The Leading Authority of the NFL Draft

With the NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror we take the Dallas Cowboys "Off The Clock" with pick-by-pick analysis, the Bible's take and our grade.

(3-69) Jason Williams, LB (Western Illinois): Not a household name but the kid brings a lot of potential and is not as much of a reach as you might think. He is versatile but told us most 3-4 teams viewed him as an inside linebacker. He possesses the size (240 pounds) and speed (4.50) a linebacker needs. He is much more than just a great athlete—if you talk to this kid you’ll quickly learn that he understands football. A very solid pick. (Pick from Cleveland)

(3-75) Robert Brewster, OT (Ball St.): Some view Brewster as a potential offensive guard but this pick was a bit too high for our liking. He has good size at over 320 pounds and is pretty good athlete, but still needs work. Brewster will provide depth early on his career, with the potential to start down the road. (Pick from Buffalo)

(4-101) Stephen McGee, QB (Texas A&M): Jerry Jones says he sees some Tony Romo in McGee. Why he'd want another quarterback who falls apart on the big stage is beyond us. Dallas should have added a receiver or a safety instead of a guy whom they don't even want to see on the field. Nice pick in terms of value—McGee was out fourth rated quarterback—but doesn’t really fill a need. (Pick from Detroit)

(4-110) Victor Butler, OLB (Oregon St.): This wasn't a bad pick, although it is a bit of a reach. Butler impressed, especially toward the end of the season as a pass rusher and although he's a classic tweener, he could be a situational contributor. But even if he does contribute, it won't be right away. (Pick from Buffalo)

(4-120) Brandon Williams, DE (Texas Tech): The tendency is to ignore defensive players on offensive-based teams. Dallas didn't do that and may wind up with a solid pass rusher in Williams. They'd better hope he can rush the passer at the next level, because he doesn't bring much else to the table. The former Red Raider should have stayed in school and will need to bulk up if he wants a chance to develop. It’s unclear where the ‘Boys envision the college end—does he have the agility to play outside linebacker? (Pick from Tampa Bay)

(5-143) DeAngelo Smith, CB (Cincinnati): If they move Smith to safety, this could be a pretty good value pick. He's got really good instincts and is always around the ball. He's simply not fast enough to play corner in the NFL. The transition could take time, but Dallas will wait. (Pick from Oakland via Atlanta)

(5-166) Michael Hamlin, S (Clemson): A smart, instinctive player—Dallas needs more guys with his mental make-up. However, one has to wonder if he's recovered from his foot injuries. He's sort of caught in a catch-22: he needs to bulk up if he wants to be a true free safety, but he's already lacking NFL-level speed. There's much work to be done with him. (Pick from Tennessee)

(5-172) David Buehler, K (USC): Why? Dallas has many needs. Kicker isn't one of them, at least not one that should have been addressed this early. As if that isn't enough, Buehler isn't that accurate when kicking from over 40 yards. This pick really doesn't make much sense. Surely a wide receiver would have made more sense. (Compensatory Pick)

(6-197) Stephen Hodge, OLB (TCU): Now THIS pick makes sense. Dallas' special teams was a soft spot last season and Hodge will be able to contribute in that area. Whether or not he's a tweener—safety or outside linebacker—remains to be seen, but doesn't matter all that much right now. He's a big hitter with the right attitude for special teams. (Pick from Miami)

(6-208) John Phillips, TE (Virginia): Dallas apparently wanted a blocking tight end here, but Phillips is not quick enough to contribute in that way at the NFL level and is not in any way a receiving threat. Is a third tight end really what this team needed? An added bonus is he may motivate Martellus Bennett if he knows someone is right behind waiting to take his playing time. (Compensatory Pick)

(7-227) Mike Mickens, CB (Cincinnati): This was a great pick. His knee injury and light frame are concerns, but to get a guy like Mickens in the seventh round? Dallas will be patient with him as far as the injury is concerned, but Mickens was worthy of a much higher draft spot. He'll bulk up a bit and contribute. A potential starter and a flat-out steal.

(7-229) Manuel Johnson, WR (Oklahoma): Finally. A receiver! Johnson is small and doesn't have elite speed, but he's got "it". He was buried in Oklahoma but has ability and the right attitude. He's one of those guys who could wind up being a better pro player than he was a college player. A perfect last pick, but he shouldn't have been the only receiver the 'Boys took. (Pick from Chicago via Tampa Bay)

Team Needs: S, WR, DE, OT, P

Needs Filled: Four of five.

The Bible’s Take: With a dozen picks, Dallas certainly got quantity—the question is how much quality did they add? Not too many players here look like immediate impact contributors—J-Will is making a big jump from a small school, B-Will should have stayed in school and as many as six of their 12 picks could be adjusting to new positions at the next level. This could have been a far more fruitful draft had they kept their first, second and third round picks—which also would have made their day two experiments make more sense.

Grade: C+

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Texas Tech, TCU), Larry Dean, Western Illinois University