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Line of Sight
Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
(Editor's Note: As the April 28-30 NFL Draft approaches, DallasCowboys.com's 12-part Draft Series will analyze every position, the Cowboys' needs, who might be available for their eight picks and some interesting draft nuggets. Part 7 will feature defensive line.)
Position Outlook: It's well-documented by now - defensive line is a primary need based on numbers.
Three of the Cowboys' top four defensive ends are scheduled for free agency: starter Marcus Spears and key backups Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher. The terms of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement have not been reached, but all three would be unrestricted free agents under the previous system that required only four accrued seasons. The Cowboys were able to sign all three to one-year contracts last offseason due to the 2010 uncapped rules (six accrued seasons for eligibility) that kept them restricted free agents.
Without Spears, the Cowboys would need a new full-time starter. Without Bowen and Hatcher, they'd have to replace their top two rotation players in the base 3-4 scheme. And Bowen was also a regular in the nickel package's four-man line.
Pro Bowler Jay Ratliff does provide some versatility. New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has said Ratliff will remain at nose tackle, but he started his career at defensive end and could always play there in a pinch. Ryan is known for shuffling around players in different situations, so drafting a nose tackle is also conceivable.
On the surface, though, the Cowboys have more stability in the middle with Ratliff and second-year backup Josh Brent, a 2010 supplemental seventh-round pick.
Draft Prospects: Like offensive line, D-line is loaded at the top of this year's class. Alabama's Marcell Dareus is a possible No. 1 pick and shouldn't last past Buffalo at No. 3. Auburn's Nick Fairley might be slipping slightly due to weight and 'one-year wonder' concerns but he's still a likely top-eight selection.
That's OK. The Cowboys will have other options if they want an end or nose tackle at No. 9 (or a trade-down scenario).
Wisconsin's J.J. Watt (6-4, 290) was a high-motor, high-production end who has the proper frame for a 3-4 scheme. California's Cameron Jordan played every line position in the Bears' 3-4, and Temple's Muhammad Wilkerson also showed versatility in college. Concerns about Da'Quan Bowers' knee have dropped the Clemson star's stock - he was tabbed as a potential top overall pick after the season - but he could be a steal if he can stay healthy. Iowa's Christian Ballard and Ohio State's Cameron Heyward could be late-first or early-second selections.
At nose tackle, Illinois' Corey Liuget is a disruptive run-stuffer who might be taken by the middle of the first. Baylor's Phil Taylor also has gotten first-round hype due to exceptional agility for his size (6-3, 330). Hampton's Kenrick Ellis is a classic 345-pound, cruise-ship sized 3-4 nose. He could go anywhere from the second to fourth round. Same for South Florida's Terrell McClain.
Eventually Available Vets: All signs point to Spears testing the market whenever the new league year begins, and his 3-4 experience could prove valuable on the open market as more teams switch to a three-man front. The Cowboys placed second-round tenders on Bowen and Hatcher ($1.9 million) in case the new rules make them restricted free agents.
Elsewhere around the league, Green Bay's Cullen Jenkins and the Jets' Shaun Ellis would be the most prominent 3-4 ends to hit free agency. Both have reached their 30s, however, which could limit their long-term earning potential.
Haloti Ngata would be the top free-agent nose tackle if the Ravens' franchise tag is barred under a new CBA, but he's likely to stay in Baltimore regardless. San Francisco's Aubrayo Franklin has thrived in the 49ers' 3-4. Seattle's Brandon Mebane could qualify for free agency under the next labor agreement. At 38, Minnesota's Pat Williams is reaching the end of the line.
Draft Nuggets: Jordan's dad, Steve, was a six-time Pro Bowl tight end for Minnesota (1982-94) … Heyward is the son of the late Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, a running back for the Saints and four other NFL teams … North Carolina suspended nose tackle Marvin Austin last September for team rules violations and then dismissed him from the team in October amid an ongoing NCAA investigation into potential eligibility violations. He could be a Day 2 selection.
Look Back: Randy Moss doesn't seem to remember the other 19 teams who passed on him in the 1998 NFL Draft - just the Cowboys.
Dallas loved Moss' talent but passed on him due to off-the-field issues. At No. 8, they took North Carolina defensive end Greg Ellis, and the two players have been linked in Cowboys lore ever since.
Although Moss developed into a potential Hall of Fame selection, Ellis' career was hardly forgettable. He played 11 years in Dallas, including the final three as a 3-4 outside linebacker, and left with the eighth-most sacks in franchise history (77).
