2021 Cowboys Draft Chatter Thread...
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ravidubey
DCC 4Life
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Dumb trade up aside... all yards are not equal. Redzone, 3rd down, 4th quarter yardage in key situations— that’s what’s you’re buying with Pitts. We don’t need a third 1000 yard receiver as much as someone to unlock key yardage in tough situations.
Gross yardage is an old stat, really.
p1_
DCC 4Life
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Areas where we've struggled, whether its Kellen Moore or the offense, its real. Especially the red zone issues.
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Well I agree with that. A guy getting 70 targets is different than a guy getting 120 targets for example. Yards are meaningless when not put in the context of how those yards are gained. Said the same thing with Dak and passing yards when some bitched about his passing yards before last year.
I think Gallup does pretty good with the targets he gets.
p1_
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He is prone to drop his share.
ravidubey
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No argument from me. Wish we could keep them all. Not going to happen unfortunately
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If you're not signing free agents you have to at least resign the draft picks you nail. Otherwise you're literally hoping you can build an entire roster from 4 drafts.
data
Forbes #1
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Wonder if there’s any correlation for average $-per-starter and % draft-or-FA for the final four teams going back the last ~7 years (excluding the Patriots).
ravidubey
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Dude, this is the crux!
Dak, Tyron, Martin, Collins, DLaw, Zeke, jackass LB, and Cooper (trade). We have no more room for a special performer in Gallup.
You not only must hit on draft picks, you must absolutely only double down on second contracts with those who are worth it.
Zeke and Jaylon weren’t, and each may have made resigning Michael Gallup impossible.
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I think Zeke is in his last couple years at least.
Simpleton
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We can quite easily cut Jaylon next year, save about 5 million, and resign Gallup. Just a matter of doing it.
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And, therein lies the problem.
p1_
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At least one year too late IMO
Couchcoach
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Agreed! And how much longer will his underperforming ass be dead weight?
Currently there's no one on the roster who can carry the load full time.
Bill Shatner
Lock phasers on target
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Hopefully without the 25 kids by 23 moms.
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Yeah but no reason to really try to replace Zeke until you're ready to actually replace him. RBs are wasted on the bench behind him. When you dump him go get a young back for a fresh 4 years and ride him.
Of course other RBs are useful but not the workhorse types.
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Cowboys mock drafts: Jaycee Horn, Patrick Surtain? Three views on how Dallas should spend its picks
By Jon Machota, Bob Sturm, and Saad Yousuf 2h ago
Three weeks ago, The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf each used TheDraftNetwork.com’s mock draft simulator to make all of the Cowboys’ picks in this month’s NFL Draft.
To see how things might have changed since then, Machota and Yousuf are doing it again and adding a third member of The Athletic family, Bob Sturm, to the exercise.
Here’s how the three have the Cowboys using their 10 picks.
Jon Machota’s mock draft
Round 1, No. 10: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
The hope when the draft started was that Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II, Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell or Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater would still be available. But Sewell went to the Bengals at No. 5, Slater to the Lions at No. 7 and Surtain to the Panthers at No. 8. Alabama quarterback Mac Jones was still on the board, so this could have been a good opportunity to trade back to No. 15 with the Patriots. Instead, we stayed put and drafted the next best defensive prospect on the board.
Horn might end up being the best cornerback in this class. The son of former Saints star wide receiver Joe Horn had eight passes defended and two interceptions in seven games last season. His 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame and 33-inch arms should be exactly what the Cowboys are looking for in a starting corner if Surtain is off the board. There’s a strong possibility if the Cowboys traded back, Horn wouldn’t be available when they went on the clock.
Round 2, No. 44: Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
There was no serious consideration of anyone else. This is an absolute steal. It doesn’t seem realistic to think the top interior defensive lineman is going to fall to the 44th pick. But if Barmore were to fall this far, the Cowboys would have to grab him. It would even make sense for the Cowboys to move up for him if he slid out of the first round. Defensive tackle is one of Dallas’ biggest needs. There should be decent options at the position in the second and third rounds. But none are on the same level as Barmore, the defensive MVP of this year’s national championship game. The 6-4, 310-pound Barmore finished the 2020 season with eight sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. Some of the other top prospects available at this spot were Miami edge rusher Gregory Rousseau, UCF safety Richie Grant and Texas edge rusher Joseph Ossai.
Round 3, No. 75: Payton Turner, Edge, Houston
Full disclosure: Grant was still available and he would 100 percent be my pick in that situation. If the Cowboys ended up with Horn, Barmore and Grant with their first three picks, the other seven selections could all be busts and this would still be an impressive class. But to keep things somewhat realistic, especially after already getting Barmore at No. 44, I went with Turner, who is an excellent value at this point. The 6-5, 270-pound Turner had five sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in five games last season.
“Turner needs to cultivate his pass rush sequence, but he has outstanding length, foot quickness and competitive energy,” The Athletic NFL Draft expert Dane Brugler wrote in his annual draft guide. “He projects as an eventual NFL starter with inside/outside versatility.”
