2008 Dallas Cowboys NFL Draft Needs

Few general managers like to wheel and deal as much as Dallas' Jerry Jones and with two first round picks, one can bet that Jones will be wheeling and dealing again. If the two first round selections (picks 22 and 28) don't provide enough fire power to move up to nab Darren McFadden, Jones could deal away one of his first round picks to get multiple pick in the second and third rounds. The Cowboys have drafted well producing numerous Pro Bowl players out of the past five drafts. Find out who Dallas has its eyes on in this 2008 Dallas Cowboys NFL Draft needs preview.

#1 Running Back

With Julius Jones now with the Seahawks, the Boys need a back who can compliment the ferocious Marion Barber. A speedy back with good hands that can handle third down blocking duties is ideal. Jerry Jones is an Arkansas grad and he may try to trade up to nab McFadden. I don't know if this would be the smartest move as the Cowboys still have great option with Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall, Oregon's Jonathan Stewart, and Arkansas' Felix Jones at pick number 22.

#2 Wide Receiver

With Terrell Owens turning 35 in December and with Terry Glenn's future in doubt, the Boys need to add a playmaker here. Getting a speedster here to stretch the field, creating more room for T.O. and tight end Jason Witten underneath, would be ideal. If the Boys decide to use a first round pick on a wide out, Michigan's Mario Manningham or LSU's Early Doucet would be good options. In the late rounds, they'll be looking at players such as Houston's Donnie Avery, Cal's Lavelle Hawkins, and Florida's Andre Caldwell.

#3 Cornerback

With Anthony Henry and Terence Newman, one would think the Cowboys would be set at the corners, but with so many NFL teams using four and even five man wide receiver sets these days, Dallas must upgrade its nickel and dime packages. There isn't a ton of depth in this cornerback class so Dallas could choose to make this a lower priority. Indiana's Tracy Porter, Tennessee State's Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, and Colorado's Terrence Wheatley are all players with strong upsides that should be available after round one.

#4 Quarterback

This would be a good time for the Cowboys to get a backup for Tony Romo as ancient Brad Johnson, the current backup, doesn't have much tread left on his tires. Michigan's Chad Henne, Tennessee's Erik Ainge, and Delaware's Joe Flacco all had terrific college careers. All three QB's have good size and strong arms. But, with Dallas falling in love with Romo's versatility, they could look to daft a different type of QB.

#5 Outside Linebacker

The Cowboys need to start thinking about developing a replacement for Greg Ellis who is getting up there in football years. UCLA's Bruce Davis and Michigan's Shawn Crable both already have good pass rushing skills and enough size to play on the outside.

Make sure you check out all of Jimmy Boyd's 2008 NFL Draft previews to see what direction your favorite NFL team might be headed in. Also check out our 2008 NFL Mock Draft to see how Jimmy sees the first round shaping up.

March 28th, 2008