Final 7-round mock drafts: Two different ways Cowboys could fill biggest needs
By Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf 27m ago
For the final time before the NFL Draft begins Thursday night,
The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf have logged onto TheDraftNetwork.com’s mock draft simulator and made every pick for the Dallas Cowboys.
To avoid making the same picks, Yousuf made Dallas’ seven selections as they currently sit, while Machota traded back in the first round.
The Athletic had beat writers for all 32 teams take part in a first-round mock this week. Machota, who picked for the Cowboys, negotiated a trade while on the clock at 17.
Here’s how everything played out in the two different Cowboys mock drafts.
JON’S PICKS:
First round, No. 23 overall: A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
When Dallas went on the clock at 17, Atlanta had just selected LSU edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. At that point, negotiations began with New England to move back to 23. The Patriots were the only team that showed interest in the pick. They wanted Alabama’s Henry Ruggs, the best receiver and top overall player remaining in the draft. Had a deal not been reached, Ruggs would have been the pick for the Cowboys. Although edge rusher and cornerback are bigger needs, wide receiver isn’t too far down the list and the idea of a three-man group of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Ruggs looks great on paper.
Moving back six spots would be worth 190 points, according to Pro Football Reference’s draft trade value chart. Pick 17 is worth 950. Pick 23 is worth 760. In return, the Cowboys also received New England’s two picks at the top of the fourth round, numbers 98 and 100. Their combined value is 208, according to Pro Football Reference.
The hope at No. 23 was that cornerbacks Trevon Diggs or A.J. Terrell would still be available. Diggs was selected 19th. Had Terrell not been available, there was some thought of trading back again or selecting Wisconsin outside linebacker Zack Baun, Penn State edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos or TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney.
With Terrell, the Cowboys fill a significant need after losing Byron Jones in free agency. They land one of the top cornerbacks on their board, a player with good size (6-1, 195 pounds) and speed (4.42 40-yard dash). Terrell had five interceptions over his last two seasons in college.
Second round, No. 51 overall: Terrell Lewis, Edge, Alabama
Lewis was arguably the best edge rusher available. The pick came down to him and Boise State edge rusher Curtis Weaver. Lewis’s size (6-5, 262) and athleticism gave him the edge in this decision. Weaver was a more productive college player, totaling 34 sacks and 47.5 tackles for loss over the last three seasons. But Lewis, who came up with six sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss in 10 games last season, is projected to have a higher ceiling as a pro. During a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, new Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy clarified that Dallas will continue running a 4-3 defense; however, they will be multiple enough to add several different types of pass rushers. Lewis fits either scheme.
“We’re not just trying to lock into needing a certain player or a certain profile because we have an outstanding scouting department,” McCarthy said. “They have these players ranked and it’s important for us to trust our board and acquire good players. I always look back at my experience in 2010 when we won the Super Bowl, it took 77 players to win that Super Bowl. So you never can have enough good players. I think with the defense falling into the classification of a 4-3 defense, pass rushers come in different forms and fashions, and it’s important for us and the defensive staff to make sure we can make each and every individual successful. We’re not just drafting people to just play one technique. We want to take advantage of these individuals as we bring them into our program.”
Third round, No. 82 overall: Jonathan Greenard, Edge, Florida
With Robert Quinn now in Chicago, one of the Cowboys’ biggest needs is finding players to pressure the quarterback. Landing Lewis in the second round is a good start, but that’s not enough. Sure, Dallas could also get contributions from both Randy Gregory and Aldon Smith, but both are still currently suspended. In Greenard (6-3, 263), the Cowboys get another top-10 edge rusher in this class. After starting his career at Louisville, Greenard transferred to Florida last season. He started 12 games, recording a career-high 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. This pick allows the Cowboys to significantly address their two biggest needs in this draft: defensive back and defensive line.
“I feel good about the numbers at the cornerback and also the outside rush or interior position,” McCarthy said of this year’s draft class. “I think it’s important that it’s all based on the value of where you are and what’s on the board at that time. But I do know there are very good numbers in both of those areas.”
Fourth round, No. 98 overall: K.J. Hill, WR, Ohio State
The first of two picks added in the trade with New England got the Cowboys one of the top inside wide receivers in this draft class. Hill (6-0, 196) has been a big part of the Ohio State offense for the last three seasons. During his college career, he caught 201 passes for 2,332 yards and 20 touchdowns. This pick fills another top need, replacing the loss of Randall Cobb, who signed with the Houston Texans in free agency. Hill would have every opportunity to step into Cobb’s role and potentially fit nicely alongside Cooper and Gallup.
