So, while I like Williams, there are better options, both in the second round and later in the draft.

Rabble favored some of the other potential wide receivers, but he does come to the conclusion that the lack of a threat who can "take off the top of a defense" was an appealing need for the Cowboys and Williams erases that hole immediately. Since Terry Glenn (which is the number Williams will wear) there hasn't been a player with the deep speed to open things up underneath and stretch the field.

Terrance's 18.9 yards per catch in 2012 demonstrates that this is a big play wide receiver. Also 34 of his catches went for over 20 yards, while 16 of them went for over 30. Production like that without Robert Griffin III is very impressive.

Depth at wide receiver has been a problem for this team. Kevin Ogletree never grew into the type of player we needed him to be. Miles Austin is a very good receiver when he is on the field, but his nagging injuries have forced the #3 wide receiver into a starting role. In the NFL you need three starting caliber wide receivers, now the Cowboys have four of them. Williams brings big play ability, offers depth, but also offers an option to Austin's cap situation down the road.

We all know that Jason Garrett searches for high character individuals who have the right attitude and mentality. Garrett consulted Williams' head coach at Baylor and Art Briles told him that if the Cowboys drafted Williams they would be getting a steal, but also a great young man who fits the RKG criteria.

When you read scouting reports on Williams, the strengths and weaknesses are very similar to Torrey Smith coming out of Maryland a few years ago. They are similar wide receivers, except that Smith has more quickness off of the line. A better comparison would be Roddy White. It's asking a lot of Williams to become the next White, but I believe they have similar qualities and it's not unrealistic for our new wide receiver to grow into a great NFL player. If he can improve his route running and become a more complete receiver, then we got ourselves another great offensive player.

2013 NFL Draft: Gavin Escobar Draft Grade

2013-05-02T10:00:07Z

Gavin Escobar: B

If you predicted the Cowboys would draft a tight end before the third or fourth round, then you were right on the money. However prior to the draft, selecting a tight end wasn't something that was looked at as a pressing need. Adding a blocking tight end definitely looked like that was a strategy the war room would follow, but they surprised us with the 47th pick and drafted San Diego State tight end Gavin Escobar.

Before we get into the selection of Escobar, let's take a look at some of the players Dallas passed on. There were a lot of good players on the board in the second round. Cornerback wasn't a pressing need, but Jamar Taylor out of Boise State was the perfect fit for Monte Kiffin's scheme.

The two players I was slamming my hands on the table for were Eddie Lacy and Arthur Brown. Jason Garrett's Alabama connection didn't come into play, yet again, and the Cowboys didn't seem to value the powerful running back at 47. Had the Cowboys taken Lacy, man that would be a serious backfield to deal with. Brown was the final player I had a first-round grade on. His addition to the depth chart would give the Cowboys the best linebacker unit in football and the Baltimore Ravens quickly moved up to secure their replacement for Ray Lewis.

One last player the war room passed on was supposedly rumored to be off of their board. Larry Warford could have been selected at 47 and along with Travis Frederick and Tyron Smith, they may have solved a majority of the offensive line issues for a very long time. Warford apparently didn't fit the scheme and was passed over.

The selection of Escobar is an interesting one because of the risk and reward the athletic tight end brings to the offense.

Dallas has swung for the fences on this position in the second round before and had huge misses. Anthony Fasano never panned out, while Martellus Bennett also flamed out and went from a fan favorite to one of the most loathed players on the Cowboys' roster. Give the management credit here, they will not let up on finding the perfect tight end to fit their scheme and give them the ability to run a multiple tight end set.

Even though the past reminds us of the previous horror stories and failures, the reward could be huge. Escobar is a massive target (6'6", 254) that possesses elite ball skills and tremendous hands. His timed speed in the 40 yard dash (4.88) doesn't look appealing, but his pro day time was much better and in the 4.7 range. Obviously that isn't elite, but Escobar plays faster than he times and he was a top performer in all of the quickness drills at the NFL Combine for his position. He's quick out of his breaks, is great at headfakes and is a crisp route runner. Those abilities can allow him to become a serious playmaker.

Some draftniks felt that Escobar had the best hands and ball skills in the draft, such as ESPN analyst Todd McShay.

Ertz and Eifert have very good hands, but best ball skills grade I gave to TEs went to SDSU TE Gavin Escobar
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) February 23, 2013

By now we've come to the conclusion that Dallas is gearing their offense towards the preferences and tastes of Tony Romo. If they envision a New England style of attack that employs multiple tight ends, then Romo is going to be in for a treat. He now has a roster full of dynamic weapons that can either stretch the field or work the middle of it. If Escobar turns out to be the player that Dallas thinks he is, then they may have finally got this multiple tight end thing right.

Because of his ball skills and ability to become a weapon in the red zone, Escobar is a player who can contribute immediately, but he's also the future and long-term option to someday replace Jason Witten. While there were other players available that possibly could have played more and became starters at other positions, the Cowboys did just draft one of the best tight ends in the draft. This is by far our riskiest pick and there is bust factor here, but this kid could also become the next Dennis Pitta.

