The 2014 NFL season is officially over and with that we head full steam ahead towards free agency and the NFL Draft.
The Cowboys will have from Feb. 16- March 2, 2015 to designate a franchise player. It’s believed the Cowboys will use the tag on Dez Bryant, so what if anything would that mean for DeMarco Murray?
It’s hard to imagine the Cowboys breaking the bank for a running back, even with the season Murray had, the Cowboys must stay on the path to fiscal rehabilitation. Don’t get me wrong, I would like to see Murray back, but he’s not an Emmitt Smith or Barry Sanders type back where you must re-sign at all costs.
If Murray is gone there will be options in the deep running back class that can get the job done. There are a few that will be instant impact backs, question will be whether or not the Cowboys feel the need to use a draft pick on one.
Here are a few mock drafts that give us a running back in the 1st round and we have a few defenders in these latest mock drafts. Let’s take a look.
Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia (Rotoworld 2/2)
Can Gurley help immediately? I think thats the big question. But if Demarco Murray moves on, why not select the best back in the class to run behind the line where so many early picks were invested? It is where the Cowboys win, along with Tony Romo and Dez Bryant. (Rotoworld, Norris)
Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia (CBSSports 2/2)
This pick will almost certainly be defense … unless a prospect like Gurley falls to Dallas. The Cowboys need defensive help, but a special talent like Gurley might be too intriguing if the trainers sign off on his medicals and DeMarco Murray hits the open market. (CBS Sports, Brugler)
Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA (CBSSports, 2/1)
Rookie Demarcus Lawrence provided flashes of the pass-rush ability that earned his high second-round selection a year ago but Dallas needs more. At 6-3, 266 pounds, Odighizuwa is stout enough to handle run containment duties while also providing the burst and bend off the edge to improve the pass rush. (CBS Sports, Rang)
Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington ( DraftCountDown, 1/28)
Even though the Cowboys played much, much better on defense after finishing dead-last in the league the year prior there are still more questions than answers on that side of the ball. It’s one of those cases where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In fact, there probably aren’t more than a handful of current defenders that can truly be counted on long-term. Even though the defensive line is a more pressing need Washington OLB Shaq Thompson is simply too talented and too good of a fit for a Rod Marinelli defense to pass up at this point. Thompson is a linebacker / safety hybrid who also saw extensive action at running back for the Huskies. Now that is a versatile athlete! Thompson may need just the right set of circumstances in terms of scheme and role to maximize his potential at the next level but his best fit will likely come on the weakside in a 4-3 front. Think Thomas Davis without the durability concerns. (DraftCountDown, Wright)
Back to the subject of running backs, my pet cat for this upcoming draft is David Johnson, Northern Iowa. He’s a senior and had a nice season. I got a chance to watch him in the Senior Bowl and he stood out to me. Keep an eye on him for the draft. He won’t be one of those familiar names, but could be one the Cowboys call come draft day. Check this guy out and get pumped.
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