by Kevin McFarland
Daily Lobo
As NFL experts predict draft picks, here is one prediction for Dallas Cowboy fans: chances are you will not know any of the players taken by the Cowboys.
In a draft that boasts some of the biggest names in recent history, the Cowboys, who pick 18th, are in position to get none of them.
Still, Cowboy fans should be excited as Draft Day approaches.
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After spending two seasons in NFL purgatory - winning enough to stay out of the cellar, but not making the playoffs - Draft Day is another chance for Bill Parcells to plug up some holes.
And the Cowboys have more holes than Swiss cheese.
But this season is supposed to be different. According to many Dallas fans, the Cowboys picked up their ticket to the playoffs with the signing of free agent Terrell Owens.
Owens should be anxious to redeem himself and repair his image after he held the Philadelphia Eagles hostage for a new contract last season.
That means Owens should be catching touchdowns and keeping his mouth shut - at least until he decides he's worth more than his contract.
And that makes the Cowboys' draft that much more important.
Owens is an enticing gamble because he can make a decent team a playoff contender. But if the Cowboys make a habit of losing, Owens is destined to melt down like Tom Cruise on Oprah's couch.
So the challenge is laid out for Parcells and Jerry Jones.
Can they repair the Cowboys fast enough to keep Owens happy?
They need to start at safety. The Cowboys' D seemed to make a habit of crumbling at the end of games last season, and most of it was due to a faulty secondary. Roy Williams was spectacular at times, but the celebrated fourth-year safety can't do it alone.
Defensive back Michael Huff from Texas would be an obvious choice, but he is likely to be gone before the Cowboys' first pick. More likely, the Cowboys will take safety Jason Allen from Tennessee.
Dallas also needs to bolster its offensive line. Quarterback Drew Bledsoe has a strong arm and impressive accuracy, but he tends to crack under even the slightest defensive pressure. And Bledsoe will need extra time in the pocket to allow Owens to run his long routes.
Also depending on the offensive line are running backs Julius Jones and Marion Barber. Both showed flashes of brilliance last season, but they are only as effective as the line blocking for them.
In a draft that is fairly weak in the offensive line department, the Cowboys are hoping to find a player that will be easy to mold over the next couple of years. Tackle Marcus McNeill from Auburn is likely to be available in the second round, and might fit in Parcells' system well.
Cowboy fans are hoping Parcells can work magic with draft picks like he did last season. Defensive ends DeMarcus Ware and Marcus Spears, chosen with the Cowboys' two first round picks, made an immediate impact, fitting into Parcells' scheme about as well as rookies can. Barber proved to be an adequate replacement for starter Jones when he got injured during the season.
So while the Cowboys' draft choices may not be big names, Parcells might have some picks up his sleeve that can fill those holes.