Just a hunch and I have no truth or facts to back this up, but I believe this was the player the San Francisco 49ers were targeting later in the second round and when he was gone, they engineered another trade to move up and take Rice tight end Vance McDonald at 55. If indeed that was the case, then after getting over on us earlier, it feels good knowing that the 49ers lost their guy.

2013 NFL Draft: Travis Frederick Draft Grade

2013-04-29T17:00:08Z

After a quiet free agent period, the Dallas Cowboys entered the 2013 NFL Draft with the opportunity to improve their football team and get younger. The goal of every draft is simple, get good football players and leave the draft with a better team. In essence, the Cowboys managed to do that and they solved some needs, but they also left some holes open.

Travis Frederick: C+

Part of the problem I had with the trade was that the war room passed on Eric Reid, a player who would have fit a huge need at safety. The San Francisco 49ers are one of the best in the business at evaluating talent, and they clearly felt that Reid was a great prospect who was worth trading up for and could be a difference maker for them in their secondary. If the 49ers were that high on him, then it does concern me that the Cowboys passed on taking Reid at 18.

Maybe the trade chart used by the Cowboys had them as winners, but trading down from 18 to 31 and only picking up a third-round pick doesn't look like a win for Dallas. In the pre-draft presser, Jerry Jones basically announced to the entire league that he wanted to trade down.

"We will be open to improving where we are," Jones said Monday, sitting between head coach Jason Garrett and his son Stephen Jones, the Cowboys’ vice president and director of player personnel. "There’s a lot of depth at a lot of positions in this draft, and so you could maybe get where you want to be at certain positions and gain a pick or gain some collateral there through the trade. That’s what it’s always been about."

"Just my assessment, there’s enough depth in this draft that you sure want to keep your ears open for trades because you very well could get as good or a better player at another level," Jones said. "And I will, and we will have our minds open and we won’t be doing a lot before the draft. When I say doing a lot, probably fielding many calls. It’ll probably be happening right there on draft day."

When he did that, it's possible the franchise lost leverage and a bargaining chip. That also could have played a large role in the negotiation of this trade. Going forward, the general manager and owner should probably consider keeping that type of information bottled up. The trade look forced and rushed, just not natural.

Had they stayed put, Reid or Sharrif Floyd would have been much better picks. One more thing to consider, what if the Cowboys traded up for Sheldon Richardson, Star Lotulelei or Kenny Vaccaro? The way this draft was unfolding, it may not have cost them that much to move up and secure a player that they really wanted and had a high grade on their board.

Trading up isn't a popular theory, but I would have given that serious consideration.

Watching the live feed from the war room, it looked like Jason Garrett and Tom Ciskowski were not pleased with the trade. Ciskowski rarely shows much emotion, and that was one of the first times I have ever seen him look irritated or upset by a move. Brandon Moore of the Dallas Morning News wrote an article and also suggests the same.

Garrett and Cowboys assistant director of player personnel Tom Ciskowski didn’t look happy after Stephen Jones hung up the phone. They were both slumped back in their chairs.

Garrett, at one point, had a blank look across his face as he started rubbing his forehead with his hand. Ciskowski and Stephen Jones also had an animated exchange. It was a rare show of emotion by Ciskowski.

Then there is the actual selection at 31, which I was hoping for Jonathan Cyprien. He was the type of physical safety that has the coverage skills and thumping ability that instantly could have upgraded the secondary. He wasn't the selection, but Cyprien didn't fall to much farther as he went 33rd overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

As for Frederick, he definitely fills a need on the interior of the offensive line, but taking him at 31 may have been a little rich. This kid was a polished Wisconsin offensive lineman that possesses superior strength and football intelligence. He can play either the center or guard position, but the Cowboys currently have him listed as a center. After re-signing Phil Costa and publicly supporting him, maybe the Cowboys are finally coming to the conclusion that they can't be a highly successful team with him under center.

Maybe Frederick will start at guard, but he's probably best at his natural position snapping the football to the quarterback. His strength will be a welcomed sight and Frederick won't get thrown around like a rag doll into the backfield. That means we won't see as much pressure up the middle, which killed us last year, and the running game will also improve. Chance Warmack and Larry Warford had the physical makeup and nasty attitude that many of us wanted to bring to the offensive line, and our new center/guard has that same physicality.

Frederick will also bring a vocal presence and will be able to coordinate the line calls. He is very smart and his ability to diagnose blitzes is another added benefit. This is something that the Dallas offensive line has lacked the past few years. Wisconsin prepared Travis for the NFL, he should have no problem being a vocal leader and making adjustments.

Even though the Cowboys answered a need, this selection and trade didn't look like the best option. The entire situation unfolded in a awkward way and as of right now doesn't look like the best decision. If Frederick develops into an elite center, then a few years from now we can totally say that Dallas made a good move. Considering he was considered by many to be the best center in the draft, then it's not unrealistic that we found an elite lineman, which is something this team desperately needs more of.