No edge rusher remaining was close to Turner. Both USC defensive tackles, Marlon Tuipulotu and Jay Tufele, were still there, but there wasn’t as much interest after the Cowboys already landed Barmore. The top-ranked safety prospect was Syracuse’s Andre Cisco. The top remaining linebacker was North Carolina’s Chazz Surratt.
Round 3, No. 99: Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse
This pick came down to Cisco, Florida State safety Hamsah Nasirildeen and East Carolina offensive tackle D’Ante Smith. The Cowboys have been reluctant to invest much in the position, but the third round seems like a spot where even they would feel comfortable. They used the 80th pick on safety J.J. Wilcox in 2013. I went with Cisco over Nasirildeen because he would be the better fit at free safety. Donovan Wilson appears to be the Cowboys’ future at strong safety. Cisco had 13 interceptions and 29 passes defended in 24 college games.
Round 4, No. 115: Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
Linebacker is an interesting need for the Cowboys. On paper, it looks like they should be in decent shape this season with Jaylon Smith, Keanu Neal and Leighton Vander Esch back healthy. But what if the linebacker play resembles what it has been the past two years? Adding a player like Moses gives Dallas potential starting linebacker insurance for the future. After missing the entire 2019 season with an ACL injury, Moses led the national champion Crimson Tide with 80 tackles in 13 games last season. D’Ante Smith and Pittsburgh edge rusher Rashad Weaver were also considered here.
Round 4, No. 138: Rashad Weaver, edge, Pittsburgh
The value seemed too good to pass up. Brugler has Weaver graded as the 12th-best edge rusher and 94th-ranked overall player in this draft class. Weaver had 7.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in nine games last season. The Cowboys currently have DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory, Tarell Basham, Dorance Armstrong and Bradlee Anae at edge rusher. Adding Turner and Weaver would make for good depth battles in training camp. And maybe one of them eventually develops into a starter.
Round 5, No. 179: Jaylon Moore, OT, Western Michigan
Moore was the best offensive tackle available. Brugler graded him as a third- to fourth-round pick, so the value seemed good. At 6-4, 311 pounds, the three-year starter at left tackle could potentially fill the swing tackle spot in the future. It’s unlikely that the Cowboys are finding a future replacement for Tyron Smith unless they do it in the first- or early second round. With Sewell and Slater both off the board by pick No. 10, the best offensive tackle prospect left at No. 44 was Notre Dame’s Liam Eichenberg.
Round 6, No. 192: Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford
It seems a little unrealistic to expect Michael Gallup to be back in 2022. The amount of money he’s likely to be offered in free agency just feels like it will be way too good to pass up. If that’s the case, the Cowboys need insurance behind Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb. That doesn’t necessarily have to come from this draft class. They could fill that need in next year’s draft. But Fehoko appeared to be a good value, considering Brugler has him graded as the 16th-best wide receiver in this class and a third- to fourth-round pick. The 6-4, 222-pound Fehoko had 61 catches for 1,140 yards and nine touchdowns in 18 games over the past two seasons.
Round 6, No. 227: D.J. Daniel, CB, Georgia
At this point, we’re just seeking decent value. The Cowboys are expected to be looking for corners with good length, and Daniel has over 33-inch arms. He was the highest-graded corner remaining on Brugler’s board, so it felt like a gamble worth taking at a position where you can never have too many options.
Round 7, No. 238: Isaiah McDuffie, LB, Boston College
Another case of just trying to find a good value. Brugler graded McDuffie as a fourth- or fifth-round pick, saying he “flies around the field with a touch of insanity to him.” Sounds like the perfect fit to help out immediately on John Fassel’s special-teams unit.
Bob Sturm’s mock draft
Round 1, No. 10: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
The Cowboys were in pretty good shape to have things fall correctly to them until the Broncos snagged Patrick Surtain II from Alabama right before their eyes. With Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater also off the board, it seemed to me that unless any solid trade offers come in, the pick has to be Horn.
The Raiders did try to get us to trade back to No. 17, but the only return for that was a late third-round pick (No. 80), and I didn’t think that was enough to trade away from Horn. Horn is not quite on Surtain’s level in the evaluation, but they had such wildly different circumstances that I am willing to suggest that in three years, we may realize we were sucked in by the strength of teammates too much and that Horn did turn into the better player. But, for now, he seems a bit less refined and more likely to remind us a lot of Trevon Diggs. Nothing wrong with that, but I clearly prefer Surtain because he seems more of the “you don’t have to worry about him out there” type.
Horn will be very good, but he has to clean up some things. That said, I don’t think trading out of there made sense. If you move down to No. 17, you are probably out of the corner market.
