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10 players the Cowboys could target at pick No. 27 in the NFL Draft
Jon Machota
The Cowboys aren’t getting Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. They aren’t drafting Leonard Williams or Dante Fowler, either. Those players will be long gone by the time Dallas is on the clock later this month.
After going 12-4, winning the NFC East and reaching the divisional round of the playoffs, the Cowboys ended up with the 27th overall pick. Taking a possible trade up or trade down out of the equation, I have compiled a list of 10 players who could be available and also could be a nice fit for the Cowboys.
While trimming that list, I came up with three bubble players: Georgia running back Todd Gurley, Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes and Kentucky defensive end Bud Dupree. Any of the three would be a great addition, but they’ll likely come off the board somewhere between 10 and 25. If Jerry Jones and Co. want one of them badly enough, they’d likely need to trade up.
But since we’re not talking about trades today, here are my 10 who could slide to Dallas at 27.
1.) Marcus Peters, CB, Washington. Character concerns are the only reason he could potentially slip this far. Talent alone, he’d be gone by 15.
2.) Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest. Has the ability to be a major factor immediately on both defense and special teams.
3.) Malcom Brown, DT, Texas. Is athletic enough to play the three-technique in Dallas’ defensive scheme. Considered one of the top defensive tackles in this class.
4.) Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut. As you can see, the chances are good that a cornerback is the best player available when the Cowboys are on the clock.
5.) Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA. Rolando McClain is back for another year and Sean Lee will try his hand on the weakside. But Kendricks is the type of athlete that fits well in Dallas’ scheme, and you can never have enough quality linebackers.
6.) Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA. Even though Greg Hardy was signed for one year and DeMarcus Lawrence was drafted early last year, the Cowboys still need help on the edge.
7.) Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin. The Doak Walker winner had 2,587 rushing yards and 29 rushing TDs his senior year. Could be the perfect replacement for DeMarco Murray.
8.) Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State. He lacks ideal size, but makes up for it with his impressive speed. Has been solid against the run, which is important in Rod Marinelli’s defense.
9.) Jalen Collins, CB, LSU. Yes, he went to the same school as Morris Claiborne. But that doesn’t mean you should dismiss his ability and ideal size.
10.) Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State. Pick 27 might be a little too high, but it’s unlikely that the Valley Ranch visitor will still be available when the Cowboys pick in Round 2.
Jon Machota
The Cowboys aren’t getting Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. They aren’t drafting Leonard Williams or Dante Fowler, either. Those players will be long gone by the time Dallas is on the clock later this month.
After going 12-4, winning the NFC East and reaching the divisional round of the playoffs, the Cowboys ended up with the 27th overall pick. Taking a possible trade up or trade down out of the equation, I have compiled a list of 10 players who could be available and also could be a nice fit for the Cowboys.
While trimming that list, I came up with three bubble players: Georgia running back Todd Gurley, Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes and Kentucky defensive end Bud Dupree. Any of the three would be a great addition, but they’ll likely come off the board somewhere between 10 and 25. If Jerry Jones and Co. want one of them badly enough, they’d likely need to trade up.
But since we’re not talking about trades today, here are my 10 who could slide to Dallas at 27.
1.) Marcus Peters, CB, Washington. Character concerns are the only reason he could potentially slip this far. Talent alone, he’d be gone by 15.
2.) Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest. Has the ability to be a major factor immediately on both defense and special teams.
3.) Malcom Brown, DT, Texas. Is athletic enough to play the three-technique in Dallas’ defensive scheme. Considered one of the top defensive tackles in this class.
4.) Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut. As you can see, the chances are good that a cornerback is the best player available when the Cowboys are on the clock.
5.) Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA. Rolando McClain is back for another year and Sean Lee will try his hand on the weakside. But Kendricks is the type of athlete that fits well in Dallas’ scheme, and you can never have enough quality linebackers.
6.) Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA. Even though Greg Hardy was signed for one year and DeMarcus Lawrence was drafted early last year, the Cowboys still need help on the edge.
7.) Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin. The Doak Walker winner had 2,587 rushing yards and 29 rushing TDs his senior year. Could be the perfect replacement for DeMarco Murray.
8.) Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State. He lacks ideal size, but makes up for it with his impressive speed. Has been solid against the run, which is important in Rod Marinelli’s defense.
9.) Jalen Collins, CB, LSU. Yes, he went to the same school as Morris Claiborne. But that doesn’t mean you should dismiss his ability and ideal size.
10.) Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State. Pick 27 might be a little too high, but it’s unlikely that the Valley Ranch visitor will still be available when the Cowboys pick in Round 2.
