Cowboys draft board accidentally leaked -- here's how the Giants did

Generally NFL teams are secretive regarding the draft. They hide their intentions and methodologies to avoid giving other teams anything even approaching an advantage or insight into their team.

Occasionally little kernels of information slip out, like that Jason Pierre-Paul was sixth overall on the New York Giants draft board in 2010, or that Chip Kelly believed that Odell Beckham Jr. was the top receiver in the 2014 draft, and had a trade in place with the Los Angeles Rams (nee St. Louis) to move up and take him.

But then something like this happens.

The folks over at Blogging The Boys came across a leaked photo of the Dallas Cowboys' draft board, or at least something that purports to be the Cowboys' board.

You can view the whole board HERE, but we thought we'd check and see how one NFL franchise, and a division rival at that, feels the Giants did with their draft.

Round 1

Eli Apple (CB, Ohio State)

Drafted: 10th overall

Position on Cowboys' Big Board: 14th

This looks like a pretty good value for the Giants. He's listed one behind Vernon Hargreaves III, but with Apple's size, athleticism, and youth, along with the Giants' starters at corner, it's hard to quibble over one spot now when he could grow into a better player. It might be a slight reach according to the Cowboys, but he's a high-upside, premier talent at a premier position. You take those guys when they're available.

Round 2

Sterling Shepard (WR, Oklahoma)

Drafted: 40th overall

Position on Cowboys' Big Board: Unknown

The photo of the Cowboys' board shows that it was hand written (maybe their printer was down?) so more than a few names are illegible, and Sterling Shepard is one of them. The highest "illegible" name is at 47th overall, so that might be it. Moving on ...

Round 3

Darian Thompson (S, Boise State)

Drafted: 71st overall

Position on Cowboys' Big Board: 50th overall

Can you say "Steal"? According to the Cowboys' board, Thompson should have gone in the middle of the second round. Instead, he slipped 21 spots to the Giants in the third round. I bet Jerry Jones was just thrilled to see that happen.

Round 4

B.J. Goodson (LB, Clemson)

Drafted: 109th overall

Position on Cowboys' Big Board: Unknown

Like Shepard, Goodson's is one of the illegible names on the list. We don't know how their scouting department feels about him, but early reports from OTAs and minicamp have been good. Moving on again...

Round 5

Paul Perkins (RB, UCLA)

Drafted: 149th overall

Position on Cowboys' Big Board: 52nd overall

Well then ... I suppose getting a player three rounds and 97 spots later than a division rival thought he was going to go is a pretty good value. Interesting that the Cowboy's own fifth-round pick, Charles Tapper, was rated 20 spots lower at 72nd overall but the thinking is that after drafting Ezekiel Elliott (no. 1 overall on their board) they didn't need another running back. Of course, they could have drafted Joey Bosa (No. 4 overall) or Jalen Ramsey (no. 2 overall) and Perkins in the fifth and gotten an overall better value.

Oh well, I think I'll take it.

Round 6

Jerrell Adams (TE, South Carolina)

Drafted: 184th overall

Position on Cowboys' board: "5Fifth row, 93-120"

Adams' was another "Illegible" name on the Cowboys' board, but a side board showed that they had him in the fifth row of their draft board, and fourth overall on their tight end chart. At the absolute worst, the Giants drafted him 64 spots later than the Cowboys believed he should be drafted, so that looks like another good value, and maybe better than that.

Nobody will really know how any of the teams did in the draft for another couple years, but at least according to the Giants' rivals, Jerry Reese had himself a pretty good draft, without taking many, if any, risks.