Round 2, No. 44: Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
Defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike, edge Joe Tryon and OT Samuel Cosmi were taken in the three picks ahead of this spot, and I thought that each would need strong consideration here. I didn’t love my options — because taking a linebacker here is probably smart — but it also feels like an admission of failure on either Jaylon Smith or Leighton Vander Esch, and I hate to believe that is finalized yet. However, it is never a bad idea to have cover for them, but my hope in Round 2 is to get a step-in player who will have a chance to make an impact on the defense as early as training camp. I am not sure that guy is on board because that is easiest to see at defensive tackle or safety.
Regardless, my best choices here were edges Joseph Ossai, Ronnie Perkins and Carlos Basham, and I really don’t think any of them can improve on what is currently at edge anytime early. Basham seems closest to the size the Cowboys need, but the other two seem like outside linebackers in a 3-4. Then, I could go back to corner, where Asante Samuel slid, as did Elijah Molden. Molden would really be interesting as a safety convert, but I settled on Bolton.
Bolton has many traits I love, but his 4.59-second time in the 40 is what has always concerned me. He is sharp as a tack and plays his tail off, but I have concerns about his general speed. That said, I am willing to say he was the best choice of my less-than-stellar choices at No. 44.
Round 3, No. 66: Richie Grant, S, UCF
Dallas didn’t have another pick until No. 75, in Round 3, and I got a little antsy here, so when the Jets offered me a chance to get to No. 66 and to only give them No. 75 and my late sixth-rounder (No. 192), I thought it was a magnificent offer. Jevon Holland went at No. 65 to Jacksonville, but I still had a chance to get the other safety I thought was a great value here.
I highly doubt that Grant would last this long in real life, but safeties have tended to slide farther than we imagined recently. I think a target like this is exactly what you trade up to go get, so when he was there at the top of Round 3, it was time to use some currency. Grant has a real chance to be the safety this team needs. The downside is that he is almost 24, but Dallas needs to stop worrying about that so much since most of these players are one-contract dudes, anyway. And Terence Newman worked out, despite his age on draft day.
Round 3, No. 99: Tommy Togiai, DL, Ohio State
I know I will make Cowboys Draft Twitter upset about this. Here, I had a choice of defensive tackles among Alim McNeill from NC State, Marvin Wilson from Florida State, and Togiai from Ohio State. My guy Bobby Brown was snagged right before this pick. McNeill appears to be this year’s version of Xavier Woods or Bradlee Anae, whom Cowboys draft pundits and fans try to will to Dallas and then onto the field.
I think I like Togiai a bit more as a run-stopping one-technique who might grow into much more, but I am not sure the difference among these players is terribly substantial. I just want another one-tech I like, and I went with the late bloomer from Ohio State. You might be able to twist my arm into McNeill if you try hard enough.
Round 4, No. 115: Marvin Wilson, DL, Florida State
Well, this is one remedy to our last problem. If Wilson slides again, let’s take both of them and let them both fight it out and perhaps become a combo platter of beef for many years or compete so well against each other that maybe one eliminates the other.
Day 3 is generally where we switch over to the premise of “let’s go get the best player we see available and not worry about fit as much,” so that is what I did with these final four picks. Also, given my project of worrying about the top 100 players and the Sturm 60, this is where I start flying blind a bit more.
Round 4, No. 138: Walker Little, OT, Stanford
This is where things get silly. There is no way Walker Little gets to me here in the compensatory picks in Round 4, but I am willing to accept this gift. I would definitely take him in Round 3, despite some health concerns. This guy is nearly 100 picks better than this, so don’t hold your breath. If you want to help your defense, like me, you ignore it the first few times, but if he is seriously on my board this late in the game, we will pass on him no more. I love it. He has a chance to be special.
Round 5, No. 179: Jaelon Darden, WR, North Texas
Again, this seems too good to be true. He has questions to answer, but there is no way I am letting Darden past me late in Round 5. He has so many ways to affect the game that we are going to take him and figure it out later. Darden is pure speed and yards after the catch, and you can never have too much of that. Fist pumps everywhere for the past two picks.
Round 6, No. 227: Wyatt Hubert, edge, Kansas State
At this point, I am just giving a chance to guys who might lack the measurables but have produced at the major college level. Hubert has 20 sacks and 34 tackles for loss on the edge for K-State over the past few seasons and has always appeared on the All-Big 12 teams, so I am willing to ignore the explosive testing and see if he can win me over through training camp and special teams. Let’s just add football players now.
Round 7, No. 238: Dax Milne, WR, BYU
In Round 7, we have done most of our shopping, so I grant the final spot in this exercise to a player who I have become somewhat interested in after my evaluation of his QB (Zach Wilson) this week. In the games I studied, it was clear that Wilson’s favorite target down the field or in key spots was Milne, and though he has issues, it doesn’t take too many BYU games to talk yourself into this guy having a future in the NFL. If he is available this late in the game, I am all in.
