DALLAS -- Bob Ackles was elevated to director of player personnel, Dick Mansperger to director of college scouting and John Wooten to director of pro personnel in a restructuring Saturday of the Dallas Cowboy's scouting department, according to coach Jimmy Johnson.
'We have restructured our scouting department to give us a strong team effort that ties our pro personnel department into our college scouting program,' Johnson said.
'We feel this is important because of the NFL's new 80-man roster limit.
'This structure will help us be better prepared to be active in trading, working the free agent market and picking up players on waivers, in addition to the traditional scouting of college players.'
Johnson said the team's coaches, including himself, will also be involved in college scouting and the rating of pro personnel, a dramatic change from the old regime when coach Tom Landry participated little in scouting.
Ackles has been the team's pro personnel director since 1986 after 11 years as general manager of the British Columbia Lions in the Canadian Football league.
Mansperger began his second stint with the Cowboys as a college scout in 1984 after a 10-year career with the Seattle Seahawks as director of player personnel. He scouted for the Cowsboys from 1964-74 before joining the Seahawks.
Wooten has been a scout for the Cowboys since 1975, following a five-year career as a sports agent. Wooten was an offensive guard for the Cleveland Browns from 1958-69.
