(Last
Updated: Include the 1st round draft pick trade to Seattle)
This mock draft is our predictions on who the Cowboys will draft.
Keep in mind that the Cowboys don't build for the future. Jerry Jones doesn't
care at all what happens in 2004, and we don't look for players that need development
because the Cowboys have proven to be incapable of developing talent since the
departure of Jimmy, the draft guru, Johnson.
Looking at our draft selection contest, one must figure that the
most likely choice in the second round will be a cornerback. We have taken a
little heat for our selection of Soward in the second round, but we stand by
the selection and realize that a difference of opinion is what makes mock drafts
fun. While the Dallas Cowboys have needs at cornerback and linebacker, you cannot
simply draft for need. When you do draft for need-- you get Shante Carver. Besides,
our logic is simple. Blast defenses with speed! Apply pressure down the field
because even with the best cornerback ever to play the game last season-- the
Dallas Cowboys simply couldn't score points. If they are to lose, an entertaining
34-31 shoot-out defeat would be better than the string of 13-10 losses the Cowboys
seem to consistently suffer. Do you disagree? Sound off in the message area!
Have your own mock draft? Put a little effort and commentary into
it, and we'll post it online here. Send your
version to Dallas Cowboys Mock
Draft. Have a NFL mock draft? We'll post it, too! Now, on to the Dallas
Cowboys 2000 Mock Draft...
First Round: WR - Joey
Galloway - Obtained In Trade - Seattle Seahawks
Needing
speed, the Dallas Cowboys traded for Galloway the second the free agency period
began, and then worked out a seven-year $42 million deal that allowed not only
for the Cowboys to acquire the premiere free agent wide receiver, but it kept
him off the Washington Redskins roster. Still, for a team with needs at multiple
positions, two first-round selections is a high price to pay. The Seattle Seahawks
receive the #19 pick in the 2000 draft and the Cowboys first round pick in 2001
from a Dallas team that already owes the Seahawks their 2000 third-round selection
because of a trade for wide receiver James McKnight. McKnight, as you may recall,
was traded before the 1999 season to the Cowboys, but suffered a torn ACL in
the preseason and was lost for the year. Still in his prime, Galloway brings
NFL experience to the Cowboys, and unlike a rookie, the adjustment and learning
curve will be minimal. Furthermore, had the Cowboys attempted to move up in
the draft to select FSU start Peter Warrick or MSU Plaxico Burress, it would
have cost them more than their #1 and #2 draft selections in the 2000 draft.
As is, they get their star and the payment to spread out over two seasons. Great
move Dallas Cowboys!
Second Round: WR - R.
Jay Soward - University of Southern California Trojans
Speed Kills!
And the lack of speed and depth at wide receiver is something that has just
killed the Dallas Cowboys since the departure of Alvin Harper. R. Jay Soward
can fly, and he catches a touchdown every eight catches or so. Sure, the Cowboys
need cornerbacks. However, even with Deion Sanders in the secondary in 1999
Dallas could not move the ball offensively because of the injury to Michael
Irvin, James McKnight, and the lack of depth behind him. And sure, the Cowboys
have Rocket Ismail, Joey Galloway, Jason Tucker, and McKnight. However, an injury
to any of these players would leave them thin at wide receiver again. Soward
is also a dangerous kickoff and punt punt-returner which is something the Cowboys
need if Deion Sanders leaves. From the slot, in single coverage because of the
outside threats of Galloway and Ismail, Soward would have every opportunity
to make big plays. Former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz said about Soward:
"He's one of the great receivers I've seen. Throw him a 4-yard hitch and
he can turn it into a 70-yard gain. He reminds me so much of Raghib Ismail,
the way he does things with his quickness, abilities and talent".Whatever
happens in the draft, we are convinced Soward will be an impact player in the
NFL. And for sure, PAC-10 coaches ar glad to see him enter the NFL. California
head coach Tom Holmoe simply said: "We just couldn't stop him." Oregon head
coach Mike Bellotti: "R. Jay Soward is probably the most dangerous player in
the conference. He forces you to do things you don't want to do and commit more
to cover him." The Cowboys signed Ismail last year because they said he
could stretch the field. They traded for Galloway because he could score at
any moment. Looking closely at Soward's statistics, he reminds me of a mix between
Joey Galloway and Raghib Ismail. At USC, he scored a touchdown thirty-two times
out of 274 plays. He has scored twenty-three touchdowns receiving and three
touchdowns each on kickoff returns, punt returns, and reverses. Hitting for
long gains is normal for Soward as he has made nineteen plays of sixty yards
or more and six for eighty yards or more. With six games of over 200 multipurpose
yards, he would be dangerous. If Jerry Jones zeros in on Soward like we think
he will, it would not be surprising for him to give up a fourth-round selection
to move up in the second round and draft Soward. Every draft it seems Jones
gives up a draft pick to move up in the draft. However, at least Jones is honest
when he says he does it because he gets nervous!
