Well, that didn't take long: a few hours after the Cowboys used their 22nd pick to take Felix Jones -- better known as that guy who would occasionally spell Darren McFadden at Arkansas -- the Dallas Morning News' Jean-Jacques Taylor asks a question some fans were no doubt thinking when the Cowboys went on the clock:
You don't draft a complementary player in the first round when you have an opportunity to select a franchise back. Ever. But that's what the Cowboys did Saturday.Taylor equates yesterday's choice to pass up on Mendenhall to the Cowboys' "ill-fated 1995 draft decision to pick a bunch of backups because their roster was so talented." Eh, that seems a tad overreactive, although I certainly understand the sentiment. Blogging the Boys puts the Jones pick in perspective:
By drafting Felix Jones instead of Rashard Mendenhall, the Cowboys finished Day 1 of the NFL draft with a good haul instead of a phenomenal one after also selecting South Florida cornerback Mike Jenkins and Texas A&M tight end Martellus Bennett.
I would have taken Mendenhall at that point, he's the more complete, workhorse back. Having said that, I understand the Cowboys thinking and I'm not overly disappointed we passed on Mendenhall. Rashard is a very similar back to MB3 in style and size although he doesn't quite have the violent streak of the Barbarian, but then again, who does? Mendenhall is the type of back who would need a lot of carries in a game to be truly effective and probably wouldn't get that this year behind MB3.I suppose you can never have too many Marion Barber's on the roster, but it really doesn't do much for offensive versatility. If the game plan is to just pound the ball for 60 plays a game, then, yeah, Mendenhall's a no-brainer. Seeing that Tony Romo, Jason Witten and Terrell Owens are also on the roster, Felix Jones makes sense. Plus, if the Cowboys re-sign Barber, everybody'll be happy.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Ryan, another tremendous blog. When you finish high school this year, are you planning on moving out of your mom's basement or does your job at Hastings pay enough for a studio apartment?
Posted at 4:53PM on Apr 27th 2008 by KGar
2. KGar,
"Mom's basement..."
Hahahahahahahaha...
hahahahahahahahaha.
Great line. Never heard that one.
Hahahahahahahaha.
Posted at 4:54PM on Apr 27th 2008 by ryan
3. The Cowboys drafted the right running back. All this hype for Rashard Mendenhall is ridiculous.
Posted at 7:35PM on Apr 27th 2008 by SB
4. Dallas doesn't need a less effective Marion Barber.
They needed a Felix Jones type of back. Garrett will get this guy out in space and throw to him quite a bit. LB's have been put on notice.
Mothing against Mendenhall, but there must've been a reason the guy dropped so far. Even Jonathan Stewart, injured toe and all, was selected way ahead of Mendenhall and the two are supposed to be very similar.
Posted at 8:52PM on Apr 27th 2008 by Tex Big Balls
5. i agree go dallas cowboys
Posted at 9:21PM on Apr 27th 2008 by michael matthews
6. Marion Barber was a complement back for Maroney ,of the Patriots, in college and Barber is doing great for the Cowboys.
Posted at 11:36PM on Apr 27th 2008 by Isaac
7. Felix "Don't call me Tom" Jones will fit nicely with the Cowboys. If the Cowboys drafted Rashard Mendenhall then the slogan "Too many chefs cook the meal."
Posted at 12:08AM on Apr 28th 2008 by George B Vieto
8. The Cowgirls should have drafted Jamaal Charles! This kid is going to make everyone that passed him up regret it! Especially Wade Phillips, because Jamaal is from the area he grew up Port Arthur, Tx., right next door to Port Neches, Tx. UT did not use him right and they are also going to pay the price, because he would have given them another year had Mack Brown and his offensive coordinator, who is also from this area given the ballto him more!
Posted at 12:57AM on Apr 28th 2008 by Alex Hayes
9. Ryan-
Felix Jones has the ability to blow the doors off of defensive backs with his quickness and speed. Defenders will be running down the field chasing him as if they had their jock straps wrapped around their ankles. He is fun to watch and is very explosive. Mendenhall is good and will be playing on Sundays in 3 years, but Jones is a better fit for Dallas, and he will therefore be far more productive. Jones was a good selection.
