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[h=1]DallasCowboys.Com Staff Compiles Its First Seven-Round Mock Draft For 2015[/h] Friday, April 03, 2015 2:20 PM CDT
By DallasCowboys.com Report
IRVING, Texas – It’s been a constant topic of conversation for months, but the 2015 NFL Draft is finally in sight at just 27 days away.
With that in mind, the staff of DallasCowboys.com is ready to put out the first of several mock drafts in the coming month. The Cowboys have seven selections in this year’s draft, starting with No. 27 overall and ending with No. 243 – just 13 spots from the end of the draft.
The Cowboys’ on-field success in 2014 makes this draft a bit harder to predict than in recent years, as there’s no telling what could happen by the time they come up on the clock. Despite that, each writer has made his best-guess projection with a brief explanation of the thought process.
Here are the first full mock drafts from Bryan Broaddus, Dane Brugler, David Helman, Nick Eatman and Rob Phillips.
Bryan: My gut says that the best player on the board will be a corner. I believe Kevin Johnson will be gone, so that leaves Jones as my guy. You can play him on or off and be fine. Ajayi is higher on their board than mine, so I bet that’s the direction they go. Might be a tad early on Petty but I am betting on smarts and arm talent. I saw Dwayne Harris when I watched Montgomery play. There are plenty of things he can do. Fabuluje is massive and can move his feet. Teams have Clark off their broad for off the field issues, but I am willing to bet that the Cowboys have the facts. Fua played as a strong side linebacker. He has length and can cover.
Dane: Defense, defense, defense. And running back. That’s the expected theme of the Dallas Cowboys 2015 draft class. And that’s the direction I went with this mock draft, starting with Washington cornerback Marcus Peters in the first round. The polarizing prospect is oozing with natural talent and the skill-set to be a high first round pick, but his brash attitude rubs some the wrong way and could push him down draft boards in the first round – similar to Dez Bryant in 2010. If somehow Georgia’s Todd Gurley is on the board at No. 27 overall, that’s the pick. But assuming he’s off the board, Boise State running back Jay Ajayi, a Frisco native, would be a nice consolation prize in the second round. The rest of the rounds focus on defense, starting with a pair of defensive ends: Trey Flowers (Arkansas) in the third and Frank Clark (Michigan) in the seventh. Flowers lacks the twitch to be a dynamic pass rush threat, but he is stout vs. the run and projects as a NFL starter. Clark would be in the top-75 discussion if not for the baggage, which can be tough to overlook, but if he’s still around in the later stages of the NFL Draft, he is worth the coin flip.
David: Cornerback, in my opinion, is the direst need on the Cowboys’ roster heading into this draft – regardless of what happens to Brandon Carr. To that end, I’ve got the Cowboys selecting two – an athletic, outside corner in Marcus Peters and a slot corner candidate in Kevin White. Peters comes with character concerns, but I don’t think they’re serious enough that Dallas would pass on him if he fell all the way to No. 27. There’s any number of running backs that could be taken in the second or third round to offset the loss of DeMarco Murray, and Ajayi is my preference for his abilities as a runner and a receiver. The 91st pick feels a little bit late to address the defensive line, but Grady Jarrett can play both defensive tackle spots and he notched 29.5 tackles for loss at Clemson. Receiver is not a big need, but the Cowboys need a special teams ace to replace Dwayne Harris and Jamison Crowder fits that bill – particularly in the return game. My last two selections are simply depth picks that could potentially blossom into something more. I wouldn’t be opposed to the Cowboys drafting a quarterback, but I honestly don’t see one that inspires any confidence outside the top two of Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.
Nick: Without a doubt, this all changes if the Cowboys were to trade for a certain running back before the draft. But assuming the club doesn’t pull off a 26-Year-Later Trade of Irony with the Vikings, I see them taking a back in the first round to keep him under contract for five years. I don’t see Todd Gurley still around, but Gordon could be. I’ll take my chances with the Big Ten’s all-time leading rusher. Yes, the Cowboys won’t be playing the Mavs or Spurs next year, but Rollins isn’t just a basketball conversion. He’s raw at corner but talented and the Cowboys have taken chances on those players before, with J.J. Wilcox being the latest example. Not sure Edwards falls that far and wouldn’t be just a great story but he’d be a great fit for this defense. Pair up Gordon with one of his best blockers with Havenstein and watch out for Spaight, he’s going to be really good linebacker. Nelson is the guy who is small but can flat-out fly as a returner and possible receiver and Shepherd has both guard and tackle skills. That versatility helps earn him a roster spot.
