Analyzing the Cowboys Receiver Depth

Inspired by fellow B/R blogger, Rudolf "The Couch Potato" Weis, I feel that we should take a closer look at the current Cowboys receivers.

With a talent pool as large as this 2010 Draft holds, I still keep reading articles about the Cowboys drafting a wide receiver early. Why? It's pointless to bring in another unproven receiver. Not when you already have these guys:

1. Miles Austin (6'3''—214 lbs.—25 years old)(Undrafted, 2006)(Starter—#1 Option):  A player whom I had been lobbying to have traded 2 seasons ago has made his splash, and now I wish I would have held my breath. In 2009, 81 receptions for 1,320 yards, and 11 TD's. Can't argue with that. The only concern one may have, is whether he can remain consistent. However, that is a legitimate concern for every starting NFL player.

2. Roy E. Williams (6'3''—215 lbs.—28 years old)(7th Overall, 2004)(Starter—#2 Option):  This guy is probably the reason we have heard all this Dez Bryant talk, but in reality, this guy needs a second, third, and maybe a fourth chance to get things right. Miles Austin will most likely draw the majority of the double-teams this upcoming year, which should allow Williams to show us what he's really got. I hope so, or that will go down as 'The Worst Trade in NFL History.'

3. Sam Hurd (6'2''—208 lbs.—24 years old)(Undrafted, 2006)(Second String):  I distinctly remember saying "wow" a few times during the 2007 season when I saw Sam Hurd make a few catches. He definitely has superstar playmaking ability, however, his body has not allowed for that to happen. He has been one of those cliche players that remains plagued by minor injuries. I'm not really sure what that says about his pain threshold, but all I know is, he better get his butt out on the field this year and do something worth a "wow" again.

4. Patrick Crayton (6'0''—205 lbs.—31 years old)(216th Overall, 2004)(Starter—#3 Option):  Patrick has been a very consistent player over the past four years, yet he has never been "clutch." He is a prototypical slot, possession receiver, that does not own tremendous speed or strength, but rather a finesse and cunning that very few players can maintain. He's savvy and vocal—a veteran like that always has a place on this team, even if it isn't out on the field.

5. Kevin Ogletree (6'2''—189 lbs.—22 years old)(Undrafted, 2009)(Second String): I did not know much about this guy when he was brought into training camp, however, he has definitely shown some potential. When given his opportunities last year, he did not squander them. I can definitely see him snagging away some of Crayton and Hurd's playing time.

6. Manuel Johnson (5'11''—206 lbs.—23 years old)(229th Overall, 2009)(Practice Squad): a player whom if you saw play in college, would wonder why he was nearly undrafted. Maybe it's because Bradford was throwing him the ball, but in any case, we have a nice package to work with in him (i.e. speed and hands).

7. Jesse Holley (6'2''—213 lbs.—26 years old)(Undrafted, 2007)(Practice Squad): Last but not least; my favorite player that doesn't play. Holley won Michael Irvin's Reality TV Show, '4th & Long', which gave him an invitation to Cowboys training camp. If you watched that show, you know that Jesse was head and shoulders, literally, above the competition. And don't think that show was some 'cakewalk', they put all of those guys through the ringer. My hope was solidified for this young man in the last preseason game of the 2009 season, where Holley returned a bouncing punt, in traffic, 84 yards to the house. It was unconventional, but it was amazing to see. I honestly hope he gets his fair share of opportunities, rather than some new draftee from the first round.

Another point that should be brought up is the Cowboys coaching staff. We may be a team of superstars with freakish atheltic ability, but someone has to put all that together. Ray Sherman, the 'Boys wide receiver coach, is one of the best and most respected in the game. Its no wonder why he can make an undrafted Miles Austin into the threat he is. Sherman doesn't need 1st, 2nd, or even 5th rounders, he wants playmakers with raw potential. That way he can mold them into the players he feels they should be.

Its coaching—not draft picks.