Posted at 8:23AM on Apr 28th 2008 by David Love
10. The real pick up for the Cowboys was not Jones, it was Choice from Georgia Tech. Choice ran up some nice numbers in with a sub-par line at a school known for basketball. He was the right CHOICE.
Posted at 9:25AM on Apr 28th 2008 by Todd
11. Personally...I feel Jamaal Charles is a much better back than Felix Jones,Mendenhall & Stewart...I think the #22 pick should have been Malcolm Kelly & #28 should have stayed put to get Charles,then you also retain those 5th round & 7 th round picks as well...I don't ever much agree with Jones and his crew of draft day brain powers...Dallas is my team and has been for the better part of 40 years...they never ever seem to obtain and understand what it means to stay close to home with homegrown talent!
KC understands exactly what that Texas prospect will do for them though...you would think after sending out Earl Campbell,Priest Holmes,Ricky Williams,Selvin Young,Cedric Benson somebody within the organization would realize something...we have now let the likes of Roy Williams(Det),Limas Sweed,Jamaal Charles,Selvin Young,Aaron Ross,Michael Griffin...slip right thru our grasp!
Posted at 10:30AM on Apr 28th 2008 by James Bates
12. i agree, Dallas made a dunbazz move,lmao!!!!!
Posted at 11:11AM on Apr 28th 2008 by Bush is Insane
13. Mendenhall would not have been a better choice. He had twice as many touches and only 420 more yards than Jones. They had one common opponent in Missouri this year and neither one did much in those games, though Jones did average 4.5 yards a carry against 3.3 for Mendenhall. Jones had 6 100+ yard games as a 2-back. Mendenhall had 8 100+ yard games as the 1-back. Physically Jones is 1 inch taller and played 3 pounds lighter.
If you watched the running game at Arkansas, they didn't have a different set of plays for Jones and McFadden in their normal (not WildHog) package. Jones ran inside as much a #5 but had a better per carry average, due in large part by getting past the line quicker and following the fullback with more patience. And the best thing about Felix is his willingness to leave his ego at home and be a complete team player. Few players with his talent would have survived 3 years in the shadow of McFadden, much less with a smile on their face. I predict he'll be the difference maker in a couple of key games this year and everyone will call Jerry a genius.
Tashard Choice was a great pick, too! Cut from the same mold as Jones; going into the season with those three back will make the running game as effective as it has been in several years and should allow the passing game to expand because both Choice and Jones can catch and run.
Posted at 12:28PM on Apr 28th 2008 by justgroovy
14. As someone who's known Jamaal Charles all his life and a former Port Arthur athlete myself, I can honestly tell you that I've seen all running backs in college last year, and there's no way that most of the backs drafted ahead of him is a better character person or running back. In a time when this league supposely look for so-called role models and professionals (with NO issues), Jamaal is the perfect example of a GREAT KID. And he has more football ability than the University of Texas displayed. I will go on record and tell you that he's going to make a whole lot of GM's in the league look like they really don't know much, because he's going to be a wonderful pro running back. All I ask is that KC give him the opportunity and let him carry the football, because the more he touches the ball, the better he gets and this has been a thing with him since high school, when he broke all of Joe Washington's records at Lincoln High in Port Arthur. If anyone knew this better than anyone else, it should have been Wade Phillips with the Cowboys, because he knows Jamaal petigree better than anyone else, and he's a much better person and back than Felix Jones, bar none! Jimmy Johnson would have drafted Jamaal in a heart beat, because he's one of the fastest and quickest guys in the draft, and he has the stuff that you cannot coach. So, Jamaal, just do your thing my brother and let them see that you are from PA...the home of guys like Jimmy Johnson, Aaron Brown, Joe Washington, Tim McKeyer, Duriel Harris, and many many more!
Posted at 12:28PM on Apr 28th 2008 by Top Cat