The Athletic: Combo mock draft - Two different Cowboys’ views on all 10 of Dallas’ picks

Cotton

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By Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf 2h ago

Since mock drafts are so popular this time of year, we decided to bring back a little exercise that worked well last March. Instead of just having one writer give their mock draft breakdown of all of the Cowboys’ 10 picks in next month’s NFL Draft, we have two.

The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf each used TheDraftNetwork.com’s mock draft simulator to set them up to make all of Dallas’ picks.

Here are the results.

Jon Machota’s picks

Round 1, No. 10 overall: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

Some surprising picks were made right before the Cowboys went on the clock. Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons and Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II all came off the board between picks 5 and 9. Surtain makes a ton of sense for the Cowboys. Cornerback is one of their biggest needs. South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn, ranked by most experts as the second-best corner prospect in this class, was still available. But if things unfolded like this, don’t rule out Dallas taking Pitts. The Cowboys had much bigger needs on defense last year and ended up taking wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with their first pick because the value was simply too great.

It’s highly unlikely Pitts will still be there at 10. He’s regarded as a once in every five- or 10-year prospect at tight end. He’ll probably go somewhere between 4 and 7. But just imagine Pitts lining up with a receiving trio like Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Lamb. Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz already put Dallas in pretty good shape at tight end, but Pitts is on a completely different level. Gallup is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Having Lamb and Pitts would guarantee Dak Prescott some incredible offensive weapons to work with throughout the rest of his new contract.

Round 2, No. 44 overall: Elijah Molden, CB, Washington

This was a tough decision. It came down to Molden, UCF safety Richie Grant and Washington defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike. The Cowboys need so much help on defense that any of the three would make sense. Molden was the top cornerback prospect remaining. He’s smaller (5-10, 190) than what new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn would probably prefer, but he seems like the type of player who could step in and start immediately opposite Trevon Diggs. Even if you’re not a fan of Molden, there should be a starting-caliber player there for the Cowboys at Pick 44 if they happen to go in another direction with their first-round pick.

Grant would be a great fit at free safety. Dallas recently added free-agent safeties Damontae Kazee and Jayron Kearse, but both were only signed to one-year deals. They still need to find a free safety of the future. Former Cowboys starting safety Xavier Woods signed with the Minnesota Vikings last week.

Round 3, No. 75 overall: Jevon Holland, S, Oregon

This seemed to be an outstanding value for a player like Holland. He opted out last season to prepare for this year’s draft, but he was very productive the previous two seasons, totaling 108 tackles, nine interceptions, 10 passes defended and 4.5 tackles for loss in 27 games. Holland would give the Cowboys a much-needed playmaker on the back end who could step into a starting role. Others who were considered here included Houston’s Payton Turner, the best edge rusher remaining, and USC’s Marlon Tuipulotu, the best interior defensive lineman still available.

The Cowboys seem to have a little more interest in upgrading the safety position than they’ve had in previous years. Does that mean they’ll be willing to spend a second- or third-round pick on the position? Maybe not. But if Holland was somehow still there at 75, it would make a lot of sense to consider him.

Round 3, No. 99 overall: Alim McNeill, DT, North Carolina State

It would be pretty surprising if the Cowboys didn’t draft at least one defensive lineman with one of their four top 100 picks. There were several intriguing edge rushers here, but McNeill was clearly the top interior defensive lineman available. His college statistics aren’t overly impressive, but his athleticism is pretty special. He made Bruce Feldman’s college football Freaks list last year for his explosive strength. At 326 pounds, McNeill has a 32-inch vertical jump to go along with the ability to bench 445 pounds and squat 640.

As has been the case for a while, the Cowboys need help at defensive tackle. They have bodies to fill roles, but they don’t have a game-changing type player in the middle. If there was an elite defensive tackle prospect in this class, he’d certainly be in play at Pick 10. There’s not, so Dallas’ best bet is to try to add young depth to develop.



Alim McNeill (Rob Kinnan / USA Today)

Round 4, No. 115 overall: Rashad Weaver, DE, Pittsburgh

At this point, I was looking for the best value. While I wanted to find help at linebacker and add a young developmental offensive tackle, there just weren’t many great options remaining. However, there were decent depth options at edge rusher. Weaver was the best of the remaining bunch, according to Dane Brugler’s edge rankings from earlier this month. Over the last two seasons, Weaver totaled 28 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and five forced fumbles.

Round 4, No. 138 overall: Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan

Thomas opted out last season but he had three interceptions in 12 games the year before. He has pretty good length for the position, standing 6-0, 185 pounds. After taking Molden in the second round, the goal was to add another corner with length later. Diggs, Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis are all expected to play a good amount this upcoming season. The Cowboys also have Maurice Canady, Rashard Robinson and Reggie Robinson II on the depth chart.

