The 2012 season is just days away from kicking off and this looks like an exciting season with a lot of big-name rookies expected to make a huge impact. But you can’t talk about those rookies without the inevitable comparisons. Here’s a look at some of the top rookies and how they compare to their contemporaries.

Shaun O’Hara and Willie McGinest discuss who is under more pressure in 2012 Tony Romo of the Cowboys defense.

As soon as the Cowboys drafted CB Morris Claiborne, the status of starting CB Mike Jenkins was in doubt. In the final year of his contract, wanting a new pay day, Jenkins was trade bait. And the team did try to trade him. That was two weeks ago. Offers were slim, and any hope of the Cowboys receiving back the second-rounder they gave up to get Claiborne was wishful thinking. Some thought they could get a fourth-rounder for Jenkins, but even that didn’t happen. Dallas officials lamented how teams simply wanted to go with their picks, rather than trade for a proven corner. What now? At the Cowboys annual golf tournament, owner Jerry Jones said yesterday that team now considers […]

Before I get outta here at Valley Ranch and go wait in line at Mia’s, I wanted to mention one thing that hasn’t garnered much attention. It was said as an oh-by-the-way on draft night, and that’s been that. But it came to the forefront today because first-round draft pick CB Morris Claiborne didn’t participate in rookie minicamp.

What’s up with Claiborne’s wrist?

The first practice of rookie minicamp for the Cowboys ended, and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan ambled off the field. He stopped to chat with reporters for the first time since the draft, and he made a point of saying he wouldn’t make any outrageous proclamations.

During the week leading up to the NFL Draft, and then during the draft itself, I was in Dallas. In related news, I also live in Dallas now. Anyway, it gave me a chance to see the Cowboys up close, learn how they tick, see how they draft, and gain an understanding for why they did what they did. Hearing them before the draft, then watching them trade for LSU CB Morris Claiborne at No. 6, told me something very pertinent. They think they are gonna be really, really good. The result was my story that is now on the front page of NFL.com. With every move they made, from the blockbuster to add Claiborne, to filling in with projects […]

The Cowboys spent all last night saying that even with the trade up in the draft to snag LSU CB Morris Claiborne, they hadn’t made a decision on Mike Jenkins. Vice President Stephen Jones said that while no decision had been made, “Very rarely do you see people get through the season using three corners.” In the next room, though, owner Jerry Jones wouldn’t guarantee that Jenkins would be on the roster in training camp. And with good reason. I’m told this morning that the Cowboys are shopping Jenkins, who has one more year on a contract that should pay the former first-rounder $1 million. Both Joneses lamented losing a second-round pick in the Claiborne deal, and perhaps they can […]

The Cowboys made one of the memorable trades of the first round, sending their 14th pick and a second-rounder to the Rams for the right to select No. 6 overall. It was a bold move, and one that left them with an elite player at a key position — LSU CB Morris Claiborne.

To follow up on what we’re hearing, a league source reinforced that the Minnesota Vikings are leaning toward drafting LSU CB Morris Claiborne. Minnesota has Claiborne rated highest on their draft board and the team reportedly likes him more than USC OT Matt Kalil.

Also, Cleveland appears to be leaning toward taking Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden with the No. 22 pick, league sources said.

NFL Films’ Greg Cosell took a very different approach to his mock draft, choosing players based on film study and sense of team needs. The main objective of Cosell’s mock is to further discuss the top players by putting them in a draft format. One other caveat: A total disregard for documented off-field problems, character issues, anything that is not a function of on-field play.

Many are assuming that the Vikings will take left tackle Matt Kalil with the third overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, but comments that coach Leslie Frazier made to The Star Tribune on Sunday might cast that idea in doubt.

NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock held a 97-minute pre-draft conference call with reporters from across the nation where he answered questions on the top two expected picks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III and shared his unique perspective.

Around the League’s Marc Sessler broke down some of the finer points of Mayock’s conference.

Vikings coach ​Leslie Frazier​, ​Jets coach ​Rex Ryan​ and Steelers coach ​Rex Ryan​ were all on hand to watch CB ​Morris Claiborne (5-foot-11 1/4, 190 pounds) ​make his case for being a top-five selection in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Does the NFL Scouting Combine know how to cap off the week, or what? There’s no better bow to wrap around it than the defensive back workouts.

LSU is turning out top-notch defensive backs at a startling pace, a trend not lost on Morris Claiborne, who’s widely considered the top cornerback in this year’s draft class.