The Dallas Cowboys' Biggest Draft Needs: Who To Target in 2010

With the NFL Draft one week away, the time has come to look at what players the Dallas Cowboys could target to fill in the holes in their roster.  

The team's biggest needs are offensive tackle, wide receiver, safety, and kicker. Dallas could also use depth at corner, defensive end, and offensive guard.  

Two big cuts—Flozell Adams and Ken Hamlin—sum up the offseason so far. Surprising many by making no major moves, Dallas has put faith in their current roster and their draft prospects.

Here are some of the players Dallas should be looking at.

Safety

It would be a dream to get Eric Berry or Earl Thomas, but that isn't happening. Taylor Mays reminds everyone in Dallas a little too much of safety Roy Williams, and nobody wants to relive that incident again. 

There aren't really any first-round options here, but that doesn't mean there is no hope.

South Florida's Nate Allen should be at the top of the list. He racked up five picks last year, in addition to 80 tackles and a forced fumble.  

He stands at 6' 1" with good speed and coverage skills. Dallas' last South Florida pick is working out just fine.

A pair of SEC safeties in Chad Jones (LSU) and Reshad Jones (Georgia) come in next.  

Chad Jones tallied 73 tackles and three interceptions last season, while Reshad had 61 tackles and four picks. Both safeties are tall and athletic; Reshad has better cover skills, but Jones is more of an asset  in the run game.

A late-round gem could be Myron Rolle.

Rolle is a project, but may be the smartest NFL athlete ever. His well-documented time as a Rhodes Scholar shows his potential.  

Rolle is no ball hawk, but what he can do is learn. Enough study time, and this guy could turn into a very good reader of offenses and a definite weapon for any team.

Offensive Tackle

There is really one true first-round player at this position where Dallas is in the draft, and if he is gone the team needs to trade down (something that Jerry loves to do).

USC's Charles Brown is a first-round pick if he falls to Dallas here. He is 6' 6", 300 pounds, strong, and moves well.  

This is a guy who could play if needed. However, he may not fall to the 'Boys.

If Brown goes, Dallas could trade down and select Bruce Campbell. Campbell turned heads at the combine by benching 34 reps and running a 4.75 40-yard dash while measuring 6' 7", 315 pounds.  

Physically, Campbell is ready; whether or not that skill set is fine-tuned is something that is more of a wait-and-see.

A later-round guy could be West Virginia's Selvish Capers. Capers is big and quick, but needs to work on his upper body strength.  

That being said, he did put in a very impressive career at West Virginia blocking for Pat White and Noel Devine.

Wide Receiver

Dallas has a true No. 1 in Miles Austin. Some say that the jury is still out, not me.  

I've been big on Austin for three years now, and I think he is going to be great starting a full season.  

The problem is Roy E. Williams. He was a waste of a trade and needs to be replaced. Dallas needs a compliment to Austin desperately.

The underrated Golden Tate could be a late first-round steal, if Charles Brown is not available and Dallas doesn't trade down. Tate is explosive, deceptively strong, and has good hands.  

Tate had nearly 100 receptions for nearly 1,500 yards receiving and averaged over seven yards on 25 carries in his senior year. Tate is the reason for Jimmy Clausen's success more than Clausen is for Tate's, and I have a feeling that everyone will learn that fairly quickly next season.

Arrelious Benn out of Illinois could be another option. Benn is big, strong, and can catch. Assuming Austin is used as the teams deep threat next season, Benn could be a great compliment in the possession game.

Ole Miss' Dexter McCluster ran a 4.53 in the NFL Combine, and I still don't understand how. I watched this kid and thought he was 4.3 lightning. He plays faster than his 40 time says.  

He could be a deep weapon Austin and others could benefit from.

Maybe the best receiver for Dallas—not overall, but for Dallas—is Texas' Jordan Shipley. Shipley could be a Wes Welker-type receiver for Dallas who can move the chain in addition to making big plays.  

Shipley isn't the fastest, strongest, or talles. What Shipley does is run great routes to get into open space, while catching everything thrown at him.

Offensive Guard

Dallas needs depth here.  

There isn't a lot in the area of guards this year, and Dallas isn't looking for one early with their other needs. Two guys stands out as a big option in a middle round.

Arkansas' Mitch Petrus is the strongest lineman in the draft. He put up 45 bench reps at the combine and weighs in at 300 pounds.

He is just the kind of beast that Jerry Jones loves on the line.

Marshall Newhouse out of TCU is big, strong, quick, and well-coached. He played for a very good TCU program the last several years, and has potential to be a solid player.

Corner

There is no rush at this position. They are set at one, two and three on the depth chart.  

The only problem is depth behind those three. Dallas has had trouble with injuries in the secondary the last few seasons, and would love to have a little less worry about this problem.

Dallas could look at Javier Arenas in a middle round. Arenas was a major part of Alabama's defense the last two seasons, and they were one of the better college defenses of the last decade.  

Arenas also has some return ability that Dallas wouldn't mind taking advantage of.

Defensive End

This is another position that Dallas isn't too worried about.  

The problem is all of the backups at this position are players who haven't done anything. They don't have to have a player here, because they drafted some guys last year.

If the right guys are available, it wouldn't hurt though.

Florida's Jermaine Cunningham or East Carolina's C.J. Wilson could provide Dallas with another strong, fast pass rusher on the line to back up their starters.

Kicker

The need here is obvious. David Buehler has been told to get ready to compete for the job, but there is not promise he'll be more than a kickoff specialist.

Alabama's Leigh Tiffin hit 30 of 35 field goals his senior year (six-for-nine over 40 yards); Texas' Hunter Lawrence made 24 of his 27 last season (10-for-12 over 40 yards); and finally Michigan State's Brett Swenson made 19 of 22 (going five-for-seven over 40 yards).

Any of these kickers could be wearing a star on their helmet next season.

Whatever Dallas does in the draft, they have to make sure they address their needs with players who can step up immediately.