The 2007 NFL draft has come and gone and now the grades are coming in. It comes as no real surprise that the grades for the Cowboys are all over the board going from a D by the Dallas Morning News to a A by DallasCowboys.com with most falling in the C to B range.

But, before you read too much into these grades, remember the grades they received after trading out of the first round when Steven Jackson was available. There were a whole host of bad grades. And then the very next year when the Cowboys picked up Marcus Spears and DeMarcus Ware because of the first rounder they received the year before everyone was quick to praise the Cowboys and how they did a good job securing that extra pick.

In truth, draft grades mean less then preseason predictions for a team’s final standing. Not only does it take several years to know how the players will pan out, but there is no real consensus on how to grade a draft. Do you grade it on just the players drafted, or do you include the trades involved? Do you grade based on team needs and positions filled? While one writer might give the Lions a big thumbs up for not skipping the best player in the draft, another might give them a thumbs down for drafting a position that wasn’t a priority.

In the end, I think most writers tend to grade a draft based on who they would have picked, and most writers haven’t spent millions of dollars researching all of the players.

So, I wouldn’t get worked up about it. Me? I’m thrilled to have two first round picks next year. Anytime you have a chance to trade for a future first rounder that should be lower than where you are currently picking plus pick up a pick that year it’s going to be a winning situation — so long as you can follow through by picking up a quality player that next year.

One reason why some writers may have graded the Cowboys lower might be passing on Brady Quinn. I think even some fans grumbled about that. I’m not sure when Tony Romo went from Pro Bowl quarterback to the guy that must be replaced. I certainly don’t think you spend a first round draft choice on quarterback when you have a young quarterback who posted a 95.1 quarterback rating. You cover yourself with a veteran backup, not a first round rookie.