Cowboys Corner

Cowboys take lineman

The Cowboys went with an offensive lineman in the third round, taking Boston College tackle James Marten (6-foot-7, 309) with the 67th pick.

Marten has played both tackle positions at Boston College as well as guard. He comes from a program that has had success producing solid offensive linemen. He compares with Tampa Bay's Jeremy Trueblood, also a product of Boston College. Cowboys right tackle Marc Colombo is also a BC product.

Trader Jerry

The Cowboys went wheelin' and dealin' with Cleveland again. Dallas traded its second-round pick (No. 53) to the Browns and picked up a third- and fourth-round pick. They also flip-flipped picks with the Browns in the sixth round.

Dallas will pick No. 67 for its final choice of the first day. Stay tuned. More Cowboys trades are probably in the works.

No Jarrett

The Cowboys would have loved to have seen USC's Dwayne Jarrett fall to them with the 53rd pick in the second round. But the Carolina Panthers just took him with the 45th pick. He has a perfect mentor in Keyshawn Johnson. The depth is thinning out at receiver. Maybe Chansi Stuckey from Clemson or Steve Smith of USC.

Cowboys have two No. 1s in 2008

The Cowboys will have two first round picks next year after trading with Cleveland.

With the likelihood the Browns struggle again next season, the Cowboys could own a top-10 pick. It might be similar to 2005 when the Cowboys picked 11th (DeMarcus Ware) and 20th (Marcus Spears). Dallas obtained the extra pick from a 2004 draft day trade with Buffalo.

The Browns went 4-12 last season. Cowboys fans need to keep a close eye on how the Browns do next season.

- Rick Herrin

here we go

At long last, the Cowboys selected another player.

With their second pick of the day, they picked Boston College OT James Marten in the third round.

That should be it for the day. But you never know.

- Mac Engel

TRADE DOWN?

Don't rule out the Cowboys trading down from their spot; if they don't pick Quinn, the Browns or the Lions would.

Both teams need a quarterback. Both would like to have Quinn. Can they offer a No. 1 next year?

- Mac Engel

How about Brady Quinn?

The Cowboys could have an interesting situation coming if they stay at pick No. 22 in the first round. Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn remains on the board and could very easily slide to the Cowboys.

Do the Cowboys draft a player they would have never expected to fall to them? Not sure the Cowboys can definitively say yet that Tony Romo is the quarterback of the future yet. Quinn was expected to be a top-10 pick.

-- Rick Herrin

a receiver?

The Lions take Calvin Johnson with No. 2; that was the one receiver Jerry Jones wanted badly. But he didn't have nearly enough to make a serious run at that pick.

So if he takes a receiver in the first round, who will it be? Ted Ginn? Dwayne Jarrett? Dwayne Bowe or Robert Meachem?

They all have their plusses and minuses, but none of them was in the same class as Johnson.

- Mac Engel

Cowboys draft

The question keeps popping up so in an efforto address it one final time, "Who will the Cowboys draft?"

My prediction? A defensive back. I'll pass along a name a little later.

- Mac Engel

Phillips dances night away

   New Cowboys coach Wade Phillips makes you shake your head when you stop think about the ways things were with Bill Parcells.

   Saturday night at the American Airlines Center, was one of those moments. Phillips sat on the front row at midfield of the Dallas Desperados-Austin Wranglers arena league game. Phillips, wearing a black blazer, blue pants and black tennis shoes, signed autographs and even danced to the Y-M-C-A song during a timeout. It was a priceless snapshot. This is the Cowboys head coach.

   Can you ever imagine Parcells making the ``M’’ sign with his arms during a Desperados game. Not a chance. But, hey, that’s Wade. After the game he signed football after football and chatted with fans on the field.

_ Rick Herrin