CowboyzAdam
03-14-2008, 02:19 PM
It's looking more and more like new Dallas Cowboys secondary coach Dave Campo could soon be busy molding a cornerback drafted in the first round. With their depth in the defensive backfield seriously thinned by free agency, three of the Cowboys' first four draft-prospect invitations have been issued to corners projected as first-round picks.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Kansas' Aqib Talib, Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Arizona's Antoine Cason will be in Irving next month for interviews and physicals.
The Cowboys have also reportedly invited UNLV inside linebacker Beau Bell.
But the headliners are the corners. Rodgers-Cromartie and Talib rank first and third in ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s list of the top five draft-eligible corners.
“You can't go wrong with those two,” NFL.com's Gil Brandt said of Talib and Rodgers-Cromartie. “I don't think there is any question they are going to be good ones.”
Many mock drafts have Talib and Rodgers-Cromartie getting selected before the Cowboys are on the clock. Corners who could be around later in the first round include Cason, Penn State's Justin King, South Florida's Mike Jenkins and Virginia Tech's Brandon Flowers.
Some scouts say the 6-foot, 197-pound Talib could also play safety. At Kansas, he showed his versatility by playing some receiver.
“With his speed and athleticism, he does have an offensive mentality when it comes to getting the ball,” ESPN.com's Tim Griffin said of Talib, a 2007 first-team All-America choice who left Kansas after his junior year.
Talib wasn't highly recruited coming out of Berkner High School in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, but he developed into a star under the tutelage of Jayhawks coach Mark Mangino and his staff.
“He blossomed into one of the best defensive backs in the history of the school and in the short history of the Big 12,” Griffin said.
Talib recorded 13 interceptions and broke up 43 passes for Kansas, but he's more than just a ballhawk.
“He doesn't shy away from contact,” Griffin said. “He played against big, physical receivers at almost every step of the way in the Big 12.”
The knock against Talib is he tends to gamble too much and lacks proper footwork.
“Mangino takes marginal recruits and turns them into good players,” Griffin said. “There might be a concern (Talib) might have topped out.”
Talib ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in 4.4 seconds. The 6-1/61/2, 184-pound Rodgers-Cromartie did it in 4.33 seconds, the third-best time among the corners. As a result, the MVP of the Senior Bowl's stock has soared.
“I love this kid,” draftinsiders.com analyst Frank Coyle wrote of Rodgers-Cromartie in an online chat. “He still needs development in other techniques, though, and needs a little time to settle into a scheme. He probably wins (a spot) in a nickel (scheme) as a rookie and (could) start late in the season.”
Like Talib, the 6-foot, 187-pound Cason was a first-team All-America pick. He also won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back.
According to various Internet reports, Cason performed well during the practice session at the combine “displaying polished footwork and cornerback mechanics” and running the 40 in 4.48 seconds.
VISITING VALLEY RANCH
NFL teams can meet with as many as 30 draft-eligible players before the draft. So far, the Cowboys have invited four to Irving:
Nevada-Las Vegas LB Beau Bell: All-Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.
Arizona CB Antoine Cason: The 2007 Jim Thorpe Award winner as the nation's top defensive back.
Tennessee State CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: Four interception returns for touchdowns set a school record.
Kansas CB Aqib Talib: Recorded 13 interceptions in three seasons for Jayhawks.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Kansas' Aqib Talib, Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Arizona's Antoine Cason will be in Irving next month for interviews and physicals.
The Cowboys have also reportedly invited UNLV inside linebacker Beau Bell.
But the headliners are the corners. Rodgers-Cromartie and Talib rank first and third in ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s list of the top five draft-eligible corners.
“You can't go wrong with those two,” NFL.com's Gil Brandt said of Talib and Rodgers-Cromartie. “I don't think there is any question they are going to be good ones.”
Many mock drafts have Talib and Rodgers-Cromartie getting selected before the Cowboys are on the clock. Corners who could be around later in the first round include Cason, Penn State's Justin King, South Florida's Mike Jenkins and Virginia Tech's Brandon Flowers.
Some scouts say the 6-foot, 197-pound Talib could also play safety. At Kansas, he showed his versatility by playing some receiver.
“With his speed and athleticism, he does have an offensive mentality when it comes to getting the ball,” ESPN.com's Tim Griffin said of Talib, a 2007 first-team All-America choice who left Kansas after his junior year.
Talib wasn't highly recruited coming out of Berkner High School in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, but he developed into a star under the tutelage of Jayhawks coach Mark Mangino and his staff.
“He blossomed into one of the best defensive backs in the history of the school and in the short history of the Big 12,” Griffin said.
Talib recorded 13 interceptions and broke up 43 passes for Kansas, but he's more than just a ballhawk.
“He doesn't shy away from contact,” Griffin said. “He played against big, physical receivers at almost every step of the way in the Big 12.”
The knock against Talib is he tends to gamble too much and lacks proper footwork.
“Mangino takes marginal recruits and turns them into good players,” Griffin said. “There might be a concern (Talib) might have topped out.”
Talib ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in 4.4 seconds. The 6-1/61/2, 184-pound Rodgers-Cromartie did it in 4.33 seconds, the third-best time among the corners. As a result, the MVP of the Senior Bowl's stock has soared.
“I love this kid,” draftinsiders.com analyst Frank Coyle wrote of Rodgers-Cromartie in an online chat. “He still needs development in other techniques, though, and needs a little time to settle into a scheme. He probably wins (a spot) in a nickel (scheme) as a rookie and (could) start late in the season.”
Like Talib, the 6-foot, 187-pound Cason was a first-team All-America pick. He also won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back.
According to various Internet reports, Cason performed well during the practice session at the combine “displaying polished footwork and cornerback mechanics” and running the 40 in 4.48 seconds.
VISITING VALLEY RANCH
NFL teams can meet with as many as 30 draft-eligible players before the draft. So far, the Cowboys have invited four to Irving:
Nevada-Las Vegas LB Beau Bell: All-Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.
Arizona CB Antoine Cason: The 2007 Jim Thorpe Award winner as the nation's top defensive back.
Tennessee State CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: Four interception returns for touchdowns set a school record.
Kansas CB Aqib Talib: Recorded 13 interceptions in three seasons for Jayhawks.