The Dallas Cowboys are aware their 2013 NFL draft board has been compromised, ESPN Dallas reported on Friday. Blogging The Boys, a website that covers the team, compiled the Cowboys' draft board by piecing together pictures of Jerry Jones, who was standing in front of the board while conducting TV interviews in the team's war room, from several different angles.
Multiple sources confirmed that Jones did television interviews inside the war room. A review of the draft board confirms several things that Cowboys officials revealed the night of the draft.
The Cowboys had first round grades on 18 players. There were two wide receivers - Cordarrelle Patterson and Tavon Austin - with first-round grades. The Cowboys, who struggled along the offensive line in 2012, had three tackles and two guards in their top 18 grades.
Their eventual first-pick, center/guard Travis Frederick, was given a second-round grade and was ranked 22nd on the Cowboys' overall board. After Dallas traded down in the first with San Francisco, team officials said Frederick became their target. The team also had second-round grades on Gavin Escobar (25th on Dallas' board, drafted second round) and Terrance Williams (23rd overall; drafted third round).
The best tight end of the draft, Notre Dame's Tyler Eifert, also received a first-round grade by Dallas. The Cowboys passed up on the opportunity to draft Eifert with the No. 16 pick, instead trading with the 49ers, who took safety Eric Reid.
The Cowboys had a second-round grade on Reid and valued Texas' Kenny Vaccaro more. A source said the Cowboys didn't value Reid at No. 18, but did in the late first round or second round.
Buffalo drafted quarterback E.J. Manuel at No. 18. The Cowboys had a fourth-round grade on him and ranked three quarterbacks ahead of him - Ryan Nassib, Matt Barkley and Geno Smith. Those three quarterbacks all received second-round grades on the Cowboys' board.
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