FIRST ROUND

3. Vince Young (Houston Madison), Texas Longhorns, to the Tennessee Titans

7. Michael Huff (Irving Nimitz), Texas Longhorns, to the Oakland Raiders
30. Joseph Addai (Houston Sharpstown), LSU Tigers, to the Indianapolis Colts

SECOND ROUND

38. Thomas Howard (Lubbock Estacado), UTEP Miners, to the Oakland Raiders
42. Danieal Manning (Corsicana), Abilene Christian, to the Chicago Bears
48. Cedric Griffin (San Antonio Holmes), Texas Longhorns, to the Minnesota Vikings

THIRD ROUND

66. Eric Winston (Midland Lee), Miami Hurricanes, to the Houston Texans
70. Ashton Youboty (Klein), Ohio State Buckeyes, to the Buffalo Bills
73. Dusty Dvoracek (Lake Dallas), Oklahoma Sooners, to the Chicago Bears
76. Anthony Schlegel (Highland Park), Ohio State Buckeyes, to the New York Jets
78. Travis Wilson (Carrolton Creekview), Oklahoma Sooners, to the Cleveland Browns
80. Clint Ingram (Hallsville), Oklahoma Sooners, to the Jacksonville Jaguars
86. David Thomas (Frenship), Texas Longhorns, to the New England Patriots

FOURTH ROUND

104. Cory Rodgers (Fort Bend Hightower), TCU Horned Frogs, to the Green Bay Packers
132. P.J. Daniels (Alief Elsik), Georgia Tech, to the Baltimore Ravens

FIFTH ROUND

141. Jonathan Scott (Carter), Texas Longhorns, to the Detroit Lions
154. Marcus Maxey (Navasota), Miami Hurricanes, to the Kansas City Chiefs
158. Charlie Peprah (Plano East), Alabama Crimson Tide, to the New York Giants
162. Michael Toudouze (San Antonio East Central), TCU Horned Frogs, to the Indianapolis Colts

SIXTH ROUND

180. Lawrence Vickers (Forest Brook), Colorado Buffalos, to the Cleveland Browns
183. Johnny Jolly (Forest Brook), Texas A&M Aggies, to the Green Bay Packers
187. Jeromey Clary (Mansfield), Kansas State Wildcats, to the San Diego Chargers
189. Drew Coleman (Henderson), TCU Horned Frogs, to the New York Jets
193. Reggie McNeal (Lufkin), Texas A&M Aggies, to the Cincinnati Bengals
199. Charlie Johnson (Sherman), Oklahoma State Cowboys, to the Indianapolis Colts

SEVENTH ROUND

224. E.J. Whitley (Texas City), Texas Tech Red Raiders, to the Dallas Cowboys
226. Rod Wright (Alief Hastings), Texas Longhorns, to the Miami Dolphins
229. Willie Andrews (Longview), Baylor Bears, to the New England Patriots
231. Bennie Brazzell (Houston Westbury), LSU Tigers, to the Cincinnati Bengals
254. Vickiel Vaughn (Plano West), Arkansas Razorbacks, to the San Francisco 49'ers

TCU QB Tye Gunn (LaGrange) Chicago

Texas A&M WR Jason Carter (Caldwell) Minnesota

Texas A&M Jaxson Appel (Friendswood) Tennessee

Texas Tech QB Cody Hodges  (Hereford) Tennessee

Texas State QB/WR Barrett Nealy (Adamson) Minnesota

Tulsa RS Ashlan Davis (Mesquite Poteet)  Indianapolis

Oklahoma State DB Daniel McLemore (Duncanville) Tennessee

Texas Ol Will Allen (Cy Falls) New Orleans

Texas Tech RB Taurean Henderson (Gatesville) Minnesota

Oregon State DB Edorian McCullough (North Garland) Jacksonville 

Oklahoma DB Eric Bassey (North Garland) Buffalo

K Chris McMurtray (Rowlett) Dallas

LB D.D. Lee (Nacogdoches) Dallas

LB Rolando Humphrey (Duncanville) Washington

QB Matt Nordgren (Bishop Lynch) Philadelphia

The NFL Draft has ended. And a whole new set of evaluation parameters apparently have kicked into place.