Saad Yousuf’s mock draft
Round 1, No. 10: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
This is the most popular pick for the Cowboys, and rightfully so. I hope the way the draft board fell for me is also how it falls for the Cowboys on draft day. Quarterbacks went in the top four picks, the star tackles went off the board at No. 7 and No. 8, and Kyle Pitts went to Miami at No. 6. Where things will get dicey is if Pitts and Surtain are both available. I could see an owner enamored with shiny toys and an offensive head coach going with the stud tight end. That could also be interesting on another level because it could mean entertaining trade offers for Amari Cooper or Michael Gallup, but that’s not the case here.
Rebuilding the crapshoot that was the Cowboys defense last season is a tall task, but adding Surtain should make a significant difference. He would be a Day 1 starter with fellow Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs. Surtain has the measurables and the skill, and you can obviously even throw in genetics. In a radio appearance on ESPN, his father, Patrick Surtain Sr., gave his vote of confidence for his son being a “perfect fit” on the Cowboys defense. On Surtain’s college tape, one of the things that stands out most is his football IQ. He recognizes routes quickly and is rarely out of position or breakfast toast. His work at the top of the route is just as impressive as his play at the line of scrimmage. He allowed 21 catches in 13 games last season. The Cowboys will take that all day.
Round 2, No. 44: Jevon Holland, S, Oregon
I’m doubling down from our combo mock draft a few weeks ago in taking Holland over Richie Grant. Neither would be an upsetting selection, but I think there are a few reasons to give Holland the edge. One of Grant’s best attributes is his versatility to play high and low, but I think the Cowboys have addressed that particular trait in free agency by signing Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee — both have familiarity with new defensive coordinator’s Dan Quinn’s scheme from their days together in Atlanta. The Cowboys also have Donovan Wilson, who has flashed the potential to be a hammer and should get a real opportunity this season.
While you’d like a safety to be able to do it all, if I’m picking between stopping the run or making plays on the back end, give me the playmaker. Holland had nine interceptions in 27 games (Grant had 10 in 46 games at UCF) while also playing some cornerback. He has coverage skills and ball skills in space. That’s what the Cowboys need on the back end, as all three of their safety signings this year in free agency are one-year stopgaps.
Round 3, No. 75: Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan
Definitely grimaced a little here as I saw one of my favorite mid-round projections, Tommy Togiai, fly off the board two picks earlier to the Carolina Panthers. Mayfield is not a bad option, though. Tackle is quietly a position of need for the Cowboys, given the durability concerns with Tyron Smith. Mayfield played right tackle at Michigan but can be worked in on either side (or flip La’el Collins). At 20 years old and with 15 career starts, Mayfield is also very young and his talent can be molded. He’s not far removed from holding his own against studs like Chase Young and can be a long-term solution on the edge.
Round 3, No. 99: Marlon Tuipulotu, IDL, USC
Tuipulotu gives the Cowboys another body to rotate in on the interior. He doesn’t have the potential to become a superstar, starting with his underwhelming size, but he seemed to get better each year at USC and his floor is still an upgrade over what the Cowboys have in the depth of the defensive tackle position. Tuipulotu could factor into that rotation.
Round 4, No. 115: Dayo Odeyingbo, edge, Vanderbilt
Odeyingbo plays a little too tall, but that’s something that can be coached out. He’s a great 4-3 player and has the versatility to move along the defensive line, depending on pass-rushing or run-stopping situations. He can be an option as a five-technique or a one-technique, which is important given the recent history of injuries on the defensive line. His production last season was also solid, but at this point in the draft, you’re looking more for the ceiling than the floor.
Round 4, No. 138: Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan
There is a lot to love about getting a player like Thomas at this point. It’s a roller coaster of evaluation on him. First of all, he’s a young player who isn’t able to purchase a beer until September. He has experience, though, with three seasons under his belt despite an opt-out last season. He had a solid 2019 campaign, which came after he was diagnosed with colitis a few months before that season and had lost 35 pounds. Because of all of the wild cards involved, Thomas’ draft stock is in a weird place, but he could easily outperform his draft spot. His pro day and Senior Bowl showings are the most recent evaluations, and he graded out well in both. He would also make for a great addition to the special teams, in coverage and in the return game. This could be one of the better value picks for the Cowboys.
Round 5, No. 179: Elerson Smith, edge, Northern Iowa
In 2019, Smith tripled his tackles from the previous year and nearly doubled his sack production, from 7.5 sacks in 2018 to 14 in 2019. In 2019, he also had 21.5 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, four pass deflections and a couple of blocked kicks. He didn’t have a 2020 season, but his Senior Bowl showing was phenomenal. Go back and watch just the first quarter: He got to the quarterback, showed discipline in setting the edge on a trick play that ended with a tackle for loss and made a tackle that kept the offense from moving the chains.
Round 6, No. 192: Wyatt Hubert, Edge, Kansas State
Hubert doesn’t have the size, and it often shows up on the field, but he does have a pretty good motor. That’s something to work with in hopes that he can become a situational pass rusher who can ease the workload on the guys in front of him. He has versatility, but he could end up being bullied quite a bit at the next level.
Round 6, No. 227: Tariq Thompson, S, San Diego State
Thompson profiles more as a special-teams talent than a defensive prospect. He’s physical and works hard, but there’s a lot of technical refinement needed in his game, and the athleticism doesn’t do enough to mask those deficiencies. He’s somebody who can develop over time and bring a physical brand to the back end when most of the veterans on one-year deals are gone.
Round 7, No. 238: Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas
Ehlinger is worth the flier in the seventh round. He’s not going to be a starting NFL quarterback, but there has been an influx of teams trying to create backup quarterback packages to use in certain situations, as New Orleans has done effectively in recent years. Dak Prescott will need to be a little more careful with how much he runs and how brash he can be at the point of attack (which is zero — slide, every time). Ehlinger can carry out goal-line packages and run like a running back. Maybe he even develops into a decent backup quarterback one day.
By Jon Machota, Bob Sturm, and Saad Yousuf 2h ago
Three weeks ago, The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf each used TheDraftNetwork.com’s mock draft simulator to make all of the Cowboys’ picks in this month’s NFL Draft.
To see how things might have changed since then, Machota and Yousuf are doing it again and adding a third member of The Athletic family, Bob Sturm, to the exercise.
Here’s how the three have the Cowboys using their 10 picks.
Jon Machota’s mock draft
Round 1, No. 10: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
The hope when the draft started was that Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II, Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell or Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater would still be available. But Sewell went to the Bengals at No. 5, Slater to the Lions at No. 7 and Surtain to the Panthers at No. 8. Alabama quarterback Mac Jones was still on the board, so this could have been a good opportunity to trade back to No. 15 with the Patriots. Instead, we stayed put and drafted the next best defensive prospect on the board.
Horn might end up being the best cornerback in this class. The son of former Saints star wide receiver Joe Horn had eight passes defended and two interceptions in seven games last season. His 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame and 33-inch arms should be exactly what the Cowboys are looking for in a starting corner if Surtain is off the board. There’s a strong possibility if the Cowboys traded back, Horn wouldn’t be available when they went on the clock.
Round 2, No. 44: Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
There was no serious consideration of anyone else. This is an absolute steal. It doesn’t seem realistic to think the top interior defensive lineman is going to fall to the 44th pick. But if Barmore were to fall this far, the Cowboys would have to grab him. It would even make sense for the Cowboys to move up for him if he slid out of the first round. Defensive tackle is one of Dallas’ biggest needs. There should be decent options at the position in the second and third rounds. But none are on the same level as Barmore, the defensive MVP of this year’s national championship game. The 6-4, 310-pound Barmore finished the 2020 season with eight sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. Some of the other top prospects available at this spot were Miami edge rusher Gregory Rousseau, UCF safety Richie Grant and Texas edge rusher Joseph Ossai.
Round 3, No. 75: Payton Turner, Edge, Houston
Full disclosure: Grant was still available and he would 100 percent be my pick in that situation. If the Cowboys ended up with Horn, Barmore and Grant with their first three picks, the other seven selections could all be busts and this would still be an impressive class. But to keep things somewhat realistic, especially after already getting Barmore at No. 44, I went with Turner, who is an excellent value at this point. The 6-5, 270-pound Turner had five sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in five games last season.
“Turner needs to cultivate his pass rush sequence, but he has outstanding length, foot quickness and competitive energy,” The Athletic NFL Draft expert Dane Brugler wrote in his annual draft guide. “He projects as an eventual NFL starter with inside/outside versatility.”
No edge rusher remaining was close to Turner. Both USC defensive tackles, Marlon Tuipulotu and Jay Tufele, were still there, but there wasn’t as much interest after the Cowboys already landed Barmore. The top-ranked safety prospect was Syracuse’s Andre Cisco. The top remaining linebacker was North Carolina’s Chazz Surratt.
Round 3, No. 99: Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse
This pick came down to Cisco, Florida State safety Hamsah Nasirildeen and East Carolina offensive tackle D’Ante Smith. The Cowboys have been reluctant to invest much in the position, but the third round seems like a spot where even they would feel comfortable. They used the 80th pick on safety J.J. Wilcox in 2013. I went with Cisco over Nasirildeen because he would be the better fit at free safety. Donovan Wilson appears to be the Cowboys’ future at strong safety. Cisco had 13 interceptions and 29 passes defended in 24 college games.
Round 4, No. 115: Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
Linebacker is an interesting need for the Cowboys. On paper, it looks like they should be in decent shape this season with Jaylon Smith, Keanu Neal and Leighton Vander Esch back healthy. But what if the linebacker play resembles what it has been the past two years? Adding a player like Moses gives Dallas potential starting linebacker insurance for the future. After missing the entire 2019 season with an ACL injury, Moses led the national champion Crimson Tide with 80 tackles in 13 games last season. D’Ante Smith and Pittsburgh edge rusher Rashad Weaver were also considered here.
Round 4, No. 138: Rashad Weaver, edge, Pittsburgh
The value seemed too good to pass up. Brugler has Weaver graded as the 12th-best edge rusher and 94th-ranked overall player in this draft class. Weaver had 7.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in nine games last season. The Cowboys currently have DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory, Tarell Basham, Dorance Armstrong and Bradlee Anae at edge rusher. Adding Turner and Weaver would make for good depth battles in training camp. And maybe one of them eventually develops into a starter.
Round 5, No. 179: Jaylon Moore, OT, Western Michigan
Moore was the best offensive tackle available. Brugler graded him as a third- to fourth-round pick, so the value seemed good. At 6-4, 311 pounds, the three-year starter at left tackle could potentially fill the swing tackle spot in the future. It’s unlikely that the Cowboys are finding a future replacement for Tyron Smith unless they do it in the first- or early second round. With Sewell and Slater both off the board by pick No. 10, the best offensive tackle prospect left at No. 44 was Notre Dame’s Liam Eichenberg.
Round 6, No. 192: Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford
It seems a little unrealistic to expect Michael Gallup to be back in 2022. The amount of money he’s likely to be offered in free agency just feels like it will be way too good to pass up. If that’s the case, the Cowboys need insurance behind Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb. That doesn’t necessarily have to come from this draft class. They could fill that need in next year’s draft. But Fehoko appeared to be a good value, considering Brugler has him graded as the 16th-best wide receiver in this class and a third- to fourth-round pick. The 6-4, 222-pound Fehoko had 61 catches for 1,140 yards and nine touchdowns in 18 games over the past two seasons.
Round 6, No. 227: D.J. Daniel, CB, Georgia
At this point, we’re just seeking decent value. The Cowboys are expected to be looking for corners with good length, and Daniel has over 33-inch arms. He was the highest-graded corner remaining on Brugler’s board, so it felt like a gamble worth taking at a position where you can never have too many options.
Round 7, No. 238: Isaiah McDuffie, LB, Boston College
Another case of just trying to find a good value. Brugler graded McDuffie as a fourth- or fifth-round pick, saying he “flies around the field with a touch of insanity to him.” Sounds like the perfect fit to help out immediately on John Fassel’s special-teams unit.
Bob Sturm’s mock draft
Round 1, No. 10: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
The Cowboys were in pretty good shape to have things fall correctly to them until the Broncos snagged Patrick Surtain II from Alabama right before their eyes. With Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater also off the board, it seemed to me that unless any solid trade offers come in, the pick has to be Horn.
The Raiders did try to get us to trade back to No. 17, but the only return for that was a late third-round pick (No. 80), and I didn’t think that was enough to trade away from Horn. Horn is not quite on Surtain’s level in the evaluation, but they had such wildly different circumstances that I am willing to suggest that in three years, we may realize we were sucked in by the strength of teammates too much and that Horn did turn into the better player. But, for now, he seems a bit less refined and more likely to remind us a lot of Trevon Diggs. Nothing wrong with that, but I clearly prefer Surtain because he seems more of the “you don’t have to worry about him out there” type.
Horn will be very good, but he has to clean up some things. That said, I don’t think trading out of there made sense. If you move down to No. 17, you are probably out of the corner market.
Round 2, No. 44: Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
Defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike, edge Joe Tryon and OT Samuel Cosmi were taken in the three picks ahead of this spot, and I thought that each would need strong consideration here. I didn’t love my options — because taking a linebacker here is probably smart — but it also feels like an admission of failure on either Jaylon Smith or Leighton Vander Esch, and I hate to believe that is finalized yet. However, it is never a bad idea to have cover for them, but my hope in Round 2 is to get a step-in player who will have a chance to make an impact on the defense as early as training camp. I am not sure that guy is on board because that is easiest to see at defensive tackle or safety.
Regardless, my best choices here were edges Joseph Ossai, Ronnie Perkins and Carlos Basham, and I really don’t think any of them can improve on what is currently at edge anytime early. Basham seems closest to the size the Cowboys need, but the other two seem like outside linebackers in a 3-4. Then, I could go back to corner, where Asante Samuel slid, as did Elijah Molden. Molden would really be interesting as a safety convert, but I settled on Bolton.
Bolton has many traits I love, but his 4.59-second time in the 40 is what has always concerned me. He is sharp as a tack and plays his tail off, but I have concerns about his general speed. That said, I am willing to say he was the best choice of my less-than-stellar choices at No. 44.
Round 3, No. 66: Richie Grant, S, UCF
Dallas didn’t have another pick until No. 75, in Round 3, and I got a little antsy here, so when the Jets offered me a chance to get to No. 66 and to only give them No. 75 and my late sixth-rounder (No. 192), I thought it was a magnificent offer. Jevon Holland went at No. 65 to Jacksonville, but I still had a chance to get the other safety I thought was a great value here.
I highly doubt that Grant would last this long in real life, but safeties have tended to slide farther than we imagined recently. I think a target like this is exactly what you trade up to go get, so when he was there at the top of Round 3, it was time to use some currency. Grant has a real chance to be the safety this team needs. The downside is that he is almost 24, but Dallas needs to stop worrying about that so much since most of these players are one-contract dudes, anyway. And Terence Newman worked out, despite his age on draft day.
Round 3, No. 99: Tommy Togiai, DL, Ohio State
I know I will make Cowboys Draft Twitter upset about this. Here, I had a choice of defensive tackles among Alim McNeill from NC State, Marvin Wilson from Florida State, and Togiai from Ohio State. My guy Bobby Brown was snagged right before this pick. McNeill appears to be this year’s version of Xavier Woods or Bradlee Anae, whom Cowboys draft pundits and fans try to will to Dallas and then onto the field.
I think I like Togiai a bit more as a run-stopping one-technique who might grow into much more, but I am not sure the difference among these players is terribly substantial. I just want another one-tech I like, and I went with the late bloomer from Ohio State. You might be able to twist my arm into McNeill if you try hard enough.
Round 4, No. 115: Marvin Wilson, DL, Florida State
Well, this is one remedy to our last problem. If Wilson slides again, let’s take both of them and let them both fight it out and perhaps become a combo platter of beef for many years or compete so well against each other that maybe one eliminates the other.
Day 3 is generally where we switch over to the premise of “let’s go get the best player we see available and not worry about fit as much,” so that is what I did with these final four picks. Also, given my project of worrying about the top 100 players and the Sturm 60, this is where I start flying blind a bit more.
Round 4, No. 138: Walker Little, OT, Stanford
This is where things get silly. There is no way Walker Little gets to me here in the compensatory picks in Round 4, but I am willing to accept this gift. I would definitely take him in Round 3, despite some health concerns. This guy is nearly 100 picks better than this, so don’t hold your breath. If you want to help your defense, like me, you ignore it the first few times, but if he is seriously on my board this late in the game, we will pass on him no more. I love it. He has a chance to be special.
Round 5, No. 179: Jaelon Darden, WR, North Texas
Again, this seems too good to be true. He has questions to answer, but there is no way I am letting Darden past me late in Round 5. He has so many ways to affect the game that we are going to take him and figure it out later. Darden is pure speed and yards after the catch, and you can never have too much of that. Fist pumps everywhere for the past two picks.
Round 6, No. 227: Wyatt Hubert, edge, Kansas State
At this point, I am just giving a chance to guys who might lack the measurables but have produced at the major college level. Hubert has 20 sacks and 34 tackles for loss on the edge for K-State over the past few seasons and has always appeared on the All-Big 12 teams, so I am willing to ignore the explosive testing and see if he can win me over through training camp and special teams. Let’s just add football players now.
Round 7, No. 238: Dax Milne, WR, BYU
In Round 7, we have done most of our shopping, so I grant the final spot in this exercise to a player who I have become somewhat interested in after my evaluation of his QB (Zach Wilson) this week. In the games I studied, it was clear that Wilson’s favorite target down the field or in key spots was Milne, and though he has issues, it doesn’t take too many BYU games to talk yourself into this guy having a future in the NFL. If he is available this late in the game, I am all in.
Saad Yousuf’s mock draft
Round 1, No. 10: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
This is the most popular pick for the Cowboys, and rightfully so. I hope the way the draft board fell for me is also how it falls for the Cowboys on draft day. Quarterbacks went in the top four picks, the star tackles went off the board at No. 7 and No. 8, and Kyle Pitts went to Miami at No. 6. Where things will get dicey is if Pitts and Surtain are both available. I could see an owner enamored with shiny toys and an offensive head coach going with the stud tight end. That could also be interesting on another level because it could mean entertaining trade offers for Amari Cooper or Michael Gallup, but that’s not the case here.
Rebuilding the crapshoot that was the Cowboys defense last season is a tall task, but adding Surtain should make a significant difference. He would be a Day 1 starter with fellow Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs. Surtain has the measurables and the skill, and you can obviously even throw in genetics. In a radio appearance on ESPN, his father, Patrick Surtain Sr., gave his vote of confidence for his son being a “perfect fit” on the Cowboys defense. On Surtain’s college tape, one of the things that stands out most is his football IQ. He recognizes routes quickly and is rarely out of position or breakfast toast. His work at the top of the route is just as impressive as his play at the line of scrimmage. He allowed 21 catches in 13 games last season. The Cowboys will take that all day.
Round 2, No. 44: Jevon Holland, S, Oregon
I’m doubling down from our combo mock draft a few weeks ago in taking Holland over Richie Grant. Neither would be an upsetting selection, but I think there are a few reasons to give Holland the edge. One of Grant’s best attributes is his versatility to play high and low, but I think the Cowboys have addressed that particular trait in free agency by signing Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee — both have familiarity with new defensive coordinator’s Dan Quinn’s scheme from their days together in Atlanta. The Cowboys also have Donovan Wilson, who has flashed the potential to be a hammer and should get a real opportunity this season.
While you’d like a safety to be able to do it all, if I’m picking between stopping the run or making plays on the back end, give me the playmaker. Holland had nine interceptions in 27 games (Grant had 10 in 46 games at UCF) while also playing some cornerback. He has coverage skills and ball skills in space. That’s what the Cowboys need on the back end, as all three of their safety signings this year in free agency are one-year stopgaps.
Round 3, No. 75: Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan
Definitely grimaced a little here as I saw one of my favorite mid-round projections, Tommy Togiai, fly off the board two picks earlier to the Carolina Panthers. Mayfield is not a bad option, though. Tackle is quietly a position of need for the Cowboys, given the durability concerns with Tyron Smith. Mayfield played right tackle at Michigan but can be worked in on either side (or flip La’el Collins). At 20 years old and with 15 career starts, Mayfield is also very young and his talent can be molded. He’s not far removed from holding his own against studs like Chase Young and can be a long-term solution on the edge.
Round 3, No. 99: Marlon Tuipulotu, IDL, USC
Tuipulotu gives the Cowboys another body to rotate in on the interior. He doesn’t have the potential to become a superstar, starting with his underwhelming size, but he seemed to get better each year at USC and his floor is still an upgrade over what the Cowboys have in the depth of the defensive tackle position. Tuipulotu could factor into that rotation.
Round 4, No. 115: Dayo Odeyingbo, edge, Vanderbilt
Odeyingbo plays a little too tall, but that’s something that can be coached out. He’s a great 4-3 player and has the versatility to move along the defensive line, depending on pass-rushing or run-stopping situations. He can be an option as a five-technique or a one-technique, which is important given the recent history of injuries on the defensive line. His production last season was also solid, but at this point in the draft, you’re looking more for the ceiling than the floor.
Round 4, No. 138: Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan
There is a lot to love about getting a player like Thomas at this point. It’s a roller coaster of evaluation on him. First of all, he’s a young player who isn’t able to purchase a beer until September. He has experience, though, with three seasons under his belt despite an opt-out last season. He had a solid 2019 campaign, which came after he was diagnosed with colitis a few months before that season and had lost 35 pounds. Because of all of the wild cards involved, Thomas’ draft stock is in a weird place, but he could easily outperform his draft spot. His pro day and Senior Bowl showings are the most recent evaluations, and he graded out well in both. He would also make for a great addition to the special teams, in coverage and in the return game. This could be one of the better value picks for the Cowboys.
Round 5, No. 179: Elerson Smith, edge, Northern Iowa
In 2019, Smith tripled his tackles from the previous year and nearly doubled his sack production, from 7.5 sacks in 2018 to 14 in 2019. In 2019, he also had 21.5 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, four pass deflections and a couple of blocked kicks. He didn’t have a 2020 season, but his Senior Bowl showing was phenomenal. Go back and watch just the first quarter: He got to the quarterback, showed discipline in setting the edge on a trick play that ended with a tackle for loss and made a tackle that kept the offense from moving the chains.
Round 6, No. 192: Wyatt Hubert, Edge, Kansas State
Hubert doesn’t have the size, and it often shows up on the field, but he does have a pretty good motor. That’s something to work with in hopes that he can become a situational pass rusher who can ease the workload on the guys in front of him. He has versatility, but he could end up being bullied quite a bit at the next level.
Round 6, No. 227: Tariq Thompson, S, San Diego State
Thompson profiles more as a special-teams talent than a defensive prospect. He’s physical and works hard, but there’s a lot of technical refinement needed in his game, and the athleticism doesn’t do enough to mask those deficiencies. He’s somebody who can develop over time and bring a physical brand to the back end when most of the veterans on one-year deals are gone.
Round 7, No. 238: Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas
Ehlinger is worth the flier in the seventh round. He’s not going to be a starting NFL quarterback, but there has been an influx of teams trying to create backup quarterback packages to use in certain situations, as New Orleans has done effectively in recent years. Dak Prescott will need to be a little more careful with how much he runs and how brash he can be at the point of attack (which is zero — slide, every time). Ehlinger can carry out goal-line packages and run like a running back. Maybe he even develops into a decent backup quarterback one day.
Simpleton
DCC 4Life
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I'd rather trade down to 17 for 80 than take Horn at 10.
There's a small but greater than 0 chance we could still get him at 17, and even if he's gone you have guys like Zaven Collins, Jaelan Phillips, Rousseau (who might be a reach just because you could get him later seemingly) and Moehrig.
There's a small but greater than 0 chance we could still get him at 17, and even if he's gone you have guys like Zaven Collins, Jaelan Phillips, Rousseau (who might be a reach just because you could get him later seemingly) and Moehrig.
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