Other players of interest: To
start, there could be a handful of cornerbacks that interest the Cowboys with
Deltha O'Neil leading the way currently if you poll Cowboys faithful
on this site. However, a recent 4.3 forty-yard dash time probably made O'Neil
a first-round draft selection. Still other options are cornerbacks Mario
Edwards, Dwayne Goodrich, and Lewis Sanders who all could still be
available when the Cowboys select. Another option available could be Ohio St.
linebacker Na'il Diggs who also could be available. I've seen Diggs listed
anywhere from the first to the fourth round, but with Dexter Coakley scheduled
to become an unrestricted free agent next year, some solid depth at linebacker
would be advisable-- especially since Coakley will be offered $5 million plus
per year by everyone except the Dallas Cowboys. You could see one of the few
times in history that the Cowboys use their franchise tag and big-bucks on a
linebacker! Those critical of our Soward selection suggest that what is needed
if this selection is used for a receiver is a possession receiver. In this draft,
that is a direct reference to UCLA receiver Danny Farmer. Pointing out
that the Cowboys already have two speed receivers in Galloway and Ismail, Farmer
would be the type of player to get you the dirty yards in the middle of the
field, and be a mismatch for any linebacker in downfield coverage. There is
merit to this argument, and with his size and speed combination (6' 3"
- 212 lbs. sub-4.6 forty-yard time), he could be the player Eric Bjornson never
was. A player with character, Farmer was voted the offensive winner of UCLA's
Red Sanders Award for Most Valuable Player. And finally-- would the Cowboys
take a run at All-World place-kicker Sebastian Janikowski? By the time
of the draft he should have a criminal record, which would qualify him as a
Calvin Hill off-the-field problem child.
Third Round: WR - James
McKnight - Obtained In Trade - Seattle Seahawks
In an attempt
to bring some depth and speed to the Cowboys receiving group after a terrible
1998 season, the Cowboys traded a 2000 third-round selection to the Seattle
Seahawks for wide receiver James McKnight. At the time, that seemed to be a
high draft pick for a player deep in the doghouse because of numerous drops
in mini-camps. Seattle Seahawks' GM and Head Coach Mike Holmgren watched McKnight
drop a pass during one of the Seahawks mini-camps and simple said: "If you play
receiver here, you have to catch the ball. If you can't catch the ball, you
can't play. And that's pretty much a fact." At the time, McKnight was fourth
on the depth chart, and close to being released in our opinion. Little-used
his first three seasons, he did put together a decent season in 1997, and he
has had an impressive yards-per-catch average throughout his career. As the
Dallas Cowboys third or fourth receiver, he could benefit by defenses devoting
attention to wideouts Ismail and Galloway. A repeat of his 1997 season statistics
would bring a smile to most of those in the Dallas Cowboys organization. However,
it's yet to be seen if his speed will return after his torn ACL, and another
wide receiver acquisition in free agency or the draft would be wise. How unfortunate
was this trade? There is no doubt in our mind that each and every player drafted
in the third-round of the 2000 NFL draft would have been a better selection
than James McKnight! Quarterback prospects Giovanni Carmazzi or Tee Martin would
have been nice development selection here, too. Oops, we used the D_Word
and the Dallas Cowboys in the same sentence. Sorry!
Fourth Round: FS
- Gary Berry - Ohio St.
Again, speed!
Gary Berry runs a sub-4.4 forty-yard dash. He has the speed to cover wide receivers,
and he has the size to make the tackle at the point of attack. Berry played
cornerback early in his career, but showing that he was coachable and a team
player, he switched to free safety when asked to by coaches after numerous injuries
at the position. With depth in the Dallas Cowboys secondary a problem, Berry
could push for playing time right away-- but that seems unlikely given that
the Cowboys re-signed f George Teague. Still, Teague has experienced injuries,
as well as a history of a bad play for every two great plays. Teague also received
what has been referenced as "less than a $1 million signing bonus",
so a strong performance by Berry could push Teague. In post-season play, he
stood out with his smooth play in the East West Shrine games. At Ohio St., he
teamed with Ahmed Plummer in what was one of the top secondary in the Big 10,
and getting Berry at this point in the draft would be very good value. Looking
back, many of the starting defensive backs in the NFL are mid-to-late round
selections, and it is our opinion that the Cowboys should devote the remainder
of their draft to defensive back players, but they won't!