For months and months and months prior to the draft fans and media plead for teams to simply take the best player available at any pick in the draft rather than reaching for a lower ability player simply because he fits a current need.

Then the Draft happens.

Suddenly a whole new set of criteria kicks in. Teams that drafted the “best player available” get ripped because they didn’t fill needs. So, which is it? Fill a need or take a better player?

For example, Houston’s getting torched for not coming to a deal with Reggie Bush. But, in truth, the Texans already have 2 good runners in Morency and Davis. Bush would have pushed each of those players into the background. Yes, he would have been an upgrade. But Mario Williams, the DE they chose #1, is also considered a spectacular player at his position, one that Houston currently has a huge need at.

If they had signed Bush he would not have filled a need, while Williams did. But when they signed Williams critics yipped at them for passing on a better player. If you are a critic, this is the best of both worlds. You could yell at them for either choice.

Let’s go to the Cowboys.

They, without question, need at least one solid Offensive Lineman. But, in round one Bobby Carpenter was a better player than any of those linemen left on the board. Ditto for round 2 where no tackle left when the Cowboys picked projected to be as good as a mid-2^nd pick.

By round 3 the same circumstance existed with nothing but mid-4^th rounders left on the board.

Dallas got solid value for every choice they made through the first 6 rounds. But, none of them were offensive linemen. So, some people are yipping at Dallas for not filling this need. Yet, when those same people look back the Cowboys draft history they complain that Dallas ignores the best player to fill needs with the likes of: Quincy Carter, Tony Dixon, Derek Ross, Kareem Larrimore, and many many others.

The Weekend Wrapup, as we zig-zag from American Airlines Center to Valley Ranch to back downtown again. ....

ITEM: I'm more of a draft geek than the next guy. I deeply care who the backup center is going to be, I really want to know how the other teams in my division did, and I play the justification game when my team drafts a drug addict in the seventh round. But. ...

Considering the fact that just 23 of 76 players on the Cowboys roster were acquired via the draft, why are we paying so much attention to all of this?

ITEM: For proof that we're all in a hurry to dispatch with the Grizzlies, let's go to the sideline and check in with Bob Ortegel and Mark Followill.

It's late in Saturday's Game 3, and long-time Mavs TV analyst Coach O says, "Those rally towels the (Grizzlies) fans have, they're crying towels now! Elvis has left the room!''
"It's over!'' pitched in Mavs TV play-by-play man Followill.
There was a problem, of course -- a problem besides Coach O goofing up the Elvis cliche (it's "Elvis has left the building,'' Bob. The building.''
It wasn't over.
Technically, there were still 33.4 seconds left in overtime in the Round 1 series between Dallas and the Grizz. And the Mavs were up just 89-83. Heck, seconds later, Mike Miller made a layin and it was 89-85 with way too many ticks left.
A two-possession game. A half-minute left.
It's over?
Here's hoping my guys Coach O and Mark get to reiterate the "It's Over'' cry on Monday night in Game 4.

ITEM: Turco? Coco. Coco? Turco.

ITEM: Pal Richie Whitt suggests that adoption-mad Angelina Jolie should take custody of Britney Spears' baby "and seal the transaction with a long, slow, kiss.''

ITEM: How many of the NBA's MVP voters, having now seen Dirk Nowitzki be the finest player in the postseason -- BY FAR -- wish they could have a mulligan?

ITEM: If you think the member of the Bobby Carpenter Camp that drove the Cowboys to select the Ohio State linebacker with their No. 1 pick is his dad, Rob, well, you don't know how Bill Parcells runs his Cowboys.

Yes, Rob once played for Parcells' Giants. And yes, the coach already has a relationship with the kid. So yes, Bobby -- projected as an immediate starter by Jerry Jones and others within Valley Ranch -- is a few practice-field cups of water delivered to the coach away from being a certified "Parcells Guy.''

But the real connection within the Carpenter Camp isn't the dad.

It's the agent.