“You’re getting in a spot where we’re gonna be looking at both the back end and front end on defense,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said while talking about top draft needs Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM). “And then obviously after losing Cobb, certainly that’s a position we’d be more than willing to look at, too, the wide receiver spot.”
Fourth round, No. 100 overall: Reggie Robinson, CB, Tulsa
The Cowboys continue to load up at their biggest areas of need with another big cornerback. Robinson (6-1, 205) is a player
The Athletic’s draft expert Dane Brugler had going in the third round
of his latest mock draft and ranked 14th at his position. Currently, the top of the Cowboys’ depth chart at cornerback consists of Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown. Awuzie and Lewis are both entering the final year of their rookie contracts. The Cowboys need help now and in the future at the position.
“Ninety-nine percent of the time there’s a pretty obvious consensus to who should be picked,” Stephen Jones said Tuesday of the Cowboys’ draft process. “Every now and then, you got a little bit of dissent one way or the other or a little division in terms of one or two wanting to go one way, but that’s very rare. When that happens, that’s when Jerry comes into play (with making the final decision). But we’re working really hard. That’s what we’ve been doing for two weeks, really trying to build a consensus not only with our overall board but ultimately getting to a point where we’ll have a consensus when it’s either our time to make a trade, move back, move up or pick a player.”
Fourth round, No. 123 overall: Devin Asiasi, TE, UCLA
Tight end isn’t the biggest need, but this seemed like a pretty good value at the time. Asiasi gives Dallas another good receiving option at the position with Jason Witten leaving for the Raiders in free agency. The Cowboys extended Blake Jarwin’s contract and added Blake Bell in free agency, but neither move should prevent Dallas from adding another tight end. Brugler ranks Asiasi (6-3, 257) as the fifth-best tight end in this year’s draft. He caught 44 passes for 641 yards and four touchdowns last season.
Fifth round, No. 164 overall: J.R. Reed, S, Georgia
At some point, it feels like the Cowboys have to address the safety position. Although I still don’t believe they covet it that much more than previous years, there isn’t much under contract there beyond this year. Xavier Woods is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was signed for one year in free agency. They also have Donovan Wilson, a sixth-round pick last year, and veteran Darian Thompson, signed through 2021. Reed was one of three finalists last year for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is given to college football’s top defensive back. The other two finalists were Jeff Okudah and Grant Delpit, both projected to be top-50 picks. Reed had five interceptions and 199 tackles over the last three seasons.
Fifth round, No. 179 overall: James Morgan, QB, FIU
One of the more interesting topics discussed during Tuesday’s conference call was that the Cowboys appear very interested in developing a young quarterback behind Dak Prescott. Don’t be surprised if they draft one at some point this weekend. Here’s a summary of what Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and Mike McCarthy had to say on the topic.
Jerry Jones: “We’d like to have one that would develop to the level that would be somebody you could trade and build asset that way. … One of the things Mike brings is, frankly, a really good background with developing quarterbacks. … I’m looking forward to being able to develop quarterbacks with Mike as coach.”
Stephen Jones: “We’ve had a lot of conversations about it and certainly if you can develop these quarterbacks, they’re great assets for an organization in terms of trade pieces if you develop them and they have success, which obviously they did up in Green Bay and did it well.”
McCarthy: “Obviously we have great love for Dak. But if you go back to Ron Wolf in the early 90s and what was established (in Green Bay), the ability to keep the most important position in football and develop that quarterback room. You can see the value not only it has for your football team if the starter is injured, but also the value it can bring to your team as younger quarterbacks move on.”
Seventh round, No. 231 overall: Kamal Martin, LB, Minnesota
Dallas could use some help at linebacker and on special teams. This final pick seems like a good spot to address both. In looking over all nine picks, several key spots were filled, but there was no help added on the interior of the defensive line or any help given to the offensive line. The Cowboys seem content with what they have on the roster — Connor McGovern, Connor Williams and Joe Looney — to fill in for the retired Travis Frederick at center. But don’t be surprised if an offensive lineman is drafted at some point.
