10 Players the Dallas Cowboys Must Have Circled on Their 2013 NFL Draft Board

It's never too early to start identifying 2013 NFL draft prospects. Scouts for all 32 teams are out evaluating, analyzing, visualizing and projecting how the next crop of college talent can help them win championships. Quite simply, the business of player evaluation stops for nobody, and teams that consistently succeed on draft day are putting in the hard work right now.

For the Dallas Cowboys, this has been an area of mixed results. Gone are the days when Jimmy Johnson worked the draft and built solid depth throughout the roster, and in are the days of presenting your case to Jerry Jones so he can make a well-informed decision. Yeah, times have changed, but one thing remains constant; the Dallas Cowboys have been a mediocre team for 16 years.

Coincidence? I don't think so. With this year's version of the Cowboys sitting in the cellar of the NFC East with a 2-3 record, it's time for some early evaluation of the holes that exist on this team. And they are obvious ones.

With the college football season reaching the halfway mark, the rankings and the preliminary draft boards are already telling a compelling story. There's nothing like hearing pads popping on Saturday afternoons, and it's also exciting trying to figure out which college prospects can help the Dallas Cowboys overcome their allergy to winning.

Let's take a look at some of those prospects that should have the Cowboys filling up their notebooks.

Chance Warmack, G, Alabama

Warmack is a 6'2" guard that earned second-team All-SEC honors, and it's easy to see why. As an avid watcher of SEC football, Warmack has great natural leverage, long arms and really excels as a drive blocker. Warmack has deceptive athleticism for a guard and plays light on his feet.

He does a real nice job in pass protection by showing solid initial punch at the point of attack, and he likes to get to the second level and take on linebackers. He's not real tall in stature, but he handles bigger and more powerful pass-rushers pretty well. The Cowboys committed to Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau this offseason, but this offensive line will continue to be a work in progress.

If the Cowboys are going to build this team correctly, it needs to start with this draft, and it needs a commitment to solidifying the lines. Warmack would be a nice building block.

Khaled Holmes, C, USC

A 6'3", 305-lb center, Holmes is actually versatile enough to play all three interior line positions. He does a good job of getting off the snap and shows solid ability when handling multiple blocks in pass protection. He demonstrates a powerful upper body, and he's strong in his stance at the point of attack. He is exactly what the Cowboys need to fuel the power and short-yardage running game.

The Cowboys need to move on from players like David Arkin and most certainly won't be keeping both Ryan Cook and Phil Costa. This team needs to build the type of line that can give Tony Romo all the help he needs. Holmes can be one of those pieces.

Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina

If the Cowboys are going to do it right, then they need to go all the way. Cooper is a 6'3", 310-lb guard that could fit into Bill Callahan's scheme nicely.

He's an excellent athlete with smooth footwork and really excels at getting to the second level. He won't overwhelm with his strength, but he's sound in his technique and doesn't get overmatched because he maintains good balance.

The Cowboys offensive line isn't lacking in talent, but one offseason isn't going to fix all of the problems that do exist and stem from years ago. Their has got to be a concerted effort to solidify this line for the unforeseeable future, and the commitment to the draft has to match that effort. The NFL has become a pass-happy league, and the athletes on the defensive side of the ball are getting more freakish.

It's time for Jerry to forget about glamour picks and focus on more efficient picks.

Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU

Montgomery is a freakishly athletic 6'5", 265-lb defensive end that this defense desperately needs. Montgomery had three tackles, including two sacks and a forced fumble, in LSU's 23-21 win over No. 3 South Carolina last weekend. My eyes were glued on his performance. He has the type of talent that can change games for the Cowboys, and when you put him on a defense with DeMarcus Ware, it could be scary.

He led LSU with nine sacks and 13 tackles for loss last season while constantly facing double-teams. When you watch him play, it's pretty clear that there might be an over reliance on his pure athletic ability but, to me, that just means that with NFL coaching, his ceiling is even higher. That's pretty scary.

The Cowboys absolutely are in need of a playmaking defensive player that can bring the heat. The season still has a lot of unwritten chapters in it, but I don't think Kenyon Coleman or Marcus Spears are making anyone feel warm and fuzzy. Montgomery can bring the heat and the impact as well.

