There is a lot of uncertainty ahead of this month’s NFL Draft. I will try to clear up this uncertainty as best I can. I’ll narrow down our potential targets for each round to a select few. I can almost guarantee you we’ll pick a linebacker, offensive lineman and free safety on Day 1, barring any major upsets. ROUND 1: The top priority for Dallas will be trading and adding one or two more picks. The top 6 players Dallas will likely target in the first round are OLB Bobby Carpenter, Manny Lawson, Kamerion Wimbley, NT Gabe Watson, FSs Donte Whitner and Ko Simpson. I think the main candidates for this selection are Carpenter and Wimbley. Free-agent linebacker Akin Ayodele is thought to play inside alongside James, making OLB one of our biggest needs. Watson is a possibility because Parcells is no doubt intrigued by his physical attributes; Not to mention, there’s a legitimate need for another nose tackle. In some places, we take Watson in second. I guarantee you he will be long gone by then.

I think the Dallas Cowboys will trade in the late 1st or early 2nd and draft OLB BOBBY CARPENTER. While I like Wimbley, I think Carpenter is a better fit because he’s more of a complete linebacker. Wimbley is a one-dimensional pass-rusher like Ware was last year. If you notice, most good 3-4s only have one of these largely one-dimensional pass-rushers. Pittsburgh has Clark Haggins on the opposite side threatening Joey Porter. Haggins is equally effective at rushing the passer, stopping the run and covering a tight end. The same could be said for the Patriots who had Mike Vrabel and Roosevelt Colvin to congratulate McGinest. Carpenter can be our Vrabel (perfect complement to Ware). Carpenter is also a much safer pick than Wimbley, which could easily be a huge disappointment. Round 2: I think the main priority in the second round will be drafting a free safety. The question, though, will be whether any of the big safeties (Whitner, Simpson, Allen and Bullocks) will make it to their second pick. If neither of these are available, then they will probably look for a guard. The only two who are a good fit here are Davin Joseph and Charles Spencer. I have serious doubts if any of these guys will be available with this selection. I’d be happy as long as we could get one of these six guys. It would be really awesome if we pocketed an extra second from the Round 1 trade and could take one from each group! If none of these six are available, Dallas is likely to try to trade again. I haven’t fully made up my mind about who I want in this selection. I love Daniel Bullocks and Davin Joseph, but I doubt they’ll make our selection. I don’t think there are good options at OLB in 2, so if we don’t have one in 1, we’ll have to wait. Round 3:

The top priority this round will be recruiting at any positions we haven’t filled from OLB, FS, and OG. Targets for this round include OLBs Kai Parham, Stanley McClover and Mark Anderson, FS Roman Harper, Anthony Smith and Pat Watkins, and OGs Kevin Boothe and Jason Spitz. This selection depends on the need. I’d probably pick Parham at outside linebacker over the others. I think Roman Harper is a must at 3rd if we haven’t drafted a safety yet. Pat Watkins has great potential, but he’ll have a tough time if he’s asked to start right away. Jason Spitz is similar to Peterman as a prospect. Booth is the Charles Spencer of a poor man. He is big, strong, athletic and can play both right tackle and guard. He is an interesting prospect to say the least.

I hope this has helped clear up the draft as far as the Cowboys are concerned. I change my mind almost daily about who I think we will select, so I made this article to explain the possibilities and let you decide for yourself.