SAAD’S PICKS:
Photo: Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images
First round, No. 17 overall: K’Lavon Chaisson, Edge, LSU
With this being the final mock draft, I’d like to expand a little bit on my line of thinking beyond this specific mock and explain my logic as things unfold, as I’ll be doing Thursday evening.
My realistic candidates to be selected at No. 17 are the following: K’Lavon Chaisson and CJ Henderson, interchangeable as the top two options. I can’t imagine a scenario where there is a choice between the two at No. 17 — so the 16 slots ahead should help with that decision. My third prospect is Javon Kinlaw, falling to this place mainly due to some injury concerns that were not able to be addressed because of the global pandemic. Jerry Jeudy would be my fourth option, and that’s really where it stops, for me. CeeDee Lamb and Henry Ruggs are both intriguing, but I’m not crazy about spending a first-round pick on either, let alone No. 17. If my top options aren’t available, I’d like to trade back a few slots and pick up a little something extra along the way.
Henderson is an intriguing prospect with upside. He would be an immediate answer at arguably the greatest position of need for the Cowboys and potentially an answer for nearly the next decade. However, as explained in previous mock drafts, my choice, with the slightest of edges, goes to Chaisson, strictly because of the position he plays. In this mock, my dream scenario came true. Ruggs went off at No. 11, Henderson at No. 12, Lamb at No. 13, Jeudy at No. 15 and Kinlaw at No. 16. Chaisson fell right into my lap with no other real options to consider.
The Cowboys’ secondary is mostly bare of talent, and I don’t think just adding Henderson would change much for this season. The counterpoint would be that he’s a solid building block for the future to add players around, and that’s valid, but the Cowboys are in a win-now situation and need to hit the right balance of drafting for the present and the future. The defensive line has talent already. DeMarcus Lawrence is a force; Dontari Poe and Gerald McCoy are capable starters; Antwan Woods is a good role player; Tyrone Crawford has shown his potential in the past and, yes, Aldon Smith and Randy Gregory are wild cards that can flame out horrendously but also thrive unexpectedly.
Chaisson would be the missing piece to fortify that unit. He will benefit from Lawrence’s presence on the other side and give the Cowboys an edge rusher they’ve needed badly since Robert Quinn’s departure. Add Chaisson’s name to the players listed above, and you now have frontline talent and depth, not to mention a solid 4-3 front, which head coach Mike McCarthy said in the pre-draft virtual press conference is how he would prefer his defense to look, at least initially.
The secondary is a need, but by adding Chaisson and making life harder on opposing quarterbacks, the secondary will benefit as well. With Chaisson, the Cowboys will have two of the three defensive layers filled out. Along with the aforementioned defensive line situation, Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, Sean Lee and Joe Thomas are all coming back. Regardless of how we may feel about Smith’s talent or Vander Esch’s health, the Cowboys like what they have there. With Chaisson, there are two fortified units instead of one complete unit and two areas with some talent and some glaring holes.
Second round, No. 51 overall: Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
This selection will truly be a free-flowing one for the Cowboys. They will have addressed one big need in the first round and will now be able to go in a number of different ways, depending on their board and who is available. Cornerback and safety remain the glaring positions of need but interior defensive line and wide receiver factor in as well. Safety Jeremy Chinn was available for me here, as were wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr., K.J. Hamler and Tee Higgins. Cornerback Damon Arnette, a popular pick of mine in past mocks, was also there for the taking. However, seeing cornerback Trevon Diggs out of Alabama available here made this a relatively easy decision. He’s talented and can play multiple schemes and styles, depending on how he’s molded at the next level. That will be huge for a team that’s welcoming in a new regime and still inheriting some of the players from the past. Diggs becomes an instant Day 1 starter and given the outside cornerback play last year, it’s not a stretch to say that he becomes the No. 1 cornerback on the team.
Third round, No. 82 overall: Terrell Burgess, S, Utah
The combination of versatility and talent make Burgess an intriguing option here at No. 82. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is more of a replacement for Jeff Heath than he is an upgrade and answer at the safety position, whether we’re talking in 2020 or beyond. Adding Burgess to the mix not just gives you options but might allow some sort of rotation between Clinton-Dix, Xavier Woods and himself. 2019 training camp darling Donovan Wilson could make some noise as well, but that’s an unknown at this point in time.
