(Editor's Note: With the Dallas Cowboys heading into the April 25-26 NFL Draft with 11 picks, DallasCowboys.com's 12-part Draft Series will break down the Cowboys position by position, analyzing what they have at the particular position, what their needs are and just who might be available, along with including some interesting draft nuggets. Part 10 will feature wide receivers.)

IRVING, Texas - Even with Terrell Owens out of the picture, the Cowboys don't appear pressed to draft a wide receiver early.

For a few days it seemed like they might not have a choice, as fourth-year receiver Miles Austin visited the New York Jets, who could have signed the restricted free agent away at the cost of a second-round pick but didn't. Losing Austin would have meant forfeiting a promising young talent the Cowboys have spent the last few years cultivating, one seemingly poised for a breakout. A guy who, even though he has just 18 catches in the NFL, is probably way ahead of any potential rookie draft pick.

As is the case with most other positions on the depth chart, the Cowboys could use a young receiver. Because of the way things shook out in free agency though, they'll have the luxury of waiting until a player they really want falls into their laps.

What They Have: Of course, the Cowboys have already used three of this year's draft picks on a receiver, first-, third- and sixth-rounders they shipped to Detroit in exchange for five-year vet Roy Williams and a 2010 seventh-rounder. Williams caught only 19 balls in 10 games as a Cowboy, but it's still way too early to call the use of those draft picks a bust. Williams will be a more important part of the offense next season after the Cowboys decided he could not remain in T.O.'s shadow and ever live up to the high price they paid to get him.

The team's confidence in Austin also made releasing Owens possible. Austin, an undrafted free agent in 2006, remains unproven, but New York's interest means other teams see what the Cowboys do in the 24-year-old.

The Cowboys also have Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd and Isaiah Stanback, players who could be competing for the same couple of jobs, especially if the Cowboys draft a receiver early. Travis Wilson, a member of the practice squad last season, will also be going to training camp.

What They Need: In one word, it's speed. The Cowboys need a track star who can stretch the field in the same way Owens did, opening things up underneath for Williams and Jason Witten. They hope Austin can be that guy, but only time will tell. Knee injuries forced him to miss four games last year, and two more in the preseason, so the Cowboys would only be protecting themselves and adding a little more juice by drafting a burner.

There's also a need for a punt returner, a job held by many receivers around the league. The Cowboys have taken stabs at finding return men at the wide receiver position in the past few years, notably with second-day picks Zuriel Smith (sixth-round, 2003) of Hampton, Skyler Green (fourth-round, 2006) of LSU, and Stanback (fourth-round, 2007), who transitioned to wideout after playing quarterback at Washington.

Who's Out There: There's a growing feeling around the league that a number of the top receivers are slipping into the second round, and a few players once viewed as first-round talents could be available when the Cowboys go on the clock at No. 51 overall. Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree and Missouri's Jeremy Maclin both look like top-10 picks, but there should still be several accomplished college receivers to be had in Round 2.

Florida speedster Percy Harvin appears to be falling because of off-the-field and attitude concerns, while North Carolina's Hakeem Nicks has troubled some scouts with weight issues this spring. Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey ran a combine-best 40-yard-dash, clocking in at 4.3 seconds, but will likely be off the board by the second round. Rutgers' Kenny Britt is an intriguing prospect because he has the size the Cowboys covet, at 6-3, 218 pounds, roughly the same as Owens and Austin. Ohio State's Brian Robiskie will be a favorite of many teams because he's a polished route runner and ought to know what a coach wants, since his father is longtime NFL receivers coach Terry Robiskie.

The Cowboys entertained several receivers during the pre-draft workout period, including Robiskie. Also on hand at The Ranch last week were 6-6, 229-pound Cal-Poly product Ramses Barden, who could be a third-round possibility, as well as projected middle-round talents Mohamed Massaquoi of Georgia and Patrick Turner of USC.

Draft Nuggets: LSU receiver Demetrius Byrd was in the intensive care unit of a Miami hospital Monday after an automobile accident. According to ESPN.com, his mother told a former coach his injuries were mostly "bumps and bruises," and would not threaten his football career . . . Boise State receiver Jeremy Childs is the cousin of cornerback Orlando Scandrick, who also left the Broncos after his junior season and was the Cowboys' fifth-round pick last year . . . Barden has drawn comparisons to former Cowboys receiver Keyshawn Johnson, not just for his size and playing style, but also because the two have similar facial features . . . Brian Robiskie's connection to his receivers-coach father has been well documented, but he also has a brother on college scholarship. Andrew Robiskie is an offensive lineman at Southern Methodist . . . Harvin is the only athlete in Virginia prep history to have won five gold medals at the state track championships.

Look Back: With his former Miami Hurricanes star Michael Irvin already on board, coach Jimmy Johnson was looking for a complementary receiver when the Cowboys selected Kevin Williams out of "The U" in the second-round of the 1993 draft. The Cowboys had traded out of the first round that year, compiling multiple picks from Green Bay, the first of which they used on Williams, a 5-9, 185-pound deep threat. While Williams is probably best remembered for his return abilities, scoring on three punts and one kickoff in four seasons with the Cowboys, he was also a starter opposite Irvin during the team's Super Bowl XXX run in 1995, a career season in which he caught 38 passes for 613 yards. He never did become a great No. 2 option, and left the Cowboys in 1997, eventually serving the Cardinals, Bills and 49ers in his eight-year career.

Up Next: Running back

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