Other players of interest:Kareem Larrimore from West Texas A&M
is a name being mentioned more and more around this spot, too.
Somewhere in the fourth to fifth round, but he's been moving up so the Cowboys
would probably need to use this pick if they really want Larrimore and his 4.34
40-yard speed. With speed like that you can see why the Cowboys would be interested.
At 5' 11" and 190 lbs., he has decent size, and his cover skills are as
good as anyone that will go in the second-round. However, he played at a small
college, which means he must clearly be better to rate with the corners in the
SEC, Big 10, PAC 10, and Big East. Another cornerback, Hank Poteat from
Pittsburgh could also be a target in the fourth to fifth round area, but he
is rather small at a shade under 5' 10". The Cowboys like bigger cornerbacks,
but if corners start flying off the board, the Cowboys may feel a need to grab
Poteat.
The fourth round of the draft is always funny in that teams get to regroup
and adjust their draft boards because only the first three rounds are completed
on Saturday. On Sunday, when the fourth round starts, there actually are trades
by teams attempting to move up to a top-ten selection in the fourth round because
they see a players who they thought was a surefire second or third rounder,
but has fallen for whatever reason. It's not likely that the Cowboys move-up
in the fourth, but there is the possibility that they trade this pick to move
up in the second-round if they like a player, but feel he will be selected before
their second-round slot. Jerry Jones gets nervous, and has traded-up twice when
we thought the player he was after would have still been available without a
trade. Once when drafting TE David LaFleur, and then again last year when they
gave up their fourth-round selection in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks so
they could move-up and draft Ebenezer Ekuban.
Fifth Round: DE - Brian
Young- Texas, El Paso
WAC Defensive
Player of the Year and first team All-WAC for the second straight season. A
productive player from a school not usually given much respect. Players must
be even better than gold to get respect. A very strong person, he bench presses
435, squats 675, presses 280 behind his neck, and he runs a 4.76 40-yard dash.
Young led UTEP in total tackles (121, 10.1 per game), sacks (eight for 61 yards),
tackles for losses (16 for 82 yards) and quarterback hurries (20). With Greg
Ellis questionable to start the season and Kavika Pittman leaving for the Broncos,
Brian Young would provide depth. In the fifth round, this would be great value.
A hard worker, he has improved each and every year. Teaming with another possible
NFL draftee, DT Leif Larson, they anchored the defensive line at UTEP.
Larson by the way is 6' 4" and weighs 305 pounds. He also lifted 225 pounds
a scouting combine best 45 times, which was also one of the best efforts ever
at the scouting combine. To picture Larson, think of the Russian boxer in Rocky
IV.
Other players of interest:
With the signing of Underwood, the Cowboys have
solved their depth problem at DE. Yeah, right! But, for the sake of this discussion,
let's consider that the Cowboys are satisfied with Underwood, and thus far in
the draft have used selections on players other than linebackers. One linebacker
who could be available is LB Dhani Jones from Michigan. He's one of those
players who would be worth the pick simply for special teams purposes because
he is known to fly down the field and abuse his body to make plays. With the
ability to play all three linebacker positions, he's played well against good
competition. Against Wisconsin, he stopped Ron Dayne three times for losses.
And in the Orange Bowl, he stopped Alabama star running back Shaun Alexander
twice for losses. Like Cowboys' linebacker Dat Nguyen, he has good instincts
and shows little wasted movement toward the ball. The more I read about him,
the more I like him here.
Sixth Round: CB - Sedrick Curry- Texas
A&M
Continuing the DB theme, Texas
A&M cornerback Sedrick Curry is one player close to home that could find
himself with a star on his helmet. Considered a very late-round selection or
free agent type player before the scouting combine, Curry ran a fantastic 4.46
forty-yard dash. At over 6' 1" and nearly 200 pounds, the Cowboys would
be very fortunate to find Curry available in the sixth round. With his super
workout, he likely made himself hundreds of thousands of dollars because he
now looks to be a solid mid-round draft pick. A recent visitor to this site
said: "Everyone is talking about Rashard Anderson being a great big
CB with speed, but looking at the combine info, Curry has better stats then
Anderson (and only an inch shorter) and I would rather take a long shot from
A&M then from Jackson St." Daniel definately has a good point!
