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Dallas Cowboys surprise with first round pick of Travis Frederick

With the 31st overall pick in the NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys surprised fans and draft analysts alike by selecting Wisconsin center Travis Frederick in the first round. Frederick decided to forgo his senior season with the Badgers for the NFL and was projected by most analysts to be a third-round choice.

“I have a third-round grade on Travis Frederick,” NFL Network’s Mike Mayock said immediately following the pick. “I like him, he’s a tough guy in short areas … it’s a little bit of a reach at this point.”

The Cowboys used several centers last season but failed to find a consistent rock to anchor the position, giving Frederick a strong chance to start Week 1 over Cowboys’ center Phil Costa, a restricted free agent. Frederick also started at guard for the majority of his 2011 season at Wisconsin, making him a flexible option for Dallas offensive line coach Bill Callahan. Callahan was the offensive line coach at Wisconsin from 1990-94.

One thing that most scouts agreed on that made Frederick such an appealing pick is his well-documented football IQ. Frederick, who graduated this past fall with a degree in computer engineering, rarely committed mental mistakes in his collegiate career. Scouts also used the term “nasty” to describe Frederick’s tenacity in the trenches.

Frederick was the only Big Ten player selected in the first round and his selection marked the third consecutive year a Wisconsin offensive lineman has been selected in the first round, joining Gabe Carimi (2011 29th pick overall, selected by Chicago Bears) and Kevin Zeitler (2012 27th pick overall, selected by Cincinnati Bengals). The Badgers have now had 15 offensive linemen selected in the NFL draft since 2000, the most of any school. Of those 15 players, 10 have been first-round selections.

“No sooner had Roger Goodell announced the Cowboys’ pick than analysts pegged the selection as a major reach. Frederick may not have been a first round talent, but he was the best center in the class and in a weak draft class the Cowboys filled a serious need on a leaky offensive line. He will have the opportunity to start immediately in Dallas, and I expect him to quickly prove his value as a physically dominating, versatile run-blocker. Frederick has the tools to thrive at the pro level immediately and should follow in the footsteps of Badger linemen-turned NFL anchors.”

-Ian McCue, senior sports writer 

Montee Ball goes to Denver Broncos

Two-time First Team All-American and 2012 Doak Walker Award Winner Montee Ball may not have fulfilled his dream of becoming a first-round pick, but he did get a consolation prize by getting drafted by the team he idolized growing up.

“It’s a dream come true. I’ve been a Bronco fan since the age of seven,” Ball said. “To be a Bronco, that’s something very special to me. It’s very emotional time, I’m very blessed.”

With the 26th pick of the second round and the 58th overall in the NFL draft, the Broncos made Ball the second running back taken in the draft – North Carolina’s Giovani Bernard was taken 21 picks earlier by the Cincinnati Bengals.

“He’s a big back with a ton of production in college, who has great quickness and a great slashing-type style and is always heading north and south,” Denver Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway said to DenverBroncos.com. “So, we liked him a lot. We thought he could be a three-down guy for us, so we were thrilled he was available for us at the bottom of the second.”

Ball, who set the NCAA record for total touchdowns in a career with 83, was selected over Alabama running back Eddie Lacy, a player originally projected to be selected over him. Elway said what ultimately gave Ball the edge was his durability. Although Ball suffered a concussion before the start of his senior season, Lacy was plagued by a toe injury for most of his collegiate career, a factor that ultimately gave Ball the edge.

With a roster loaded with returning running backs in veteran Willis McGahee (167 carries, 731 yards in 2012), Knowshon Moreno (138 carries, 525 yards), Ronnie Hillman (85 carries, 330 yards) and Lance Ball (42 carries, 158 yards) it seems a foregone conclusion that the Broncos will part ways with at least one of the incumbents.

“It’s going to be interesting to see how a three-down back like Montee Ball succeeds in the pros, especially with the importance of constantly protecting Peyton Manning of the pass-happy Denver Broncos on blitz pick-ups. I think he’s going to get every chance in the world to not only be the Week 1 starter, but to be an extremely effective NFL back. Scouts were worried that there was a chance Ball might have a little bit too much wear on the tires after so many carries in college, but Ball proved in his senior season he’s tough, durable and better than any player in the NCAA at finding the end zone.”

-Nick Korger, sports editor

Ricky Wagner ends up with Baltimore Ravens

The 6-foot-6, 317-pound two-year starter at left tackle for Wisconsin had a bit to wait, but was rewarded after being selected by the defending Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens with the 35th pick in the 5th round and the 168th pick overall.

After starting at right tackle in 2010 for Wisconsin’s first Rose Bowl squad under then-head coach Bret Bielema, Wagner eventually moved to the left tackle spot in 2011 where he protected now-Seattle Seahawk Russell Wilson. A preseason favorite to win the Outland Trophy at the beginning of 2012, Wagner didn’t end up walking away with the hardware but was still a consensus First Team All-Big Ten selection.

A former walk-on at Wisconsin and a star tight end in high school, Wagner’s athleticism (his 31.5-inch vertical was the third best of any offensive linemen at the NFL combine) and frame make him a promising prospect for the Ravens down the road, although it will most likely be at right tackle.

According to Garret Downing, a staff writer for BaltimoreRavens.com, the offensive line for the Ravens is a big question mark heading into next season, giving Wagner an opportunity to perhaps earn a spot if he emerges during fall camp.