NFL Draft 2012: DeCastro, Brockers Among Players Who Were Almost Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Morning News columnist Rick Gosselin left us without his eerily correct day-of-the-event mock draft this year for the first time—in a year that we could have used it more than ever.

He did deliver something valuable after the draft, though—a rundown of the Cowboys' picks, including players that were considered along with the players they took. Who would have been playing for Jerry Jones if the draft had gone differently?

1st Round: Pittsburgh Steelers OG David DeCastro, St. Louis Rams DT Michael Brockers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers S Mark Barron

As suspected, Brockers (the player that went at Dallas's natural pick of 14) was in the running to be their first-round pick. Gosselin identifies this trio as the main considerations at 14. I suspect Brockers would have been the pick over DeCastro because Gosselin says the Cowboys expected him or Barron to be gone before their pick—an indication that they thought the consensus league grade on Brockers was higher.

Update: Stephen Jones has confirmed that Brockers or a trade down would have been the plan at 14.

Actual Pick: Traded up for CB Morris Claiborne

2nd Round: Atlanta Falcons C Peter Konz, Detroit Lions WR Ryan Broyles

It looks like the Lions didn't reach for Broyles after all, at least not in the Cowboys' book. The Cowboys did not land a great upgrade at center, a position that was one of their worst last year.

Actual Pick: Traded to the St. Louis Rams

3rd Round: Washington Redskins OG Josh LeRibeus

LeRibeus isn't really special in any facet of his game, so he wasn't this high on draftniks' boards, but he was a solid third-rounder in the Cowboys' mind.

Actual Pick: DE Tyrone Crawford

4th Round: Kansas City Chiefs WR Devon Wylie, Minnesota Vikings FB/TE Rhett Ellison

Ellison is another player widely regarded to be a reach, but once again the Cowboys were looking at him in the same range as the team that took him. Wylie is a dynamic slot receiver/punt returner to fill a need, but the Cowboys grabbed another good player in the same vein during the next round.

Actual Pick: DE/OLB Kyle Wilber

5th Round: Tennessee Titans TE Taylor Thompson, St. Louis Rams OT Rokevious Watkins

Thompson would have been very interesting, a very raw Rob Gronkowski-type at tight end. It does appear that the team was trying to upgrade from John Phillips at the second tight end position. 

Actual Pick: WR Danny Coale

6th Round: No alternatives listed. Gosselin might not have any names here because missing on tight ends in the previous two rounds made up their mind for them.

Actual Pick: TE James Hanna

7th Round: New York Giants DT Marcus Kuhn, Seattle Seahawks DT/OG J.R. Sweezy, New York Jets S Antonio Allen

Allen might have been the better pick given the Cowboys' trouble with finding a solution at strong safety. 

Actual Pick: ILB Caleb McSurdy

Summary

Without the initial trade up, the Cowboys draft might have started with Michael Brockers, Peter Konz, and a trade up for Josh LeRibeus or a pass rusher in the third round. If Morris Claiborne is everything the Cowboys expect him to be, no one will remember the names of the other players the team was poised to take. If Claiborne flops, Gosselin's list will be pored over for years.