Other players of interest:
Looking to add some depth, the Cowboys could select a player who has had some
injury problems, but fits the mold as a big cornerback at 6' 3" and 196
lbs. Michael Hawthorne missed time the past two years with a bad back
and hamstring injuries, he recorded nine tackles with two for losses in Purdue's
overtime loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the Outback Bowl. With his size, he
could work in the nickel and be available when Kevin Mathis and Kevin Smith
experience their usual injuries.
Seventh Round: OLB - Shannon Taylor -
Virginia
A very strong
and fast linebacker, Taylor is raw, but has the style to be a backup behind
Hambrick. Recently timed at 4.59 in the 40 yard dash at nearly 250 pounds. He
has shown the ability to drop back in pass coverage, and also support the run.
While only getting extensive starts in 1999, he would be valuable on special
team, too. A super seventh round selection.
Needing
speed, the Dallas Cowboys traded for Galloway the second the free agency period
began, and then worked out a seven-year $42 million deal that allowed not only
for the Cowboys to acquire the premiere free agent wide receiver, but it kept
him off the Washington Redskins roster. Still, for a team with needs at multiple
positions, two first-round selections is a high price to pay. The Seattle Seahawks
receive the #19 pick in the 2000 draft and the Cowboys first round pick in 2001
from a Dallas team that already owes the Seahawks their 2000 third-round selection
because of a trade for wide receiver James McKnight. McKnight, as you may recall,
was traded before the 1999 season to the Cowboys, but suffered a torn ACL in
the preseason and was lost for the year. Still in his prime, Galloway brings
NFL experience to the Cowboys, and unlike a rookie, the adjustment and learning
curve will be minimal. Furthermore, had the Cowboys attempted to move up in
the draft to select FSU start Peter Warrick or MSU Plaxico Burress, it would
have cost them more than their #1 and #2 draft selections in the 2000 draft.
As is, they get their star and the payment to spread out over two seasons. Great
move Dallas Cowboys!
Speed Kills!
And the lack of speed and depth at wide receiver is something that has just
killed the Dallas Cowboys since the departure of Alvin Harper. R. Jay Soward
can fly, and he catches a touchdown every eight catches or so. Sure, the Cowboys
need cornerbacks. However, even with Deion Sanders in the secondary in 1999
Dallas could not move the ball offensively because of the injury to Michael
Irvin, James McKnight, and the lack of depth behind him. And sure, the Cowboys
have Rocket Ismail, Joey Galloway, Jason Tucker, and McKnight. However, an injury
to any of these players would leave them thin at wide receiver again. Soward
is also a dangerous kickoff and punt punt-returner which is something the Cowboys
need if Deion Sanders leaves. From the slot, in single coverage because of the
outside threats of Galloway and Ismail, Soward would have every opportunity
to make big plays. Former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz said about Soward:
"He's one of the great receivers I've seen. Throw him a 4-yard hitch and
he can turn it into a 70-yard gain. He reminds me so much of Raghib Ismail,
the way he does things with his quickness, abilities and talent".Whatever
happens in the draft, we are convinced Soward will be an impact player in the
NFL. And for sure, PAC-10 coaches ar glad to see him enter the NFL. California
head coach Tom Holmoe simply said: "We just couldn't stop him." Oregon head
coach Mike Bellotti: "R. Jay Soward is probably the most dangerous player in
the conference. He forces you to do things you don't want to do and commit more
to cover him." The Cowboys signed Ismail last year because they said he
could stretch the field. They traded for Galloway because he could score at
any moment. Looking closely at Soward's statistics, he reminds me of a mix between
Joey Galloway and Raghib Ismail. At USC, he scored a touchdown thirty-two times
out of 274 plays. He has scored twenty-three touchdowns receiving and three
touchdowns each on kickoff returns, punt returns, and reverses. Hitting for
long gains is normal for Soward as he has made nineteen plays of sixty yards
or more and six for eighty yards or more. With six games of over 200 multipurpose
yards, he would be dangerous. If Jerry Jones zeros in on Soward like we think
he will, it would not be surprising for him to give up a fourth-round selection
to move up in the second round and draft Soward. Every draft it seems Jones
gives up a draft pick to move up in the draft. However, at least Jones is honest
when he says he does it because he gets nervous! 
In an attempt
to bring some depth and speed to the Cowboys receiving group after a terrible
1998 season, the Cowboys traded a 2000 third-round selection to the Seattle
Seahawks for wide receiver James McKnight. At the time, that seemed to be a
high draft pick for a player deep in the doghouse because of numerous drops
in mini-camps. Seattle Seahawks' GM and Head Coach Mike Holmgren watched McKnight
drop a pass during one of the Seahawks mini-camps and simple said: "If you play
receiver here, you have to catch the ball. If you can't catch the ball, you
can't play. And that's pretty much a fact." At the time, McKnight was fourth
on the depth chart, and close to being released in our opinion. Little-used
his first three seasons, he did put together a decent season in 1997, and he
has had an impressive yards-per-catch average throughout his career. As the
Dallas Cowboys third or fourth receiver, he could benefit by defenses devoting
attention to wideouts Ismail and Galloway. A repeat of his 1997 season statistics
would bring a smile to most of those in the Dallas Cowboys organization. However,
it's yet to be seen if his speed will return after his torn ACL, and another
wide receiver acquisition in free agency or the draft would be wise. How unfortunate
was this trade? There is no doubt in our mind that each and every player drafted
in the third-round of the 2000 NFL draft would have been a better selection
than James McKnight! Quarterback prospects Giovanni Carmazzi or Tee Martin would
have been nice development selection here, too. Oops, we used the D_Word
and the Dallas Cowboys in the same sentence. Sorry!
Again, speed!
Gary Berry runs a sub-4.4 forty-yard dash. He has the speed to cover wide receivers,
and he has the size to make the tackle at the point of attack. Berry played
cornerback early in his career, but showing that he was coachable and a team
player, he switched to free safety when asked to by coaches after numerous injuries
at the position. With depth in the Dallas Cowboys secondary a problem, Berry
could push for playing time right away-- but that seems unlikely given that
the Cowboys re-signed f George Teague. Still, Teague has experienced injuries,
as well as a history of a bad play for every two great plays. Teague also received
what has been referenced as "less than a $1 million signing bonus",
so a strong performance by Berry could push Teague. In post-season play, he
stood out with his smooth play in the East West Shrine games. At Ohio St., he
teamed with Ahmed Plummer in what was one of the top secondary in the Big 10,
and getting Berry at this point in the draft would be very good value. Looking
back, many of the starting defensive backs in the NFL are mid-to-late round
selections, and it is our opinion that the Cowboys should devote the remainder
of their draft to defensive back players, but they won't!
WAC Defensive
Player of the Year and first team All-WAC for the second straight season. A
productive player from a school not usually given much respect. Players must
be even better than gold to get respect. A very strong person, he bench presses
435, squats 675, presses 280 behind his neck, and he runs a 4.76 40-yard dash.
Young led UTEP in total tackles (121, 10.1 per game), sacks (eight for 61 yards),
tackles for losses (16 for 82 yards) and quarterback hurries (20). With Greg
Ellis questionable to start the season and Kavika Pittman leaving for the Broncos,
Brian Young would provide depth. In the fifth round, this would be great value.
A hard worker, he has improved each and every year. Teaming with another possible
NFL draftee, DT Leif Larson, they anchored the defensive line at UTEP.
Larson by the way is 6' 4" and weighs 305 pounds. He also lifted 225 pounds
a scouting combine best 45 times, which was also one of the best efforts ever
at the scouting combine. To picture Larson, think of the Russian boxer in Rocky
IV. 
Continuing the DB theme, Texas
A&M cornerback Sedrick Curry is one player close to home that could find
himself with a star on his helmet. Considered a very late-round selection or
free agent type player before the scouting combine, Curry ran a fantastic 4.46
forty-yard dash. At over 6' 1" and nearly 200 pounds, the Cowboys would
be very fortunate to find Curry available in the sixth round. With his super
workout, he likely made himself hundreds of thousands of dollars because he
now looks to be a solid mid-round draft pick. A recent visitor to this site
said: "Everyone is talking about Rashard Anderson being a great big
CB with speed, but looking at the combine info, Curry has better stats then
Anderson (and only an inch shorter) and I would rather take a long shot from
A&M then from Jackson St." Daniel definately has a good point!
A very strong
and fast linebacker, Taylor is raw, but has the style to be a backup behind
Hambrick. Recently timed at 4.59 in the 40 yard dash at nearly 250 pounds. He
has shown the ability to drop back in pass coverage, and also support the run.
While only getting extensive starts in 1999, he would be valuable on special
team, too. A super seventh round selection.
