By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer
IRVING, Texas (AP)—The Dallas Cowboys got new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan his first fresh piece - a speedy linebacker. Then they added another running back that can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Dallas used the 40th overall pick in the second round of the NFL draft Friday to select Bruce Carter from North Carolina. With the 71st pick in the third round, the Cowboys selected Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray.
“Both of them are for their position extremely fast, they can run,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said.
It is the second year in a row the Cowboys used their second-round pick on a linebacker. Last April, they took Sean Lee out of Penn State.
Carter, a former high school quarterback and running back who has been clocked at 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash, started 44 of his 49 games at outside linebacker for North Carolina before tearing his left ACL late last season.
Before the injury that required surgery in December and forced him to miss North Carolina’s bowl game, Carter had been considered by many to be a potential first-round pick.
“I just didn’t want teams to overlook me just because of my knee,” said Carter, who was forced to constantly answer questions about his injury during the pre-draft process. “It was very frustrating to hear it over and over again. It’s something you have to explain.”
Jones said that the Cowboys had Carter, who likely will play inside linebacker in the Cowboys’ 3-4 scheme, graded “literally up there” in the first round. They felt fortunate he was available for their second pick.
“We do think we got the opportunity,” Jones said. “Rehab probably had something to do with it.”
Carter said he has started cutting on the knee and is getting back into a regular routine with his workouts, including squats and leg presses. Jones said Carter should be ready to contribute this season.
With the ninth overall pick Thursday night, the Cowboys selected offensive tackle Tyron Smith from Southern Cal. It was the first time under Jones’ ownership that Dallas used a first-round pick on an offensive lineman.
The Cowboys have five picks for Saturday’s final day of the draft. That will give them a chance to address needs such as cornerback, safety and defensive end.
Murray set Oklahoma’s career record with 65 total touchdowns and 6,718 all-purpose yards in his 50 games. He had two 1,000-yard rushing seasons for the Sooners and averaged 27.6 yards on kickoff returns.
Jones said he called Barry Switzer, the former Cowboys and Oklahoma coach he considers one of the best running back evaluators, to weigh in on Murray.
Coach Jason Garrett likes Murray’s versatility running and catching the ball, as well as blocking on third downs.
“He’s a guy that’s big and sturdy,” Garrett said. “You see how long he his, how big his hands are, he’s a physical looking halfback.”
Murray said he learned plenty from Adrian Peterson the season they were at Oklahoma together in 2006, Peterson’s senior year when Murray redshirted. That included blocking.
“I take a lot of pride in that, it was something instilled with me,” Murray said.
Though Murray didn’t return punts at Oklahoma, the Cowboys have looked at film of him doing that before and expect him to be able to contribute in that way as well.
Carter is also expected to be a special teams contributor after setting a UNC record with seven career blocked kicks (six punts, one field goal).
In his four seasons at UNC, Carter had 215 tackles (145 solo) with 9 1/2 sacks. He deflected nine passes and returned two interceptions for touchdowns.
Smith, Carter and Murray were among the players the Cowboys had visit their Valley Ranch facility before the draft.
“The visit was awesome,” Carter said. “Jerry was an awesome guy. We sat down and had lunch together. … I ‘m just ready to learn and ready to get after it.”
During that visit, Carter also spent time with Ryan, who taught him a few plays and then quizzed him about what he had learned in a short time. Carter said he did good on that.
And he already has a good impression of his new defensive coordinator.
“He’s a fired-up guy. I love his attitude,” Carter said. “He’s a coach that loves to get after it, he’s a players coach. … He will jump up and down on the sideline with you. You just love coaches like that.”
Lee, who was also coming off a knee injury in college, played 14 games in his rookie season for the Cowboys. He had 45 tackles and two interceptions, returning one of them for a touchdown off Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning.
Veteran linebackers Keith Brooking and Bradie James, the Cowboys’ top two tacklers last season, are both going into the final years of their contracts. Brooking has played 13 NFL seasons, the last two in Dallas, and James has spent all his eight seasons with the Cowboys.
Jones said he fully expects Brooking and James to be there this season with the two youngsters.
