Draft History: 1987

The messages were sent out Tuesday from the Cowboys' offices. They went to John Dutton, Ed Jones, Tony Hill, Mike Renfro, Nate Newton and Reggie Collier – just to name a half-dozen.

Of course, the Cowboys contend they do not send messages when they draft. They claim they do not draft for need. They simply list players on the big board and pluck off the "best availables."

That's what they say. But what about the fourth round when, after failing to pull off a trade that would have enabled them to select Stephen Baker, a 5-8, 160-pound receiver-punt return man, the Cowboys chose Kelvin Martin, a 5-8, 161-pound receiver-punt return man. Is the similarity purely coincidental?

The Cowboys, in fact, do what every other team does – they draft players they think will fill their needs. It wouldn't make sense to do otherwise. And Tuesday, the Cowboys' needs were greater than customary, meaning they had to ignore some areas while concentrating on others. In doing so, some intriguing battles were set up. Every position except linebacker figures to show the impact of Tuesday's draft. A breakdown by positions:

Quarterback

Interesting. The Cowboys didn't exactly tend to this position early, but the player they tapped in the seventh round should keep the veterans on their toes. Fresno State's Kevin Sweeney doesn't have pro size or mobility, but he has a 10,000-yard resume.

He represents an obvious threat to Collier and Paul McDonald, each of whom would like to claim the third spot behind Danny White and Steve Pelluer. If the Cowboys are satisfied with White's health, they can afford to take a chance and keep a rookie as the No. 3.

Complicating the situation somewhat is this comment from pass offense coordinator Paul Hackett: "The guy that's been the biggest surprise this spring is McDonald. He's really looked excellent throwing the ball and putting our offense together."

Running back

This was the least of the Cowboys' needs, and ninth-round pick Alvin Blount of Maryland has little more chance of making this team than last year's No. 8 pick. Anyone remember Topper Clemons of Wake Forest? Receiver

The Cowboys, not needing a third tight end, didn't take one. They did need to go for a wide receiver in the first half of the draft – and they chose two.

Wide receiver

Pencil Martin onto the 45-man roster for the trip to St. Louis on Sept. 13. The Cowboys haven't had an effective punt returner since Bob Hayes, and Martin led the nation as a junior. Opponents kicked away from him last year, and he still averaged 12.5 yards. He has 4.5 speed and broke all of Boston College's receiving records.

The Cowboys followed Martin with 6-2 Everett Gay of Texas in the fifth round.

"With Kelvin Martin, we went for him as a return man and a backup receiver," coach Tom Landry said. "If he can be more than that, that's great. When you pick Gay in the fifth, he's just a guy you've got to take if he's there in the fifth. He's just a big, tall target who will be better for us than he was for Texas because they weren't really a passing team."

At most, the Cowboys can keep five wide receivers. Put Mike Sherrard and Martin on the squad and that leaves Hill, Renfro, Gordon Banks, Karl Powe and Gay to fight for three openings.

A message?

"I think it's already been said," Hackett said. "There are very few receivers in this league who play past 30 and are productive. We were not happy with our receiving corps last year except for Mike Sherrard."

For those counting birthdays – and the Cowboys clearly are – Hill turns 31 and Renfro 32 before the season opener.

Offensive line

The Cowboys attacked this need in the third, sixth and eighth rounds, and don't discount the last of the three picks. Washington's Kevin Gogan is 6-6 and 300 pounds, and new line coach Jim Erkenbeck likes quite a few things about him. He isn't wild about Gogan's work habits, but that's something an NFL training camp can correct.

Third-round pick Jeff Zimmerman, a 315-pounder from Florida, will get a shot at left tackle. If he fails there, look for him to shift to guard, where he was All-America as a junior. His presence at guard could make Newton a 330-pound luxury the club no longer can afford. A strong camp from a slimmer Newton would put the heat on veterans Howard Richards, still a backup after all these years, and Kurt Petersen, who is trying to come back from knee surgery.

Defensive line

The Cowboys like to keep six defensive linemen. Add it up.

Randy White, Jim Jeffcoat, Kevin Brooks, Mark Walen and No. 1 pick Danny Noonan – that's five who figure to make it out of training camp.

Don Smerek, Ed Jones, John Dutton – something has to give.

Dutton has been faced with challenges before, namely from Brooks the last two years. He had a respectable season last year, but it's debatable that Dutton would have made the club if not for Brooks' injury. With the Cowboys' abundance at tackle – White, Brooks, Noonan and Walen – Dutton is almost certainly finished. Jones, who like Dutton is 36, will have to prove that last year was just an off-year, not the end of the line. If he succeeds, one must wonder about the future of Smerek.

Linebacker

Remember this name – Alex Gordon of Cincinnati. The 6-4, 245-pound linebacker went to the New York Jets in the second round. Some scouts thought he would go in the first, while others questioned his concentration.

Gordon could be the next Carl Banks, and if so, the Cowboys will regret not taking him in the second round, no matter how good Ron Francis turns out to be. A big, fast blitzer on the outside is the one void the Cowboys failed to address Tuesday. Landry said the omission wasn't by design. "We tried. We felt we needed an influx there (at linebacker) that would push everybody else, but they just didn't hit the right spot," he said.

As a result, get ready for another season of Jeff Rohrer, Eugene Lockhart and Mike Hegman. That's not all bad, especially since Rohrer has gotten better each year. But Lockhart has pretty much stayed the same each year. Hegman, 34, has reached a stage where he just gets older each year.

Secondary

The choice of Baylor's Francis in the second round made one thing clear. Landry isn't willing to watch another year of Manny Hendrix, Johnny Holloway and Vince Albritton in the 4-0. Francis also could spell the end of Ron Fellows' days as a starter, but not as a Cowboy.

Counting Everson Walls, Fellows and Francis at the corners and Mike Downs, Bill Bates and Victor Scott at safety, the Cowboys have one spot left for Albritton, Hendrix or Holloway. Albritton's versatility probably gives him the edge.

Kicker/punter

Get ready for the Great Kicking Derby. Texas' Jeff Ward, an 11th-round pick, and at least five free agents will fight for the kicking job. It's never easy for a rookie kicker to make it. Ward has some fine college credentials – but then so did Max Zendejas last year.