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Vela - Cowboys Draft 2011: Time to Reverse the 2nd Round Curse
Cowboys Draft 2011: Time to Reverse the 2nd Round Curse
Posted by Rafael at Friday, April 22, 2011
The Cowboys have fared well with their 1st round picks in recent years. Terence Newman, Demarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins, Dez Bryant. Not all are superstars, but they've all stuck and become starters for the squad.
The 2nd round is another matter. This area is traditionally rich in near star-caliber players, and should be the place where you find solid starters. Look at Jimmy Johnson's 2nd rounders -- Daryl Johnston, Alex Wright, Dixon Edwards, Jimmy Smith, Darren Woodson, Kevin Williams, Darren Smith. Wright busted, but Johnston, Edwards and Woodson helped form the backbone of a championship squad. Jimmy Smith had a splendid career in Jacksonville.
The 2nd-round results have been less than stellar in Cowboys land this century:
2000 -- Dwayne Goodrich
2001 -- Quincy Carter and Tony Dixon
2002 -- Andre Gurode and Antonio Bryant
2003 -- Al Johnson
2004 -- Julius Jones and Jacob Rogers
2005 -- Kevin Burnett
2006 -- Anthony Fasano
2007 -- no pick
2008 -- Martellus Bennett
2009 -- no pick
2010 -- Sean Lee
This list will make your teeth hurt. Only one consistent, above-average starter for the team, that being Gurode, way back in 2002. Burnett was a good nickel linebacker and Julius Jones teased potential for a season, but Dallas needs Sean Lee to emerge to get that quality starter number up to two. Compare this mess to the division rivals' picks:
Eagles
2000 -- Todd Pinkston
2001 -- Quinton Caver
2002 -- Michael Lewis, Sheldon Brown
2003 -- L.J. Smith
2004 -- no pick
2005 -- Reggie Brown, Matt McCoy
2006 -- Winston Justice
2007 -- Kevin Kolb, Victor Abiamiri
2008 -- Trevor Laws, DeSean Jackson
2009 -- LeSean McCoy
2010 -- Nate Allen
They've gotten more bang for the buck in Philly, especially the last five years.
Giants
2000 -- Cornelius Griffin
2001 -- no pick
2002 -- Tim Carter
2003 -- Osi Umenyiora
2004 -- Chris Snee
2005 -- Corey Webster
2006 -- Sinorice Moss
2007 -- Steve Smith
2008 -- Terrell Thomas
2009 -- Clint Simtim, William Beatty
2010 -- Linval Joseph
Spotty early in the decade, but a strong six-year run where five starters -- Umenyiora, Snee, Webster, Smith and Thomas, were found.
The Redskins, the crazy Dan Snyder Redskins, have dealt their 2nd rounder away in six of the last eleven drafts, but they arguably have picked better than or as "well'' there as the Cowboys:
Redskins
2001 -- Fred Smoot
2002 -- Ladell Betts
2003 -- Taylor Jacobs
2006 -- Rocky McIntosh
2008 -- Devin Thomas, Fred Davis, Malcolm Kelly
Dallas doesn't do the 2nd round. This is why a trade up, any trade up, makes me nervous. A big hit in the first will get everybody excited, but taking a 3rd round pick away lessens the chances that Dallas will do much more than that initial selection. That's not enough.
Cowboys Draft 2011: Time to Reverse the 2nd Round Curse
Posted by Rafael at Friday, April 22, 2011
The Cowboys have fared well with their 1st round picks in recent years. Terence Newman, Demarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins, Dez Bryant. Not all are superstars, but they've all stuck and become starters for the squad.
The 2nd round is another matter. This area is traditionally rich in near star-caliber players, and should be the place where you find solid starters. Look at Jimmy Johnson's 2nd rounders -- Daryl Johnston, Alex Wright, Dixon Edwards, Jimmy Smith, Darren Woodson, Kevin Williams, Darren Smith. Wright busted, but Johnston, Edwards and Woodson helped form the backbone of a championship squad. Jimmy Smith had a splendid career in Jacksonville.
The 2nd-round results have been less than stellar in Cowboys land this century:
2000 -- Dwayne Goodrich
2001 -- Quincy Carter and Tony Dixon
2002 -- Andre Gurode and Antonio Bryant
2003 -- Al Johnson
2004 -- Julius Jones and Jacob Rogers
2005 -- Kevin Burnett
2006 -- Anthony Fasano
2007 -- no pick
2008 -- Martellus Bennett
2009 -- no pick
2010 -- Sean Lee
This list will make your teeth hurt. Only one consistent, above-average starter for the team, that being Gurode, way back in 2002. Burnett was a good nickel linebacker and Julius Jones teased potential for a season, but Dallas needs Sean Lee to emerge to get that quality starter number up to two. Compare this mess to the division rivals' picks:
Eagles
2000 -- Todd Pinkston
2001 -- Quinton Caver
2002 -- Michael Lewis, Sheldon Brown
2003 -- L.J. Smith
2004 -- no pick
2005 -- Reggie Brown, Matt McCoy
2006 -- Winston Justice
2007 -- Kevin Kolb, Victor Abiamiri
2008 -- Trevor Laws, DeSean Jackson
2009 -- LeSean McCoy
2010 -- Nate Allen
They've gotten more bang for the buck in Philly, especially the last five years.
Giants
2000 -- Cornelius Griffin
2001 -- no pick
2002 -- Tim Carter
2003 -- Osi Umenyiora
2004 -- Chris Snee
2005 -- Corey Webster
2006 -- Sinorice Moss
2007 -- Steve Smith
2008 -- Terrell Thomas
2009 -- Clint Simtim, William Beatty
2010 -- Linval Joseph
Spotty early in the decade, but a strong six-year run where five starters -- Umenyiora, Snee, Webster, Smith and Thomas, were found.
The Redskins, the crazy Dan Snyder Redskins, have dealt their 2nd rounder away in six of the last eleven drafts, but they arguably have picked better than or as "well'' there as the Cowboys:
Redskins
2001 -- Fred Smoot
2002 -- Ladell Betts
2003 -- Taylor Jacobs
2006 -- Rocky McIntosh
2008 -- Devin Thomas, Fred Davis, Malcolm Kelly
Dallas doesn't do the 2nd round. This is why a trade up, any trade up, makes me nervous. A big hit in the first will get everybody excited, but taking a 3rd round pick away lessens the chances that Dallas will do much more than that initial selection. That's not enough.
