Here's how QB Carson Wentz figures in Cowboys' draft, long-term plans

MOBILE, Ala. – If there was any doubt about whether the Dallas Cowboys were giving North Dakota State University quarterback Carson Wentz a serious look as a high draft pick, it was dispelled Tuesday.

While Dallas didn't go out of its way to wave the Senior Bowl pom-poms for Wentz, Cowboys director of player personnel Stephen Jones had a fairly developed line of thought when it came to plucking a quarterback high in this year's draft. To put it succinctly: This isn't some mock draft fantasy. If Wentz is the right guy and right move for the future transition of the franchise, Dallas is prepared to make that decision. And if it means Tony Romo will have to spend a few years mentoring a young guy like Wentz, well, Jones thinks Romo will be a good company man. Even if that means sacrificing a high pick (and a potential instant impact player) in favor of someone who might not take over for a few years.

"That's obviously what you fight over," Jones said. "But when you look at what happened with Aaron Rodgers [learning behind Brett Favre], you look at Tony Romo sitting for three years … you look at these guys who sit and watch for three years, and then they go on and have the success that they have. You can live with that.

"You can't put your head in the sand [with Romo's health]. He's certainly had some injuries. We have to be aware of that. If we do decide to pick a quarterback fairly high, Tony's a great example of how it can serve a young quarterback well to watch for two or three or four years, whatever that number is going to be. Obviously we think Tony is our best chance to go win a Super Bowl. We think he will be that guy for the next three or four years."

Of course, Dallas learned last season that Romo isn't a guarantee, particularly with him having yet another surgery on his collarbone and turning 36 in April. The history of NFL quarterbacks suggests that two more years (and the age of 38) might be the wall. Look no further than 39-year-old Peyton Manning to see how dicey things get once that line is crossed. That alone suggests Dallas would be smart to invest a high draft pick in a quarterback now, so a smooth handoff becomes achievable by the 2018 season or earlier. It's also a gamble to think Dallas will get another shot at a top-tier quarterback before that, putting even more pressure on getting the No. 4 overall pick right.

Conceivably, Dallas may even have the opportunity to move back a few picks and still draft Wentz, as only the Cleveland Browns (No. 2 overall) and San Francisco 49ers (No. 7) have obvious quarterback issues among teams in the top 10 of the draft. Of course, Wentz still has to prove he's worth the top-10 draft pick status that has been placed on him by many, including Senior Bowl director and former Browns general manager Phil Savage. That process started on Tuesday, with Wentz impressing in the measurable department (standing 6-foot-5¼ and weighing 233 pounds), and then going out and having an up-and-down first throwing performance.

It's not uncommon for quarterbacks to have mixed results in their first Senior Bowl practice. They are throwing to receivers they just met and running an offense they began learning a day or two earlier. Wentz completed a few impressive passes, including a zippy and well-covered 10-yard out route that showed why so many evaluators have been impressed with his arm and physical tools. But he also shorted a pass badly into the turf and overthrew some as well.

"Probably a little anxious," one NFC player personnel man said. "It looked pretty typical for a first day, pretty run-of-mill, with some good throws and some not-so-good. He's athletic. He was chatting guys up. He has the arm. … I thought it looked like he was having fun. We'll see how much he improves the next two days."

With just 23 starts under his belt at the FCS level, there is some thought that Wentz could have a much higher ceiling than the one he achieved in college. That's part of the draw as well, that there's untapped potential in his game that could pay big dividends with the right coaching. With the Cowboys coaching Wentz and his North team, Dallas is in perfect position to figure out if that's the case.

"We're just getting to know him," Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said. "We thought he handled himself well, picked things up well. One day into it, I think he and the other quarterbacks did a good job picking things up. Fun to see him play. … We're very early. We've been with him for 24 hours."

Asked what he was looking for in the development of players, Garrett said the ability to absorb information and build on it from one day to the next will be key.

"It's important to understand how guys learn," Garrett said. "You try to put pressure on them in the meeting. You try to put pressure on them in the walkthrough, and then in practice. You try to hold them accountable."

One thing is for certain, Wentz's pedigree won't scare Dallas away. Stephen Jones said Wentz has already shown an ability to be a winner after capturing back-to-back championships at North Dakota State as a starter. And with Romo having dominated Division I-AA at Eastern Illinois, they've learned that elite quarterback success can eventually translate to the highest levels. "It's too early for us to tell where we may ultimately decide he should be picked," Jones said. "He's one of many guys that we'll be looking at. He's certainly done a lot in a short period of time. You've got to give him credit. You win two national championships – he's proven he's a winner.

"You want to get the [quarterback] pick right. You want to get the guy right. He's got to understand what's going to happen. He's going to be in here to learn. To study under a guy like Tony Romo is a big positive. Those things don't concern me. I think everybody agrees: If the right guy is there, then you've got to take a long hard look at him. That's why we're sitting here today. Our coaching staff I know is working hard at it."

Only the next three months of evaluation will tell if Wentz fits the definition of the right quarterback pick. If he does, Dallas sounds like it has thought the scenario through. Suddenly taking Tony Romo's heir apparent high in the first round doesn't seem like such a fantasy.