John Jenkins, DT, Georgia

Jenkins, a 6'3", 358-lb defensive tackle, could be the force in the middle that can serve two purposes. Maybe, just maybe, the Cowboys can finally move Jay Ratliff outside and insert this massive prospect inside. With Ratliff not getting any younger and Josh Brent improving but not generating enough pressure, the defensive tackle position could definitely use a boost.

Jenkins is a force in the middle; he pursues plays relentlessly and he can provide much-needed pressure from the inside that can make this a big-play defense. I really like this prospect because he gives the Cowboys a new dimension.

Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

I absolutely love this prospect, and the more I watch him play, his versatility is what jumps out the most. He is arguably the most versatile defender in college football because you can see the strength he has when he's rushing the passer, but he also plays really well in space. 

With the impending departure of Anthony Spencer and what appears to be another lackluster season from Victor Butler, the Cowboys need to address outside linebacker.

Jones does it all for the Bulldogs. He currently has 5.5 sacks, 36 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 15 pressures and an interception. He might be the second-best linebacker on the Cowboys right now, and he's still in college. If the Cowboys are going to take the next step, players like Jones will help get them there.

TJ McDonald, FS, USC

Let's assess the Cowboys safety position for a second. Gerald Sensabaugh is a veteran and solid starter, Barry Church will be recovering from an Achilles tendon tear, Danny McCray is currently the starter and Matt Johnson can't get on the field. I think this position just became a need.

McDonald is an outstanding tackler, and he's not afraid to deliver a hit. I really like this kid's game and his instincts for the position.

Playing in the Pac-12 is no easy task but that will serve him well in his transition to the NFL. He has the ideal size, speed and athleticism that makes him the ideal safety prospect. Eric Reid is another outstanding prospect, but I think McDonald could be a better second-round fit for the Cowboys.

Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford

Well, this past weekend told us a lot in terms of the running back situation for the Dallas Cowboys. Felix Jones, who had been lost in translation since training camp, suddenly regained his burst and ran effectively.

The bad news is that DeMarco Murray is hurt again and that is a concern. Phillip Tanner and Lance Dunbar both saw some action, so one would think that it's a crowded backfield going forward.

That's not the case in my estimation. Jones will be a free agent, Murray is now a health concern going forward and between Dunbar and Tanner, one of them has to emerge as a legitimate player for this team. The odds of that happening to both of them remains to be seen, but the Cowboys need to cover this position for the flux of next season.

Taylor would be the ideal running back. He's a tough inside, outside runner that's not afraid to finish off runs by lowering his shoulder and taking on defenders. He protects the ball well and demonstrates a great ability to run in tight quarters. But more importantly, he would give the Cowboys competition and insurance.

Tayvon Austin, WR, West Virginia

The Cowboys won't be looking to draft a wide receiver in the first round, but I think this position shouldn't go overlooked. What if Dez Bryant finds himself in the center of a controversy and on Jerry Jones' last nerve? Suppose Miles Austin's hamstrings fail him again? Kevin Ogletree appears to be the real deal, but can the Cowboys really count on Cole Beasley, Andre Holmes and Dwayne Harris?

Tavon Austin is a dynamic player and would really be an ideal asset for this team. Anybody watch him play against the Texas Longhorns?

He ran back kickoffs of 44 and 67 yards, added a 40-yard touchdown reception on a short pass and outran multiple defenders. His ability as a kickoff returner would instantly boost the Cowboys in that department, and he can compete for playing time as a slot receiver. He also has experience as a running back so that also adds to his uniqueness as a prospect.

Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee

After watching Tony Romo carve up the New York Giants, he should be mentioned among the elite quarterbacks, but after watching his five-interception performance against Chicago and his poor decision that lead to an interception against Baltimore, you start thinking about the future.

Tyler Bray is a 6'5", 215-lb quarterback with a huge upside. Should he declare for the draft, the Cowboys could afford to bring him along slowly since Romo is still under contract and Kyle Orton is in the fold as well. But having the opportunity to select a quarterback for the future might be good business.

Bray has solid natural ability, a strong arm and he plays fearlessly. Sometimes he needs to harness it a little more because that type of play does lead him to some mistakes. But Bray will learn that sometimes making throws into too tight of a window is not beneficial to the team. That can be fixed, but his talent is undeniable and so is his future.

The Cowboys might want to start thinking about the quarterback position now in order to ensure a bright future. In fact, they need to take that approach with their entire team.