Cowboys have drafted well since '89 Cowboys have drafted well since '89AUSTIN - Since 1989, the Dallas Cowboys have used the NFL Draft wisely,
picking 25 players who have started games for them.
And while everyone remembers the first-round picks like Troy Aikman, Emmitt
Smith, Russell Maryland and Kevin Smith, the Cowboys have also picked up
some very good players in the second round.
Those players include Daryl Johnston (1989), Dixon Edwards (1991), Darren
Woodson (1992), Kevin Williams and Darrin Smith (1993), Larry Allen (1994)
and Kendall Watkins (1995).
The first six have all contributed heavily to the Cowboys' success over
the last four years, and Cowboy coaches are still high on Watkins, a pass-blocking
tight end with good hands.
This year's draft might prove to be no different after the Cowboys picked
defensive end Kavika Pittman and linebacker Randall Godfrey in the second
round. Both have good size and both can run, something the Cowboys put a
premium on when it comes to drafting players.
And while coaches think Pittman will be a good NFL player, it's Godfrey
who could turn out to be the steal of the Cowboys' draft.
At 6-2, 237 pounds, Godfrey entered his senior season at the University
of Georgia with the idea that he would be a first-round pick in this year's
NFL Draft. But that notion came to an end when he suffered a severely pulled
right hamstring against Alabama on Sept. 30. He played in only two more
games the rest of the season.
And that injury cost him a shot at going in the first round.
"Before the injuries, I definitely thought I was a first-round player,"
Godfrey said. "I started all four years at Georgia. I stayed my senior
year to improve my draft status, and I would have done that if I hadn't
gotten injured."
While the Cowboys have recently tried to retain smaller linebackers with
great speed, they moved away from that a little bit in the offseason, signing
Fred Strickland and Broderick Thomas to replace the departed Robert Jones
and Dixon Edwards. Both were fast players, but they were also easily pushed
off the line of scrimmage.
To go along with those two physical linebackers, the Cowboys drafted Godfrey
to challenge Thomas for the strongside linebacker spot. Godfrey is an aggressive
player who developed a reputation at Georgia as an intimidator.
"I've got good speed, but I played middle linebacker for two years
at Georgia, so I can be pretty physical," he said.
The Cowboys are counting on Godfrey providing some help at a position where
weakside linebacker Darrin Smith is the only starter returning from last
year. But Godfrey is just trying to learn the pro game right now.
"It's good for me to have a chance to play behind a guy like Broderick
because he can help me so much," Godfrey said. "I'm learning a
lot from the veterans. I know my time will come."
But the Cowboys need Godfrey to perform this year, if not as a starter then
as a key backup.
"There is some pressure in that," he said. "But we're all
here to push each other and compete and help this team get back to the Super
Bowl."