Potential Draft Picks: Mardy Gilyard, WR/Returner, Cincinnati

Cincinnati's Mardy Gilyard is a top-flight athlete and return man, averaging 12.6 yards on punt returns in '09.

It is no secret that we see acquiring a playmaking returner as the Cowboys’ primary team need.  An effective kick returner is an especially large need, as Felix Jones has proved to be hesitant when back deep.

The offensive/defensive position of such a player is a moot point, as his main responsibility would be returns.  The Cowboys signed Allen Rossum last season, showing that they are not afraid to dedicate a roster spot solely to a return man.  It also proved their lack of confidence in Jones, Ogletree, and Crayton on returns.  It remains to be seen whether they regained trust in Crayon after his two punt return touchdowns.

We have made it clear that, should Reggie Bush become a free agent, he would be a perfect fit in Big D.  If this possibility does not become a reality, a player like Cincinnati’s Mardy Gilyard would be a great selection.  The fact that he would be primarily a return man means Dallas should have no problem keeping six wide receivers on the roster.

Gilyard would be an immediate upgrade at both return spots, and his ability to play WR would simply be a bonus.  His skills there are quite underrated, in our opinion, and he could challenge and be the eventual successor to Patrick Crayton in the slot.

Scouting Report

Gilyard is an incredible athlete– we would go as far as to say he is top three in the entire draft.  His speed and quickness can be devastating, particularly on returns.  He has great body control and is a natural pass-catcher.  His run-after-catch ability is second-to-none in this year’s draft.

Gilyard cooled any talks of his lack of experience in a pro-style offense by dominating at the Senior Bowl.  His skills are perfectly suited to be a Wes Welker-type slot guy in the NFL.  There are questions about his size (just 179 pounds at 6’0”), but receivers such as DeSean Jackson have shown this can be overcome.

His vision and acceleration on returns is uncanny.  He shows no hesitation or fear, averaging 12.6 yards on punt returns last season.

Projection

Despite his abilities, Gilyard may be a longshot for Dallas because of the type of WR they generally value– the average size of their current receivers is 6’2”, 205 pounds.  Further, he has moved up draft boards from a late second/early third-rounder to an early to mid-second round pick, with some projecting him to go as high as the first round.  It is unlikely the Cowboys would use their first on Gilyard, so they would probably have to move up in the second to acquire him.

Potential Draft Picks: Charles Brown, OT, USC

USC tackle Charles Brown has excellent quickness and could be Flozell's successor.

The Cowboys desperately need help at offensive tackle.  Flozell Adams is still effective in run blocking, but his pass protection took a sharp turn downhill in 2009.  According to our film study, Adams yielded nine sacks on the year and got Romo hit the same number of times.

Marc Colombo was solid before his injury at Green Bay, but struggled mightily once returning in the playoffs.  He should be able to return to form in 2010, but there are no guarantees.

Many praised backup tackle Doug Free for his performance at right tackle after Colombo went down, but a lot of this praise, in our opinion, was due to  low expectations.  Free was expected to be a huge downgrade, and when he came in and played average, people tended to overreact.  There is still a fairly large gap in talent between he and Colombo.

The Cowboys still have yet to find out what they have in last year’s third-round selection Robert Brewster.  He is an X-factor, but nothing to count on.

Thus, acquiring a capable OT is a huge concern, so much so that we listed the position as our #2 draft need for Dallas.  One option is USC’s Charles Brown, who we are higher on than most.  No word yet on if Snoopy will become the Cowboys’ official mascot with the selection of Brown.

Scouting Report

Brown is a highly athletic tackle with great quickness.  As such, he is excellent at pulling, a task USC asked of him frequently.  A lot of his speed, though, comes from the fact that he is very undersized in terms of weight (6’5”, 295 pounds).  It remains to be seen whether he can maintain his agility after bulking up.  Dallas typically favors larger linemen, but that may change after their pass protection struggles against Minnesota.

Brown is very polished.  Many Dallas fans will be glad to hear that he was seldom penalized at USC.  His strength could be an issue.  Dallas could utilize his positives by running power to the right and counters and other misdirection plays to the left, thus allowing Brown to implement his quickness and hide his strength deficiency.

Projection

Brown should go right around the Cowboys’ #27 selection.  He would be neither great value nor a reach, but may be the selection if Dallas sees him alongside fellow tackles Russel Okung, Bruce Campbell, Bryan Bulaga, and Anthony Davis in the top tier.

News and Notes

Clarence E. Hill, Jr. of the Star-Telegram explains why the Cowboys will not place the franchise tag on Miles Austin.

Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com thinks Alan Ball earned the right to compete with Ken Hamlin for the starting FS job.

Ole Miss RB Dexter McCluster, who we will be profiling in the coming days, might be a good fit in Dallas.

Todd Archer of Dallas Morning News sees a ball-hawking safety as a top priority for the Cowboys.

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