Please allow me to beat this drum again (especially since only now are other media outlets starting to notice): The coach of the Cowboys has an uncanny knack for acquiring players who are represented by an agent named Jimmy Sexton.

Who just happens to represent a coach named Bill Parcells.

No conspiracy theories here, just a statement of fact: On any given day, you could visit Valley Ranch, toss a dart into the air, and have it "plunk'' into the flesh of a Sexton client. Jason Ferguson. Marco Rivera. Aaron Glenn. Bradie James. Jason Witten. Tony Dixon. Marcus Spears.

The Sexton Connection branches its way down more Valley Ranch hallways. Last year draftees Kevin Burnett (who played for Sexton client Phil Fulmer at Tennessee), Chris Canty (who played for Parcells former assistant Al Groh at Virginia) Rob Petitti (a Jersey boy like Parcells) and Jay Ratliff (played for Sexton client Tommy Tuberville at Auburn) are all in The Family. So is this year's second-rounder, the tight end Anthony Fasano. Fasano is not only from Joi-see, he's also a disciple of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, who is a disciple of Parcells.

Who, did I mention, is represented by Jimmy Sexton?

"If we drafted everyone Bill knew or had a relationship with, there's no telling what kind of team we would have," Jerry Jones says.

No, Jerry, if you drafted everyone Bill knows or has a relationship with, you'd have 53 guys who are either clients of Jimmy Sexton. Or ar from Hoboken.

ITEM: Steve Nash is a back-to-back MVP? You know that places him among the greatest players EVER. And is anybody buying that?

ITEM: Charles Barkley's Mavs-hatin' can be fun, if you don't take it too seriously. And if you retaliate against the former player who is considered brilliant despite having never won a title (which makes him no better than the Mavs, right?). The best retaliation from a Mavs fan this week? A sign at Game 2 that ID'ed Barkley as "The Lord of No Rings.''

ITEM: Given the new emphasis around here, shouldn't the Mavs give out free tacos when Avery Johnson's boys allow fewer than 90 points?

Every year the struggle at draft time is whether to draft the player that best fits your needs or simply the best player on the board. The “need” drafters can usually be easily identified by simply looking at the worst records in the National Football League.

If there is one overwhelming commandment on draft day it would be—“Thou Shalt Draft Ability”.

Fortunately for Dallas ability and need came together at the 18^th pick in the first round. One of the most glaring holes in the Dallas defense last year was the outside linebacker opposite rookie Demarcus Ware.

First round pick Bobby Carpenter fills that hole. He was not the most athletic LB available. He was not the best pass rushing LB available. He was not the best cover LB available. He was not the best run stopping LB available. HE WAS THE BEST LB AVAILABLE given the job description for that Cowboy position.

Ware will be the rush LB here. Carpenter will be asked to do a little bit of everything on the other side. That’s perfect for the most complete LB available when the Cowboys picked him up.

The 2^nd round selection of TE Anthony Fasano signals a whole new era of Cowboy offense. They will use 2 Tight Ends, 2 Wide Receivers and 1 Running back. There’ll be no blocking FB in the Dallas scheme.

To make this work the offensive line must prevent any quick penetration on passing plays. But the presence of a 2^nd Tight End should give Bledsoe 2 short-to-mid-range targets along with the longball threats of Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn. But that offense will put a premium on the RB’s ability to pick up any blitzer that comes free. Because we know that Drew Bledsoe isn’t terribly good at avoiding the rush.

The 3^rd round choice of Defensive End Jason Hatcher was almost without question a “best player available” type of pick. Hatcher’s stock had risen steadily during the off-season. Apparently New Orleans was ready to take him with the 2^nd pick of the 4^th round and Arizona would have pulled the trigger with the 10^th pick in the 4^th round.

But back to that pesky question of needs. Three significant holes still exist on the Cowboys—Free Safety, Right Tackle and backup Wide Receiver. Hoping that 2^nd day draftees could fill those holes is probably shaky thinking.

There is one player that I’d love to see still available when the Cowboys pick late in the 4^th round—Penn State Free Safety Calvin Lowry—he’s smart, plays the ball well, makes excellent adjustments and would certainly fill the description of the type of player the Cowboys need at that position.