Rob: Cornerback depth is needed if Brandon Carr returns, and an impact corner is absolutely vital if Carr doesn’t return. Kevin Johnson has all the necessary tools to thrive at the position: frame, length, quickness and competitiveness. The Cowboys semi-covered themselves at running back with Darren McFadden, and if they don’t break the Internet with an Adrian Peterson trade, Tevin Coleman could be their long-term starter as early as 2015. Like DeMarco Murray, Coleman can develop into a three-down back, and what I like most is his college production behind a so-so offensive line. In rounds 3-5 I have defensive guys with Marinellian traits: athletic, versatile and competitive. I really like Randall’s safety coverage skills, Cooper’s motor at 295 pounds, and Hull’s experience at multiple linebacker spots/special teams groups. Gibson and Williams are developmental offensive players. Notice no quarterback? Jerry Jones says he isn’t ruling one out, but history shows almost all franchise quarterbacks are taken in the top two rounds -- and quite frankly, even top-5 prospects Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota have major question marks. Besides Baylor’s Bryce Petty, there isn’t a quarterback outside the first round who’s generally considered a groomable starter.
By DallasCowboys.com Report
IRVING, Texas – It’s been a constant topic of conversation for months, but the 2015 NFL Draft is finally in sight at just 27 days away.
With that in mind, the staff of DallasCowboys.com is ready to put out the first of several mock drafts in the coming month. The Cowboys have seven selections in this year’s draft, starting with No. 27 overall and ending with No. 243 – just 13 spots from the end of the draft.
The Cowboys’ on-field success in 2014 makes this draft a bit harder to predict than in recent years, as there’s no telling what could happen by the time they come up on the clock. Despite that, each writer has made his best-guess projection with a brief explanation of the thought process.
Here are the first full mock drafts from Bryan Broaddus, Dane Brugler, David Helman, Nick Eatman and Rob Phillips.
Bryan | Dane | David | Nick | Rob | |
| Round 1 27 | Byron Jones CB - Connecticut | Marcus Peters CB - Washington | Marcus Peters CB - Washington | Melvin Gordon RB - Wisconsin | Kevin Johnson CB - Wake Forest |
| Round 2 60 | Jay Ajayi RB - Boise State | Jay Ajayi RB - Boise State | Jay Ajayi RB - Boise State | Quentin Rollins CB - Miami (OH) | Tevin Coleman RB - Indiana |
| Round 3 91 | Bryce Petty QB - Baylor | Trey DE - ArkansasFlowers | Grady Jarrett DT - Clemson | Mario Edwards Jr. DE - Florida State | Damarious S - Arizona StateRandall |
| Round 4 127 | Ty Montgomery WR - Stanford | Daryl OT - OklahomaWilliams | Kevin White CB - TCU | Rob Havenstein OT - Wisconsin | Xavier DT - Washington StateCooper |
| Round 5 163 | Tayo Fabuluje OT - TCU | JaCorey CB - KansasShepherd | Jamison Crowder WR - Duke | Martell Spaight LB - Arkansas | Mike LB - Penn StateHull |
| Round 7 237 | Frank Clark DE - Michigan | Frank DE - MichiganClark | Robert Myers OG - Tennessee State | J.J. Nelson WR/KR - UAB | Laurence OT - Virginia TechGibson |
| Round 7 244 | Alani Fua LB - BYU | Mark LB - WyomingNzeocha | Obum Gwacham DE - Oregon State | Austin Shepherd OL - Alabama | Tyrell WR - Western OregonWilliams |
| | | | |
Bryan: My gut says that the best player on the board will be a corner. I believe Kevin Johnson will be gone, so that leaves Jones as my guy. You can play him on or off and be fine. Ajayi is higher on their board than mine, so I bet that’s the direction they go. Might be a tad early on Petty but I am betting on smarts and arm talent. I saw Dwayne Harris when I watched Montgomery play. There are plenty of things he can do. Fabuluje is massive and can move his feet. Teams have Clark off their broad for off the field issues, but I am willing to bet that the Cowboys have the facts. Fua played as a strong side linebacker. He has length and can cover.
