Dallas Cowboys Draft Picks 2012: The View Nationally

After our discussion with local writers about the Cowboys draft, we felt it would be good to bring in a national perspective on what Dallas did last week. So here's a Q&A with Dan Kadar, one of the editors over at SB Nation's excellent NFL draft blog Mocking the Draft. For a look at how the SB Nation Dallas crew answered the same questions, click here.

1) How good will Morris Claiborne have to be to be worth giving up a second round draft pick? What's a realistic expectation for him as a rookie?

If Morris Claiborne turns out to be a very good starter for a long time (say eight to 10 years), it will be worth the pick. For people like me, giving up a second-round pick seems steep. But for Jerry Jones it may not be. The Cowboys haven't hit on many second-round picks over the last decade. So if they viewed Claiborne as not only the best cornerback, but one of the best players, in this draft, then it's a good move. The realistic expectation for him should be the same as Patrick Peterson last year. He'll go through some trials in coverage, but should show glimpses of why he was drafted so high.

2) On the whole, how well do you think Dallas did this year? How many starters will eventually come from this class?

Right now, I'd guess the Cowboys only drafted one surefire starter this year. It depends how the rest pan out, especially Tyrone Crawford and Kyle Wilber. Those two were especially good scheme fits for the Cowboys in Rob Ryan's defense.

3) Which second or third day player the Cowboys drafted most intrigues you?

The Crawford pick in the third round intrigues me the most. Ryan likes to use sub-packages on the defensive line where he puts in an undersized nose tackle to get penetration. Crawford may be perfect for a spot like that one. He wasn't a draft pick, but I'm interested to see what they can get out of UDFA RB Darrell Scott. He was a star out of high school, but never put it together in college. The physical skills with him are obvious, though. I think offensive tackle Levy Adcock could stick as well, so long as he learns how to transition out of a wide, two-point stance spread.

4) Are there any position areas you think Dallas should have addressed in the draft that they didn't?

Not taking a running back was a little surprising. It's risky to rely on DeMarco Murray and Felix Jones as the top two running backs. Both are a little too inconsistent to really be considered a No. 1 running back. Murray, though, has the potential to be a solid top option.

5) What's the biggest question mark on this team's roster headed into mini-camps?

The quality of play for the front three on defense will be interesting to follow. Kenyon Coleman is really getting up there in age, which is why I initially expected them to look at end in the first round. Jay Ratliff is still good, though he's getting up there in experience as well.

6) Going to put you on the spot. Give me a win/lossrecord for the Cowboys next season.

As always, the record for Dallas will always be related to the play of Tony Romo. If he has a bad year, they may only be a six-win team. If he has a good year, there's no reason to doubt a 12-4 record for the Cowboys.