Up Next: Inside linebacker
Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
(Editor's Note: As the April 28-30 NFL Draft approaches, DallasCowboys.com's 12-part Draft Series will analyze every position, the Cowboys' needs, who might be available for their eight picks and some interesting draft nuggets. Part 7 will feature defensive line.)
Position Outlook: It's well-documented by now - defensive line is a primary need based on numbers.
Three of the Cowboys' top four defensive ends are scheduled for free agency: starter Marcus Spears and key backups Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher. The terms of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement have not been reached, but all three would be unrestricted free agents under the previous system that required only four accrued seasons. The Cowboys were able to sign all three to one-year contracts last offseason due to the 2010 uncapped rules (six accrued seasons for eligibility) that kept them restricted free agents.
Without Spears, the Cowboys would need a new full-time starter. Without Bowen and Hatcher, they'd have to replace their top two rotation players in the base 3-4 scheme. And Bowen was also a regular in the nickel package's four-man line.
Pro Bowler Jay Ratliff does provide some versatility. New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has said Ratliff will remain at nose tackle, but he started his career at defensive end and could always play there in a pinch. Ryan is known for shuffling around players in different situations, so drafting a nose tackle is also conceivable.
On the surface, though, the Cowboys have more stability in the middle with Ratliff and second-year backup Josh Brent, a 2010 supplemental seventh-round pick.
Draft Prospects: Like offensive line, D-line is loaded at the top of this year's class. Alabama's Marcell Dareus is a possible No. 1 pick and shouldn't last past Buffalo at No. 3. Auburn's Nick Fairley might be slipping slightly due to weight and 'one-year wonder' concerns but he's still a likely top-eight selection.
That's OK. The Cowboys will have other options if they want an end or nose tackle at No. 9 (or a trade-down scenario).
Wisconsin's J.J. Watt (6-4, 290) was a high-motor, high-production end who has the proper frame for a 3-4 scheme. California's Cameron Jordan played every line position in the Bears' 3-4, and Temple's Muhammad Wilkerson also showed versatility in college. Concerns about Da'Quan Bowers' knee have dropped the Clemson star's stock - he was tabbed as a potential top overall pick after the season - but he could be a steal if he can stay healthy. Iowa's Christian Ballard and Ohio State's Cameron Heyward could be late-first or early-second selections.
At nose tackle, Illinois' Corey Liuget is a disruptive run-stuffer who might be taken by the middle of the first. Baylor's Phil Taylor also has gotten first-round hype due to exceptional agility for his size (6-3, 330). Hampton's Kenrick Ellis is a classic 345-pound, cruise-ship sized 3-4 nose. He could go anywhere from the second to fourth round. Same for South Florida's Terrell McClain.
Eventually Available Vets: All signs point to Spears testing the market whenever the new league year begins, and his 3-4 experience could prove valuable on the open market as more teams switch to a three-man front. The Cowboys placed second-round tenders on Bowen and Hatcher ($1.9 million) in case the new rules make them restricted free agents.
Elsewhere around the league, Green Bay's Cullen Jenkins and the Jets' Shaun Ellis would be the most prominent 3-4 ends to hit free agency. Both have reached their 30s, however, which could limit their long-term earning potential.
Haloti Ngata would be the top free-agent nose tackle if the Ravens' franchise tag is barred under a new CBA, but he's likely to stay in Baltimore regardless. San Francisco's Aubrayo Franklin has thrived in the 49ers' 3-4. Seattle's Brandon Mebane could qualify for free agency under the next labor agreement. At 38, Minnesota's Pat Williams is reaching the end of the line.
Draft Nuggets: Jordan's dad, Steve, was a six-time Pro Bowl tight end for Minnesota (1982-94) … Heyward is the son of the late Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, a running back for the Saints and four other NFL teams … North Carolina suspended nose tackle Marvin Austin last September for team rules violations and then dismissed him from the team in October amid an ongoing NCAA investigation into potential eligibility violations. He could be a Day 2 selection.
Look Back: Randy Moss doesn't seem to remember the other 19 teams who passed on him in the 1998 NFL Draft - just the Cowboys.
Dallas loved Moss' talent but passed on him due to off-the-field issues. At No. 8, they took North Carolina defensive end Greg Ellis, and the two players have been linked in Cowboys lore ever since.
Although Moss developed into a potential Hall of Fame selection, Ellis' career was hardly forgettable. He played 11 years in Dallas, including the final three as a 3-4 outside linebacker, and left with the eighth-most sacks in franchise history (77).
Up Next: Inside linebacker