Local Kid Could Make Splash

The Dallas Cowboys' 2012 NFL draft drew a mixed bag of reaction from around the area, and nation.

Some thought they hit a home run by moving up in the first round to select LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. Others thought they they paid too much as a team that was more than one person away from being a serious Super Bowl contender. That will be debated for months, maybe years.

But one pick Cowboys fans can't complain about was their sixth-round pick of Oklahoma tight end James Hanna, who graduated from Flower Mound High School.

The Cowboys hope Hanna can replace Martellus Bennett as the team's No. 2 tight end behind All-Pro Jason Witten. Actually, check that ... Bennett's performance wasn't one you really want to "replace" but instead "improve on."

Hanna seems to have the capabilities to do that at 6-4, 252 pounds. He was a below average blocker for the Sooners but proved to be a key part of the team's passing game.

As a senior at Flower Mound in 2008, Hanna was ranked as the No. 11 tight end in the nation by Rivals.com after he racked up 764 yards and 11 touchdowns for the pass-happy Jaguars. It'd be nice to see a local kid make a big splash with his hometown team.

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