Burgess won’t make you forget about the Earl Thomas pursuit or stop the bar discussions about Jamal Adams (which Jerry Jones indirectly refuted speculation of on Tuesday) but he gives you a safety option who can move around and play the nickel as well. A Day 2 safety can still be a good answer for a football team. Just ask the 2019 ghost of Juan Thornhill, who was picked 63rd last year.
Fourth round, No. 123 overall: James Proche, WR, SMU
This is the sweet spot for wide receiver in this draft relative to the Cowboys’ needs at the position. The Cowboys need an answer for a No. 3 slot receiver, held for a long time by Cole Beasley and served last year by Randall Cobb. This is the area in this deep wide receiver draft where you can still get a talented player without spending a super-premium pick. After this area, things begin to be watered down. I’d personally love to have Pittman Jr. or K.J. Hill, but both players were long gone here. At this point, it came down to Devin Duvernay or James Proche.
I don’t think you can go wrong with either, and I’ve selected both in previous drafts. My final verdict, and there’s no Beasley bias here, is Proche. I think he fits the scheme and Dak Prescott’s strengths just a little better, and his college production speaks volumes. The important thing to remember is that whichever receiver the Cowboys draft, they’re likely hoping he’s their fourth skill option on offense, at best, and maybe even fifth or sixth. Of course, that’s assuming a healthy roster throughout, which is a dangerous and probably incorrect assumption. Ezekiel Elliott is still the focal point with his skill and contract. Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup are unquestionably the top two options in the passing game, and Blake Jarwin is probably the third there. Perhaps this is where the drafted receiver factors in, fighting for targets from Jarwin. That’s assuming Tony Pollard isn’t better utilized and not factoring in Prescott’s abilities with his feet. Injuries change the pecking order, but this is a loaded offensive team.
Fifth round, No. 164 overall: Shyheim Carter, S, Alabama
Shyheim Carter is a raw talent, but when you’re digging in the fifth round, polished prospects just aren’t going to be showing up. He comes from a school that produces players as close to pro-ready as they come, especially defensively, and he gives Dallas another body at a position of need. And, hey, maybe reuniting him with his Alabama defensive backfield teammate in Diggs can spark something. If things don’t translate to him being a reliable high safety, Carter can still help the team in being a core special teams talent on a unit that should look completely revamped and held in higher regard by the coaching staff.
Fifth round, No. 179 overall: Derrek Tuszka, Edge, North Dakota State
One of the main challenges of the draft is not just identifying talent but then trying to project how the talent will translate from the college level to the pros. That becomes an even taller task when you’re looking at a player from an FCS school who hasn’t routinely gone against NFL competition on the other side.
Tuszka was a productive player at North Dakota State and won Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year with 48 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks and five pass breakups in 15 starts. The main reason he’s worth a flier this late in the draft is because if you turn on his tape, his motor jumps out at you, and that’s something that just won’t disappear when he graduates to the NFL. It doesn’t mean it’ll cover up some of the deficiencies in his game, but he plays hard and might be able to find a niche, if coached properly. At the very least, he should be able to slide in and give the regular contributors a breather.
Seventh round, No. 231 overall: Myles Bryant, CB, Washington
The tangibles are a tough sell on Bryant, as he’s somewhat a tweener: not big enough to play cornerback, but he also doesn’t have the tools to make it at safety. However, if you gloss over some of the measurables and watch him play, he’s in position to make a lot of plays. In fact, the good part of that reminds me slightly of Chido Awuzie last year, where he’s in position to make a play on the ball, but it somehow finds its way through to the receiver. If that can be developed on this raw talent, Dallas could have a quality player in place to potentially weather the blow of losing Jourdan Lewis next year.
Jon and Saad's final Cowboys mock drafts
JON MACHOTA | SAAD YOUSUF |
---|
1.23: CB A.J. Terrell | 1.17: Edge K'Lavon Chaisson |
2.51: Edge Terrell Lewis | 2.51: CB Trevon Diggs |
3.82: Edge Jonathan Greenard | 3.82: S Terrell Burgess |
4.98: WR K.J. Hill | 4.123: WR James Proche |
4.100: CB Reggie Robinson | 5.164: S Shyheim Carter |
4.123: TE Devin Asiasi | 5.179: Edge Derrek Tuszka |
5.164: S J.R. Reed | 7.231: CB Myles Bryant |
5.179: QB James Morgan | |
7.231: LB Kamal Martin | |
Top photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports