SPORTSDAY

A special thanks goes out to JJT for sticking up for the truth, and clearing up any confusion created by the hard-of-hearing Timmy Tabloid.

But his won't be the final word on Darren McFadden. We have more, much more from him today. And I know he's been a bit of a lightning rod on Cowboys Blog, so I'll provide you with some of that material here.

McFadden, of course, hasn't had the chance to interview with any teams yet, since the only opportunity to would've been at the Senior Bowl, which he wasn't eligible for (being a junior and all.) One of the interesting things D-Mac had to say actually came from just that -- his class standing -- when he was asked if there were any regrets he had in leaving Fayetteville a year early.

"The Heisman Trophy," McFadden said. "That’s the only thing. I felt like I did everything I could to win a Heisman. But the only thing I could do was play ball, let the voters take care of everything else."

Just so there's no misinterpretation. Here's what Darren McFadden actually said this morning as I stood five feet away, "My intention is to run at the combine, but no final decision has been made."
That should clear up any ambiguity.

Apparently, Timmy Tabloid wasn't listening when I was on the phone with him this morning. Maybe he was too wrapped in the latest issue of OK! magazine or trolling perezhilton.com or something.

Whatever the case may be, Darren McFadden did not say he would not run at the combine. He said, in fact, that he wants to.

But he says he simply hasn't decided yet on whether that's best yet or not.

After his morning workout at the Michael Johnson Performance Center, Arkansas RB Darren McFadden met with the press, and detailed the one and only face-to-face meeting he had with fellow Hog Jerry Jones.

It was at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December in Orlando, and McFadden left both impressed with and with an impression from Jones.

"He’s a great guy," McFadden said. "I feel like if he had it his way, he would pick me and have me as a running back for him. But the draft works funny."

Rumors have had just that happening -- with Jones supposedly ready to pay a king's ransom to position the Cowboys to take McFadden.

"I’ve heard so many rumors about what’s going on with the draft, I just try not to pay attention to any of it anymore," McFadden said. "You have to block it out, because if you don’t, it’ll take control of you, getting caught up in where you want to go and where you think you should go. You try to block it out and focus on getting better out here."

And McFadden added that he'd make the most of any situation he was put in.

Albert "Einstein" Breer called to breathlessly report that Arkansas RB Darren McFadden said he won't run at the scouting combine and hasn't decided whether he'll do any physical activities.

Einstein is spending the morning at the Michael Johnson Performance Center in McKinney. Former Denton Ryan star DT Derek Lokey, an All-Big 12 performer at Texas, headlines a group working out there with the track legend to prepare for the draft. McFadden and fellow Hogs RB Felix Jones are also there.

More from Einstein to come on the Michael Johnson experience.

Because I know everyone and their brother is interested in this year's cast of draft-eligible backs, here's a fairly off-common-perception take from the NFL Network's Mike Mayock. He ranks the top tailbacks available and Arkansas dynamo Darren McFadden is not on top.

Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall is, and readers of this blog know well how much I think of the kid, even if he did torch my Buckeyes. So yes, I'm on board with Mayock's idea that Mendenhall will be a more complete pro back, and more capable of carrying a running game than McFadden will be.

Here's Mayock's Top 5:

1. Mendenhall
2. McFadden
3. Jonathan Stewart, Oregon
4. Felix Jones, Arkansas
5. Chris Johnson, East Carolina

Follow the jump for an update (3:25 p.m.), with Mayock's top 20 players overall, a list McFadden doesn't make.

Hall of Fame scribe Rick "Goose" Gosselin mentioned Kansas State's Jordy Nelson as a guy to keep an eye on while talking about the top receivers in the draft on The Ticket's Norm Hitzges Show yesterday.

Nelson is a former walk-on who put up spectacular stats last season -- 122 catches for 1,606 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has excellent size (6-2, 213) and sure looks fast torching first-round lock CB Aqib Talib (see above YouTube).

Follow the jump for YouTube highlights from the first half of Nelson's senior season. Warning: Several of the highlights will bring up bad memories for Texas fans.

The official stance on this here blog is that Jerry shouldn't trade the farm for the right to draft Arkansas RB Darren McFadden. But Jerry has my permission to set an NFL record for quickest pick in the first round if McFadden falls to No. 22.

Hey, it could happen if GMs listen to NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock. McFadden is missing from Mayock's list of the top 10 players in the draft, which is topped by Boston College QB Matt Ryan.

"I don't touch Darren McFadden in the first 20 picks of the draft," Mayock said.

Also of note from a Cowboys perspective: Troy's Leodis McKelvin, ranked No. 10, was the only cornerback to crack Mayock's list. Good luck getting a consensus opinion on the first-round cornerbacks. I've seen McKelvin, Kansas' Aqib Talib of Richardson Berkner and South Florida's Mike Jenkins all ranked by respected draft experts as the best player at the position.

ESPN's Todd McShay has his latest mock draft up (Insider subscription required), and he's got Cowboys owner GM/owner grabbing an Arkansas running back in the first round.

No, not that one. It's Felix Jones here. McShay projects that selection at 28, with Dallas taking USC tackle Sam Baker at 22. Here's what the ESPN draft guru says about the Cowboys taking Arkansas' "other" tailback:

If owner Jerry Jones can't strike a deal for McFadden, he could settle for Arkansas' other first-round running back prospect. Felix Jones is a speedster who could complement current Dallas RB Marion Barber well and provide a home run threat in the return game.

McShay has BC QB Matt Ryan (Dolphins), Virginia DE Chris Long (Rams), Arkansas RB Darren McFadden (Falcons), LSU DT Glenn Dorsey (Raiders) and Michigan OT Jake Long (Chiefs) going 1-5.

As part of my never-ending quest to give Jerry good advice (like don't trade up for Darren McFadden), I did some research on running backs picked in the 20s. In other words, what caliber of back typically gets taken in the range of the Cowboys' two first-rounders?

The answer: pretty good ones. Follow the jump for proof.

There's speculation that the Cowboys will trade their two first-round picks and Marion Barber to the Dolphins for the No. 1 pick and draft the great Darren McFadden.

Listen to me. Please.

Not going to happen.

Yes, the Cowboys love McFadden, but the 2008 draft is rich with running back talent. Dallas has needs at wide receiver, secondary and defensive line. A good running back will be there late in the first round.

Besides, why trade Barber? He is everything the Cowboys want right now.

So, please let's stop the madness on trading with the Dolphins for the No. 1 pick. And if the Cowboys do move up in the top 10, I'd rather take LSU defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey or Virginia's Chris Long before McFadden.

So says superstar columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor in this week's newsletter.

This would be the dumbest move Jones has ever made in 19 years of owning the Cowboys.

Worse than the feud with Jimmy Johnson that led to the coach’s departure. Worse than trading a pair of No. 1 picks to Seattle for Joey Galloway. And worse than wasting millions on Chad Hutchinson and Drew Henson in hopes one of them would become the next Troy Aikman.

JJT goes on to list several reasons why the trade doesn't make sense. But can't you just imagine Jerry getting all starry-eyed while watching D-Mac highlights?

So says Sports Illustrated's Peter King, who offered some unsolicited advice to Jerry in this week's edition of Monday Morning Quarterback.

Don't even consider making such a foolish trade. That's right. It's foolish. Never, ever, ever, ever pay a ransom for a running back. They're too plentiful and too easy to find down the line, and too easy to make a mistake picking. As the Bears have proven (Curtis Enis, Rashaan Salaam, Cedric Benson in the first round between 1995 and 2005), picking backs is a dartboard science.

In the last two years, eight backs drafted after the first round have gained 1,200 yards -- Frank Gore, Tiki Barber, Willie Parker, Rudi Johnson, Brian Westbrook, Chester Taylor, Travis Henry and Clinton Portis. The Giants picked up Ryan Grant off the street, and he just helped win a playoff game for Green Bay against Seattle.

And to think of including restricted free-agent Marion Barber III in the deal ... lunacy. Pure and simple. Barber's a top-10 NFL running back right now (the only reason he might not be in the top five is he hasn't proven he can carry it 20 times a game every week; he's had 339 carries over the past two years). Under no circumstances should he be dealt. If I'm Bill Parcells and can give you the first pick in the draft for Barber and first- and second-round picks, I make that trade this morning.

I couldn't agree more.

Despite Albert "Einstein" Breer's invitation to join him in the Senior Bowl live blogfest, the college football all-star game got second-TV, no-sound status in the MacMahonor living room while I watched Big 12 hoops Saturday. But I saw enough of the Senior Bowl to be intrigued by Tennessee State CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

NFL Network draft guru Mike Maycock included Rodgers-Cromartie in his list of nine players whose stock depended on their Senior Bowl performance.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State (CB): Small-school corner with big-time skills. ... Tall, lean CB with long arms, excellent ball skills and natural change-of-direction skills. Rodgers-Cromartie must show that he is physical enough to compete against quality WRs at the highest level.

I would think that Rodgers-Cromartie boosted his stock as much as any player in Mobile. By all accounts, Antonio Cromartie's cousin had an outstanding week of practice. He capped the week with a spectacular performance. His leaping interception was highlight-reel material, but scouts were probably more impressed with his sound tackling, especially a big stick on 6-3, 225-pound Oklahoma State WR Adarius Bowman.

I’m on record, and I’ll say it again: I would not be on board with the Cowboys putting together a monster package to trade up and get Arkansas superstar Darren McFadden.

But there’s history that, in a roundabout way, backs that kind of deal. Most people frequenting Cowboys Blog, I figure, would consider Tony Dorsett and Emmitt Smith the two greatest tailbacks in club history. I’ll bet I can even get Cowboys historian Timmy Tabloid to agree with that.

So what do Dorsett and Smith have in common? They both came to Dallas as a result of draft-day trade-ups that, in hindsight, look about as lopsided as a 1980s Super Bowl.

The lesson here would be that if you believe a player is going to be that special, you do what it takes. I don’t think McFadden will wind up having a career like those Dallas legends. But I will say that if Jerry Jones and Co. are fairly certain that he’ll be that kind of back, then they should pull the trigger. Again, I would NOT be on board with the move.

Follow the jump to see proof positive that the deal could be worth making.

While I don't think trading up for Darren McFadden is a good idea for the Cowboys, it's not too tough to make a case for such a deal.

Forget about Miami's reported request for Marion "The Barbarian" Barber to be part of the package. The Cowboys might be able to land McFadden by moving up to No. 4. A reasonable offer to the Raiders would be this year's two first-rounders and next year's No. 1.

Too much? Not if you look at Jerry's history with picks in the latter half of the first round.

Would you give up Bobby Carpenter, Marcus Spears and Anthony Spencer for a gamebreaking running back? Those are the Cowboys' last three picks in the late teens-twenties range. We're talking about a good special teamer, a J.A.G. DE and a promising OLB prospect.

The other post-Jimmy era late first-rounders are DE Ebenezer Ekuban, TE David LaFleur and DE Shante Carver. Yuck.

Combine Jerry's lust for his fellow Hog with his lack of confidence in his ability draft a good player in the twenties, and you can at least understand his logic in trying to trade up for McFadden.

Now that this one's in the books, here are six guys I came out of this game liking (in alphabetical order):

1) QB Erik Ainge, Tennessee: I liked his poise in leading the team down the field on that game-winning drive. But even before that, he was showing great poise in the pocket, and the arm strength to get ball around from back there.

2) RB Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech: Thought he ran tough, showed some wiggle and can catch the ball down the field. He could be a good get for the Cowboys if he slips a little.

3) DT Sedrick Ellis, Southern California: This one's obvious. He's absolutely dominant, and seems like he'd be a perfect nose tackle in a Wade Phillips 3-4. Too bad there's no one way he's even close to available.

4) RB Matt Forte, Tulane: A big-numbers guy who seemed like he belonged playing with guys from the big powers. What I like about him is how many different things it looks he can do -- good between the tackles and on the edge as a receiver alike.

5) WR Lavelle Hawkins, Cal: This kid looks like he moves with quickness, gets in and out of his breaks, tracks the ball well in the air, and catches the ball with his hands. Plus, he's got return ability to boot.

6) CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State: Long, rangy, athletic, and he looks like a football player the way he hits and goes after the ball. I think he'll be a first-rounder.

In my opinion, Erik Ainge and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would be the offensive and defensive players of the game for the South. And Andre Caldwell, of course, scores the winning touchdown.

Here's why that's interesting. Ainge is the nephew of Celtics personnel boss and former NBA guard Danny Ainge. Rodgers-Cromartie has a cousin, Antonio Cromartie, who's an All-Pro corner. And Caldwell's older brother is Redskins receiver Reche Caldwell.

For whatever that's worth.

I never thought it'd be this exciting watching one of these all-star games, which are usually just glorified tryouts for the pros.

Andre Caldwell, the little brother of Redskins receiver Reche Caldwell, just punched in the winning touchdown on an end-around. Unbelievable. I'll wrap things up here in a minute.

But man, was I right on Erik Ainge!

He looks really good moving the team down the field here, sitting comfortably in the pocket and picking the defense apart.

Looks like that's what the Senior Bowl is becoming.

I think we'll learn some things about Erik Ainge on this drive ... Whoops, it's already third-and-9.

We're waiting to see who the MVP is. And for those who aren't watching on TV, here's the graphic they showed on who the past few were:

2007: RB Tony Hunt, Penn State/Eagles
2006: WR Sinorice Moss, Miami/Giants
2005: QB Charlie Frye, Akron/Seahawks
2004: QB Philip Rivers, NC State/Chargers
2003: RB Larry Johnson, Penn State/Chiefs
2002: QB/WR Antwaan Randle El, Indiana/Redskins
2001: RB LaDainian Tomlinson Texas Christian/Chargers

I know pumping up an Arkansas kid is probably not what you guys are looking for -- considering that Jerry might overvalue a Hog or two -- but fullback Peyton Hillis looks intriguing.

For one thing, it looks like he can block, which is the most important thing at his position. And while he lacks burst or speed, Hillis does look like he can grind out a yard or two in long yardage.

Now if I could see him as a receiver, we could figure out whether he's worth a draft pick or not.

Finally, Chauncey Washington's showing me something. He was one of the guys I was keeping an eye on and early on, he disappointed, showing disinterest in being a lead blocker and looking a little lost as a receiver.

But his running ability was on display there. He can really make guys miss for a big back, and turned the corner on the defense to set the North up for a score there. He's got character and injury issues, but there's talent there.

By the way, and this is crazy, he was in the same SC recruiting class as Reggie Bush and LenDale White.

Danny Ainge's little nephew, Erik, looks like an NFL quarterback now, moreso than any of the other guys, for my money.

Why? Ainge looks comfortable standing in and making throws from a closed-in area. Plus, mechinically, with his footwork and release, he looks better than the others.

Of course, you do have a bunch of guys from spread systems out there, so that's part of it.

Is the way it brings about additions to the English language.

The NFL Network's Mike Mayock just commented Wake Forest DE Jeremy Thompson's "Verticality" when he when up to bat a pass down in coverage. That, by the way, has to do with his ability to jump.

By the way, Cowboys Blog remains a big fan of Mayock's work. But that one was just too easy.

DeJuan Tribble, again, showed his instincts there in breaking on the ball -- and that's just what I've been talking about with him.

He's one of these kids who might drop because of measureables, but can really play. He's tough against the run and has a nose for the ball. And since the Cowboys don't play a ton of man, he might be a good fit in certain ways.

Keep an eye on him. If the Cowboys don't take a corner in the first round, and he's sitting there in the second round, he'd be a nice get.

But he's really not showing a lot of burst or that he can make guys miss.

I like the way Lavelle Hawkins has played better, as far as Cal guys go. The receiver, second-fiddle to DeSean Jackson in Berkeley, looks like he's pretty quick in short areas, catches the ball with his hands and has some return ability.

Could be a steal down the line in the draft.

I was excited to watch Leodis McKelvin, and for a while there, I was wondering where the heck he is.

Now we have the answer: He's got a pulled hamstring and isn't playing. Smart move by the kid. He's already helped his stock, and there's no need to go out there at less than 100 percent or risk re-injury.

We'll certainly learn more about him over the next few months anyway.

That's Sedrick Ellis, for all you who don't watch college football.

When the North hasn't doubled him, he's embarrassing people. He looks stronger than just about everyone else on the field, and quicker than anyone up front.

Of course, this is irrelevant to the Cowboys. Ellis will be long gone by the time they pick.

Told you I like this kid.

Watch Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie's backpedal on that play, and how he reacts with the ball in the air and then gets body position on the receiver for the pick. Kid's a player. Maybe a first-rounder, too.

22nd or 28th overall, anyone?

So why has USC -- which probably has more talent than the All-Big 12 team -- slipped the last two years?

Three words: John. David. Booty. He's been wildly erratic, and we're seeing his bad side today. He's short-arming balls into the flat, throwing off balance, and making ridiculous decisions -- like tossing that one right into coverage for the pick.

I can't see how any NFL team would look at either him or Chad Henne before we're into the second day of the draft.