Dallas Cowboys NFL Draft 2000

Dallas Cowboys NFL Draft 1999

1. Ebenezer Ekuban, DE, North Carolina
1st Round (20 overall)
6-3, 281, 4.63

Notes:: Native of Ghana. Only played two years of organized football before coming to Carolina. Was a tight end and defensive end in high school. Played tight end as a freshman in 1995, and his only catch was for a four-yard score. A second-unit tight end in '96, when he caught five passes for 62 yards and one touchdown. Moved to defense in '97 and had four sacks in the first three games before hurting his shoulder. Ended the year with 40 tackles, nine tackles for loss and five sacks. Replaced Greg Ellis as North Carolina's defensive right end in '98, had 96-23-7 and earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors as well as some All-America notice.
Positives:: Tremendous physical specimen who looks as if he were weaned on a weight-lifting machine. Excellent athlete with great quickness and speed. Is starting to learn how to use his strength and explosiveness on the field. Improving his pass-rush angles and techniques. Has games when he dominates. Has outstanding pass-rush potential and a big upside. The light seemed to go on for this man early in the '98 season vs. Clemson in the fourth game of the year, and he had some games against very good teams like Florida State where he was dominating on the pass rush.
Negatives:: Shorter than NFL teams would prefer a defensive end to be. Has a limited football background and still has a lot to learn. Can be faked and fooled more easily than experienced, instinctive players can be. Built more for speed than power and has some trouble vs. the run and when big, long-armed tackles get their hands on him. Still somewhat lacking in playing strength and instincts and has games when he looks like he is not ready for prime time.
Summary:: Has a chance to develop into a big-time pass-rushing defensive end. Can really run and explode up the field.

2. Solomon Page, OT, West Virginia
2nd Round (55 overall)
6-4�, 306, 5.2

Notes:: Started every game since the second game of the 1996 season, when he was a freshman. First-team All-Big East in '98.
Positives:: Nice size. Has been durable. Very athletic for his size and can bend his knees well for a big man when he really wants to. Uses his hands and arms and has good feet. Will generally control his body well and keep his feet under him. Has improved every year. Looks as though he can play left tackle in the NFL.
Negatives:

3. Dat Nguyen, LB, Texas A&M
3rd Round (85 overall)
5-11�, 231, 4.7

Notes:: Name is pronounced "win." Was born in a refugee camp in Arkansas after his parents escaped from Vietnam. Redshirted in 1994 and has started ever since. Led the team in tackles for the past four years and set a school record for tackles. Had 94 stops, seven tackles for loss and four passes broken up as a freshman; and 146 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 1 1/2 sacks, three interceptions and three fumble recoveries in '96. Recorded 130 tackles, including 13 for loss, and one pick in '97 and then had 20 tackles in the Cotton Bowl vs. UCLA. Made his senior season his best, winning nearly unanimous All-America honors, the prestigious Lombardi Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik Defensive Player of the Year Award and finishing second to Chris Claiborne in Butkus Award balloting. Had a career-high 147 tackles and 20 tackles for loss in '98, along with four sacks and two interceptions, despite having his hand in soft cast for about half the season due to a broken thumb.
Positives:: A very positive person with great work ethic, desire, instincts and intangibles. Relentless and supercompetitve. Tough as nails. Plays with tremendous anticipation. Always seems to be going in the right direction and rarely takes a false step. Has LB instincts that can't be taught, and they allow him to play much faster than he times and cover a lot more ground than scouts feel he should be able to. Relentless player who makes plays all over the field. Never backs down and always goes hard. Gets bigger and stronger every year.
Negatives:: Undersized. Does not have a great 40 time. Too small to be a take-on and fill/stuffer-type linebacker. Needs to be protected from the blockers.
Summary:: Somewhere in between former Aggie star Ed Simonini and current Raven star Ray Lewis. Nguyen may be too small and not that fast on paper, but watch him play on tape or live and then tell me he can't play and play well in the right system.