The offseason super-fan holiday has arrived, the arm chair GMing is over and now it’s time for the real deal. We have all sifted through all the tweets and draftnik reports since January and if you’re like me, your adrenaline is flowing and you can’t wait to see what the Cowboys do tonight.
I’m going to go over a few draft predictions for the Cowboys draft plan tonight. First thing any fan should do is prepare yourself for the blindside hit. Most times, all the mock drafts get the draft completely wrong after the first few picks, including the picks for the Cowboys.
Everyone has their pet cat for the 1st round, whether it be Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon, Kevin Johnson, or whomever, be ready for the possibility of the Cowboys taking a guy no one had on their radar.
Let’s go over some predictions and possibilities.
I’m still sticking to my final mock draft prediction of Erick Kendricks at #27 or the trade up prediction for Kevin Johnson at #18.
— Prediction: The Cowboys will trade up
The Cowboys pre-draft presser revealed at #27 the Cowboys are more likely to move around in the draft. Was it a smokescreen? I don’t think so. It was rumored that the Cowboys have 18 players with 1st round grades, but drafting at the bottom of the round you’ll need to be prepared to see a 2nd round graded player get selected in the 1st round, especially if they stick at 27. That being said, I still believe the Cowboys will in business for trading up as high as 18 overall with Kansas City, and don’t go by the trade value to the exact “T”, in recent draft trades, the Cowboys have overpaid a bit.
— Possibility: The Cowboys stay at 27 or trade down
The Cowboys will see how the draft shapes up early on, and if the players they were willing to move up get wiped out before the range they were willing to trade up to, then we’ll see them stay at 27 or move down in hopes of getting more picks from an early 2nd round team or multiple picks from mid-round teams. We’ll see.
— Possibility: The Cowboys draft DT
I’ve said this for years, but the Cowboys have not drafted a DT in 1st round since 1991 with Russell Maryland. If you’re looking for a pick that could surprise people, to me, that would be a DT. Who could be there? The Cowboys could have 2nd round grades on Carl Davis, Iowa; Eddie Goldman, Florida State; and Mario Edwards could be the one to really look at. Edwards has that coveted position flex the Cowboys love. You can put Edwards as a more athletic 1-Tech, rotate him at 3-Tech, or play him at LE. The Cowboys need to do a better job of collapsing the pocket from the middle, thus flushing the QB out to our DEs.
— Possibility: The Cowboys draft a safety
Mike Mayock may be onto something with a safety in 1st round, but he’s wrong about it being Landon Collins. For me, the Cowboys could take Damarious Randall either at 27 or preferably in a trade down, then get him there.
— Possibility: Cowboys trade for Manziel
Full disclosure, I’m not endorsing this, but I am saying from the Cowboys view, they could make a play for Manziel. The only way I see this come into play is if the Browns do whatever they can do for Marcus Mariota, if they do, Manziel will want out, and they may oblige. The Browns have brokered draft day deals with the Cowboys before, and this could happen. If the Cowboys feel there is value in Manziel, a 4th rounder could get it done. The other part of this would be the Cowboys taking a CB in the 1st round, then plan to lower Carr’s cap number or release up to free up cap space. If all these happen or will happen, then this wild deal could be in play.
— Prediction: The Cowboys draft cornerback
I seriously doubt the Cowboys can sit at 27 and hope a corner they covet will fall into their laps. The Cowboys will have to take a hit by giving up a 2nd or 3rd round pick to move up and guarantee they get their guy. The player is Kevin Johnson. Byron Jones and Marcus Peters are my lesser possibilities, but certainly in play as well.
— Possibility: The Cowboys draft linebacker
I feel if the Cowboys stay at 27, they may be crossing their fingers that Eric Kendricks is there. They were very interested in the player, meeting him three times over this whole draft process, so the interest is high. Benardrick McKinney is the other LB the Cowboys have high interest too. He can play the mike LB and plays violent at the point of impact, like McClain. Remember McClain is on a 1y-deal and one more drug failure from long term suspension, so the Cowboys need insurance beyond what they have in Brinkley and Rivers. McKinney has also played at DE at Mississippi State in some of their rush packages, so the Cowboys love that versatility.
— Possibility: The Cowboys draft offensive line
It may not seem like an immediate need, but if the Cowboys stay at 27 due to their targets being wiped out earlier than expected, then they may go with the best player available on their board. Could that be offensive lineman? The Cowboys have drafted spectacularly the past few drafts with offensive lineman, so loading up here could make this line completely impregnable for opposing defenses. Cedric Ogbuehi could be there and T.J. Clemmings. Collins will be there as a recent murder investigation looms over his head, and from a common sense viewpoint, you cannot draft him until he is completely exonerated from being involved.
— Possibility: Drafting a running back not named Gurley or Gordon
I wonder how true the Cowboys proclamation of running back not being a must have is a legitimate belief or not. I’m not buying it, but I do wonder if the Cowboys are trying to show some misdirection when they in fact have another back in mind. I’ve been going back and forth on this. I feel the Cowboys have interest in running because they met with so many running backs, and I don’t see this as just them doing their due diligence, they need a playmaking RB. They probably do like Tevin Coleman, and Duke Johnson, but how much? Enough to take at 27 or even at the bottom of the 1st round? Perhaps they have to pull the trigger knowing that there will be a run on RBs in the 2nd round or do they risk being on the outside looking in?
— Possibility: Darkhorse selection like wide receiver
Taking a wide receiver is probably my ultra-darkhorse possibility because we have Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams, and Cole Beasley. But what if the Cowboys take Devin Smith at the end of the 1st round, he’s been rising and may not be there at #60. He gives you another deep threat option and has special teams play in his game. Dorial Green-Beckham is the other WR the Cowboys could throw into the mix. He’s basically a Dez Bryant clone, so putting him on the field opposite Dez would put an immense pressure on opposing secondaries, and could really open up the offense into stratospheric levels.
What predictions or possibilities do you think could unfold tonight? Let’s hear’em!
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