Dallas Cowboys executives are probably waking up with heads sore from celebratory imbibing, and rotator cuffs stiff from patting themselves on the back after this weekend’s NFL draft.
The local sports media seems pleased with the draft. Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest when you’re standing in the woods, so let’s look at what outsiders have to say.
FOX‘s John Czarnecki gives the ‘Boys a B-plus for their draft picks. Not bad considering he gave NFC East rivals the Giants a B, and the Eagles a B. However, the Redskins got an A-minus.
SI.com graded the Cowboys a B. They were kinder to the Giants (B-plus) and Eagles (A-minus), but gave the Redskins a B-minus.
BleacherReport.com wasn’t so kind, giving the Cowboys a B while bestowing an A-minus, A, and A-plus to the Giants, Redskins, and Eagles respectively.
The Chicago Tribune dogged the Cowboys with a C, but loved the Giants (A-minus) and Eagles (A). The Redskins got a B-minus.
The Denver Post graded the Cowboys a B, the Giants a B, the Eagles an A-minus, and the Redskins a B-minus.
BuffaloNews.com ranked the top 5 strongest drafts and the bottom 5 weakest drafts. The Cowboys were ranked in the bottom 5. (Buffalo writers might still be scarred from the Super Bowl spankings the Cowboys gave the Bills in the early 1990s). The Giants made the top 5 strongest.
NEPatriots.com graded the teams numerically in order of best drafts. Ouch. The Cowboys (26) were far surpassed by their rivals: Giants (11), Redskins (8), and Eagles (1).
ESPN‘s Mel Kiper Jr. yawned at most every NFC East team except the Eagles. He gave the Cowboys, Giants, and Redskins a C-plus, and bestowed an A on the Eagles.
Examiner.com gave the Cowboys a respectable B-plus, which was higher than the Redskins (B) but lower than the Giants (A) and Eagles (A).
Bloggingthebeast.com was one of the few to grade the Cowboys (A) higher than all its rivals: Giants (B), Redskins (B), and Eagles (B-minus).
In other words, nobody really knows squat.
The Cowboys aren’t feeling an overabundance of national love. Still, few people are calling it a bust even though the national media love to pile on Jerry Jones after the draft each year.
I interpret this to mean it was an average draft bolstered by the bold move to get Maurice Claiborne with the sixth overall pick.
