BBV Community Mock Draft 2011: With The Ninth Pick, Dallas Selects ...

Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska.

Playing the role of Jerry Jones (a little too proudly, if you ask me) for the Dallas Cowboys here is our pal 'Simms-McConkey.' Here is his rationale for the selection of Amukamara:

I want you to picture that the fans at Blogging the Boys are Jason Garrett. They understand football better. They know the team best. They know its needs best. They have a rational approach to making the team the best it can be. They know that a physical freak with "tremendous upside" like Tyron Smith would be a great grab right here. He doesn't need to crack the lineup right away -- he can sit behind Colombo and Free until ... well, October, when the line looks like a wet paper bag. He would be the Cowboys' equivalent of a pick like Jason Pierre-Paul: a giant, athletic freak. Further supporting this line of thinking, the Cowboys have met with Smith and he has addressed the major concern, size, bulking up to 307 for the combine. He's now projected as a top 10 pick.

But I am Jerry Jones. And I have not selected an offensive lineman in 21 years. And I'm not going to now. I'm not going anywhere wild with this pick, although I had considered another freak, JJ Watt, to improve the D-line.

I have three cornerbacks who look good on paper and pretty much nowhere else:

• Mike Jenkins, A first-round pick and 2010 pro bowl alternate, who says on his personal website "Dallas Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins just finished his best season as a pro, and now, he will be rewarded." He's talking about the Pro Bowl selection, but you can read into that what you will.He's under contract until 2012, and at a cheap price, making around $1 million per year.
• Orlando Scandrick is set to be a free agent in 2012, making about a mil a year. Then we have...
• Terence Newman, the formerly very good cornerback who, at age 33, is beginning to look injury prone and was downright bad last year. On top of that, he is due a staggering $8 million this year that he's certainly not worth. He's a team leader and a veteran, but nagging rib injuries could threaten his outlook.

If we're going to run with the 2011 NFL, we need to keep up in the secondary, and a 3-4 lineman is not going to be putting the kind of pressure on a QB needed to hide a bad secondary. If D-Ware and Spencer can't do it, no one can. There is a wealth of offensive linemen in the draft here, and if there's a good one left we'll get him at No. 40. I expect that to happen.

That's why we're going with conventional wisdom and history instead of common sense and potential here. Give me Prince Amukamara. You know the scouting. He's the top corner in the draft after Peterson, he's consensus top-ten talent. He gives us potential and leverage to deal with the salary demands of an established vet like Newman, and should immediately put pressure on all three of our corners that their spot is in jeopardy. More so than a JJ Watt or a Tyron Smith, I expect to see this guy on the field in week 1.

My take: The Cowboys really need help in the secondary, at both cornerback and safety. Amukamara is good value at this spot, even if you think he is a step down from Patrick Peterson. This pick makes sense.

-- 'jcalafiore' is now on the clock with the 10th pick of the first round for the Washington Redskins.

Round 1

Round 2