Dane: Defense, defense, defense. And running back. That’s the expected theme of the Dallas Cowboys 2015 draft class. And that’s the direction I went with this mock draft, starting with Washington cornerback Marcus Peters in the first round. The polarizing prospect is oozing with natural talent and the skill-set to be a high first round pick, but his brash attitude rubs some the wrong way and could push him down draft boards in the first round – similar to Dez Bryant in 2010. If somehow Georgia’s Todd Gurley is on the board at No. 27 overall, that’s the pick. But assuming he’s off the board, Boise State running back Jay Ajayi, a Frisco native, would be a nice consolation prize in the second round. The rest of the rounds focus on defense, starting with a pair of defensive ends: Trey Flowers (Arkansas) in the third and Frank Clark (Michigan) in the seventh. Flowers lacks the twitch to be a dynamic pass rush threat, but he is stout vs. the run and projects as a NFL starter. Clark would be in the top-75 discussion if not for the baggage, which can be tough to overlook, but if he’s still around in the later stages of the NFL Draft, he is worth the coin flip.
David: Cornerback, in my opinion, is the direst need on the Cowboys’ roster heading into this draft – regardless of what happens to Brandon Carr. To that end, I’ve got the Cowboys selecting two – an athletic, outside corner in Marcus Peters and a slot corner candidate in Kevin White. Peters comes with character concerns, but I don’t think they’re serious enough that Dallas would pass on him if he fell all the way to No. 27. There’s any number of running backs that could be taken in the second or third round to offset the loss of DeMarco Murray, and Ajayi is my preference for his abilities as a runner and a receiver. The 91st pick feels a little bit late to address the defensive line, but Grady Jarrett can play both defensive tackle spots and he notched 29.5 tackles for loss at Clemson. Receiver is not a big need, but the Cowboys need a special teams ace to replace Dwayne Harris and Jamison Crowder fits that bill – particularly in the return game. My last two selections are simply depth picks that could potentially blossom into something more. I wouldn’t be opposed to the Cowboys drafting a quarterback, but I honestly don’t see one that inspires any confidence outside the top two of Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.
Nick: Without a doubt, this all changes if the Cowboys were to trade for a certain running back before the draft. But assuming the club doesn’t pull off a 26-Year-Later Trade of Irony with the Vikings, I see them taking a back in the first round to keep him under contract for five years. I don’t see Todd Gurley still around, but Gordon could be. I’ll take my chances with the Big Ten’s all-time leading rusher. Yes, the Cowboys won’t be playing the Mavs or Spurs next year, but Rollins isn’t just a basketball conversion. He’s raw at corner but talented and the Cowboys have taken chances on those players before, with J.J. Wilcox being the latest example. Not sure Edwards falls that far and wouldn’t be just a great story but he’d be a great fit for this defense. Pair up Gordon with one of his best blockers with Havenstein and watch out for Spaight, he’s going to be really good linebacker. Nelson is the guy who is small but can flat-out fly as a returner and possible receiver and Shepherd has both guard and tackle skills. That versatility helps earn him a roster spot.
Rob: Cornerback depth is needed if Brandon Carr returns, and an impact corner is absolutely vital if Carr doesn’t return. Kevin Johnson has all the necessary tools to thrive at the position: frame, length, quickness and competitiveness. The Cowboys semi-covered themselves at running back with Darren McFadden, and if they don’t break the Internet with an Adrian Peterson trade, Tevin Coleman could be their long-term starter as early as 2015. Like DeMarco Murray, Coleman can develop into a three-down back, and what I like most is his college production behind a so-so offensive line. In rounds 3-5 I have defensive guys with Marinellian traits: athletic, versatile and competitive. I really like Randall’s safety coverage skills, Cooper’s motor at 295 pounds, and Hull’s experience at multiple linebacker spots/special teams groups. Gibson and Williams are developmental offensive players. Notice no quarterback? Jerry Jones says he isn’t ruling one out, but history shows almost all franchise quarterbacks are taken in the top two rounds -- and quite frankly, even top-5 prospects Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota have major question marks. Besides Baylor’s Bryce Petty, there isn’t a quarterback outside the first round who’s generally considered a groomable starter.