But Quinn will likely be looking to put his stamp on the position group. Add Molden and Thomas into the mix and there should be good competition at a spot that was far from a strength last season. It obviously would get an ever bigger boost if they end up landing Surtain at No. 10 overall.

Round 5, No. 179 overall: Joshua Kaindoh, DE, Florida State

The Cowboys need young help at edge rusher, so why not take multiple picks at the position? If there was an elite edge rusher in this class, he would be in play at Pick 10, if not much earlier. But there isn’t a single edge rusher or interior defensive lineman expected to go within the top 10. If that holds true, it would be the first time a player at those positions hasn’t been drafted in the top 10 since 2012.

Kaindoh never met the lofty expectations he had when arriving at FSU. The 6-7, 265-pound edge rusher had four sacks in 11 games his freshman year. But after multiple coaching changes and injuries, Kaindoh never improved on that production. If the Cowboys coaches think they can get something out of his size and athleticism, he could end up being a huge bargain in the fifth round.

Round 6, No. 192 overall: Isaiah McDuffie, LB, Boston College

Linebacker will be addressed at some point. However, the most intriguing prospects at the position just didn’t line up with where the Cowboys were picking in this particular mock. McDuffie was ranked as the 12th-best linebacker in this class by Brugler, so I thought this was pretty good value in the sixth round.

The Cowboys have added Keanu Neal in free agency and Sean Lee could still return to a group that includes Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith, but help is still needed. Expect the Cowboys to come out of this draft with at least one player capable of playing middle and weakside linebacker in their 4-3 scheme.

Round 6, No. 227 overall: Alaric Jackson, OT, Iowa

I was hoping to add depth at offensive tackle a little earlier, but the draft didn’t fall that way. Starting offensive tackles Tyron Smith and La’el Collins are both coming off surgeries to repair injuries that caused them to miss all of last season for Collins and all but two games for Smith. A young tackle prospect to develop into a potential future starter would be a wise investment. Depending on how things fell in the first round, I would’ve considered Rashawn Slater at No. 10 overall.

Round 7, No. 238 overall: Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame

It shouldn’t be a surprise if the Cowboys add another veteran quarterback to compete for the backup job between now and the start of the season. It’s also possible that they end up taking a quarterback at some point in the later rounds. In four years at Notre Dame, Book threw 72 touchdowns to only 20 interceptions while also rushing for 17 scores. No quarterback in school history has won more games (30 wins). He ended up being the 12th quarterback taken in this mock, so it seemed like a decent value. Brugler ranked Book as the eighth-best QB in this class.

Saad Yousuf’s picks

Round 1, No. 10 overall: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama

There’s no need to really get cute with this first selection. With Patrick Surtain II on the board and the Cowboys’ situation at cornerback, it’s an easy selection to make. I wasn’t presented with much conflict here because offensive considerations such as Kyle Pitts and Penei Sewell were already off the board. Surtain’s tape at Alabama speaks for itself and while you should always take Pro Days with a grain of salt, Surtain’s certainly did not hurt his case. He checked in at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds with a 39-inch vertical and 131-inch broad jump and a 4.42 40-yard dash.

The only twist here would be that I had the four expected premium quarterbacks (Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance and Justin Fields) go in the top eight picks. If there’s a team that’s hungry enough for a quarterback (looking at you, New England) and thinks highly enough of Mac Jones to make a play, I think the Cowboys have to listen. It has to really be a good situation, though, because you don’t drop into the 20s and lose on the top defensive players. But if moving a few picks back means a few more decent picks and, say, Jaycee Horn instead of Surtain, it’s worth entertaining. But just playing it straight and picking the best (healthy) cornerback available to pair with a fellow Crimson Tide product in Dallas would be a smart move.



Patrick Surtain (Gary Cosby Jr / The Tuscaloosa News via USA Today)

Round 2, No. 44 overall: Jevon Holland, S, Oregon

The Cowboys have long neglected the safety position but that has to end in this draft. They’ve actually done a decent job with their free agency signings at the position of Keanu Neal, Damontae Kazee and Jayron Kearse. Neal and Kazee, specifically, provide position flexibility and familiarity with new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s scheme. However, all three players are signed to one-year deals and though their stays could be extended based on what they show in 2021, it shouldn’t be expected that any of them will be long-term solutions.

Though UCF’s Richie Grant was also on the board and a consideration, Holland is the better safety on the back end. The Cowboys have a hammer in Donovan Wilson and Holland can be a good complement long-term. He opted out last season so it’s been a while since he’s played competitive football but his upside is worth taking the chance here. He had a combined nine interceptions in two seasons at Oregon while playing some cornerback and safety.

Round 3, No. 75 overall: Tommy Togiai, DT, Ohio State

As is the case with most defensive tackles, stats don’t really tell the story of what an asset Togiai could be along the interior of a defensive line. Mike McCarthy said last week that the defensive scheme will be flexible enough to integrate talented football players. Even though Togiai’s ideal role would be a one-technique, he has flexibility to move around along the interior as needed. He’s not going to be a great pass rusher on his own but he’ll help the talent around (and behind) him while also being a solid presence in run defense.

Round 3, No. 99 overall: Jordan Smith, DE, UAB

It’s rare for a UAB product to be this high on the boards but there’s a reason why Smith is an appealing option around this area of the draft. The Cowboys still have a potential Aldon Smith reunion looming but even then, he had an inconsistent year last season. Jordan Smith would plug a need as a pass rusher opposite DeMarcus Lawrence and would be a good fit in a 3-4 scheme. Eventually, he can be an every-down player but even as a situational pass rusher to begin with, he can provide a boost in an area the Cowboys need it.

Round 4, No. 115 overall: Alim McNeill, DT, North Carolina State

The Cowboys had serious issues trying to stop the run last season (hello, Cleveland!) and McNeill could help in that department. He’s less developed than Togiai but has potential to be a long-term solution in goal-line situations and gives the Cowboys a real option guard-to-guard inside. At this point in the draft, the hope is to land somebody who can flash and then grow, kind of like Neville Gallimore last season. McNeill is that kind of player.

Round 4, No. 138 overall: Kary Vincent Jr., CB, LSU

The best thing going for Vincent is his versatility and that’s something the Cowboys can benefit from in case of injuries. In a secondary that would have Trevon Diggs, Surtain, Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis and all of the aforementioned safeties, Vincent wouldn’t be asked to step in and make an immediate impact. The way Vincent plays, it reminds me a little bit of how Asante Samuel Sr. used to but Vincent obviously isn’t as developed. But if he can be groomed, it could give the Cowboys a solid player to plug in down the road.

Round 5, No. 179 overall: Jonathon Cooper, DE, Ohio State

I was a bit surprised that Cooper was still available here given the abilities he showed last season after injuries ruined his 2019 campaign. I didn’t expect to think so hard down in this area but Northern Iowa’s Elerson Smith being available gave me some cause for pause. Ultimately though, I think Cooper’s pass-rushing abilities give him the edge. He really has enough talent to be an immediate impact player as a designated pass rusher.

Round 6, No. 192 overall: Divine Deablo, S, Virginia Tech

It’s hard to see Deablo fitting in anywhere on the defense immediately, or really at all unless he improves his athleticism. However, he can be a good special teams player for the team. If he pans out as a strong safety/linebacker hybrid depth player down the road, that’s just a bonus.

Round 6, No. 227 overall: Alaric Jackson, OT, Iowa

The Cowboys expect to have a healthy Tyron Smith and La’el Collins next season, which is a great thing considering what last season looked like in their absence. But as last season showed the Cowboys, you can’t really have enough offensive tackles in a pass-heavy offense. If injuries happen — and there’s reason to fear that, especially with Smith — depth at the position can help the coaching staff adjust quicker than they did last year in terms of shuffling personnel around on the offensive front. If nothing else, you could be looking at your next swing tackle on the cheap.

Round 7, No. 238 overall: Marco Wilson, CB, Florida

Depending on which Wilson you believe is the real one, this is either the biggest steal for the Cowboys in this draft or it’s a throwaway pick. Wilson didn’t have a 2018 season due to a serious injury but before that, he excelled as a freshman in 2017. Since returning from his injury, he hasn’t looked like that guy his freshman year so either an injury has derailed a promising career or it’s taking some time for him to regain his old form. Circumstances in Florida also weren’t ideal but there’s no harm in taking a flier in the seventh round.
 

Shiningstar

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If Dallas goes TE, you just realize at this point your only goal is to defend every stupid move they make. TE is not going to help.
 

ravidubey

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Um, I'd rather have Holland in the 3rd round than in the fucking 2nd, thanks. How can you miss this?

Draft #1
 

Cowboysrock55

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Either take the results of draft 1 or draft 2. Give me draft 1, where I get everything I need and one of the true freaks of the draft.
Yeah I'm not a big Molden guy. He is really a slot corner. I don't want to take a slot corner that high. We really need a boundary corner.

Pitts, well we all know the feelings on that.

I don't think Holland lasts until the third.

Weaver is ok.

To me draft 2 is clearly better. More options at DT. Better secondary guys. And Jordan Smith really intrigues me.
 
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