It’s really down to two

[Teague31]

For this thread I will assume we don’t trade out of the pick and that we do not draft offense. If Tyron suddenly retires or is cut I would re-examine.

DT- huge need. But between how this team values them and the fact that there isn’t one worth a Top 10 I can’t see it. That Michigan kid? No thanks.

DE- again, no real player worth 10 and anyone you might take wouldn’t be as good as Lawrence or Gregory. You certainly aren’t spending a Top 10 for someone that wouldn’t start.

LB- Parsons is the only one in play. I think he could be gone by 10 but even if there I don’t take him. Again, where would he play? Unless Jaylon is cut he really has defined role. A third LB plays like 25% of the snaps.

S- I think we all know the answer here. Even if there was an elite talent here they would still pass.

CB- that leaves us with corner. Which leaves us with Farley and Surtain. it just makes too much sense and is the perfect blend of talent and need.

As it stands right now I would put good money down that one of them is the pick at 10

 

[visionary]

If that’s the case we BETTER trade down

I’d trade down to 18-20 and take Zaven Collins then trade up into the bottom of rd 1 to take Barmore or Nixon

 

[Cowboyny]

It's still very early as the off-season has yet to even start. The player that is picking up steam is Zaven Collins, I wouldn't rule him out.

 

[Future]

I think if you're staying put at 10 and tied to a defensive player, CB (Farley, Surtain) is probably the most likely to end up being worth the pick.

 

[J-man]

If that’s the case we BETTER trade down

I’d trade down to 18-20 and take Zaven Collins then trade up into the bottom of rd 1 to take Barmore or Nixon

I'd be very happy to land Collins and Barmore with or first 2 picks, but I'm curious as to why you say we better trade down? I wouldn't bat an eye at taking either of those CB's.

 

[Gaede]

That's the way it looks now.

But there are so many factors that can and will change the discussion. 1) Who do we sign in free agency? 2) Are our offensive tackles going to be healthy? 3) Who rises in the draft process? (At this time, Ware would've been thought of as a month d second rounder. I honestly think we will see some DL talent rise pretty quickly in the next two months.) 4) Any surprise trades or retirements?

 

[visionary]

I'd be very happy to land Collins and Barmore with or first 2 picks, but I'm curious as to why you say we better trade down? I wouldn't bat an eye at taking either of those CB's.

if we have great front 7 pressure the CB we have now are good enough

if we don’t have great front 7 pressure surtain and Diggs will not be good enough

to me this has to be a front 7 and FS draft for us to transform this defense if we want to compete with the big boys

 

[ultron]

Our #1 Cornerback left last offseason and he was never replaced, we have an opportunity to get the #1 or #2 college corner in the nation - this is a no brainer, it’s going to be Surtain or Farley.

 

[J-man]

if we have great front 7 pressure the CB we have now are good enough

if we don’t have great front 7 pressure surtain and Diggs will not be good enough

to me this has to be a front 7 and FS draft for us to transform this defense if we want to compete with the big boys

I totally agree with this philosophy that pressure up front helps the back end, that's 100% true.
But I also believe that it goes both ways. Good coverage helps your rush get home.

My biggest concern is that in today's NFL, offensive coordinators and QB's are so good at getting the ball out of their hands so fast, that it can negate most pressure from a pass rush. Not always obviously, but it seems so more often than not, and more and more as time goes on.

Pressure from a defense can come in many forms. From a slick move off the edge, a quick move or powerful bull rush from inside or a well timed blitz. Even a dominate run game puts pressure on an offense by putting them in bad down and distance situations.
And most QB's get rattled when they continue to drop back and see blanketed coverage with no where to go with the ball.
A defense who can do all things well, puts tremendous pressure on an offense. And that leads to mistakes, which leads to more wins.
Don't get me wrong, I want a great pass rush, but even more than that I want a complete defense. One that can do all things, very well.

Again, I'm not disagreeing with you at all. DT and LB are huge needs for this team and will greatly improve our success this year. I actually think an elite LB may be our biggest need of all. Collins could possibly fill that hole. And a dominate DT is always welcome on my D line. Although I will say that I think Gallimore has potential to do the job, if he got some help in the form of a gigantic run stuffing 1T.

I'm just trying to maybe put out another perspective on the construction of the D.

 

[HungryLion]

I’m cool with one of the CB’s at 10. If that’s how it shakes out.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Of course some here will immediately lecture me how "the game has changed since...", which is so obvious I'm not sure why people do it except to act superior, just sayin'.

But looking back at the Cowboys' SB winning teams, both the 1970's and the 1990's teams, at least one thing they had in common was a great d-line.
The 70's with Lilly, Pugh, Martin, Too Tall, etc. The 90's with Haley, Jeffcoat and Maryland, as well as a plethora of rotational players that equaled as a group an excellent d-line.

Even the 2016 regular season highly successful team had Irving, McClain and Crawford, none really great but for that year they played well.

The last few years who has been really good on the d-line? Any Pro Bowlers? Lawrence maybe once or twice. Not that the Pro Bowl is the definitive measure of good d-linemen, but it gives you an idea.

Eras aside, you need good interior line play to be really successful...

 

[LACowboysFan1]

I’m cool with one of the CB’s at 10. If that’s how it shakes out.

Yeah, why wouldn't you? (And me, too), the team needs help at nearly every position, can't get 5 first round picks, most will be picked in later rounds.

This isn't 1977 or 1992, the team isn't just one more better-than-what-you-have-now player, one first isn't bringing the Cowboys to the SB, he'll need help...

 

[Bowdown27]

It's still very early as the off-season has yet to even start. The player that is picking up steam is Zaven Collins, I wouldn't rule him out.

honestly he may move in front of parsons after this season and his possible combine.

 

[Creeper]

Our #1 Cornerback left last offseason and he was never replaced, we have an opportunity to get the #1 or #2 college corner in the nation - this is a no brainer, it’s going to be Surtain or Farley.

I am not completely sold on either player at #10 but the fact is this draft is not that strong for defensive players. I think they may be forced to take a CB in the 1st and we will know that when the draft rolls around. Either the Cowboys signed one of their CBs, or they have a gaping hole in the roster at CB.

If they cannot sign Awuzie or Lewis, they have no choice but to take a CB, IMO. If they do sign one of their own, then they have some wiggle room to look at other positions.

We also don't know if they will sign Aldon Smith. If they don't they may go edge rusher in the first. Historically they draft a lot of CBs and Edge guys. More than 44% of Dallas's 1st round picks since 2000 have been CBs or DEs.

I am assuming they do not sign Lewis or Awuzie. In that case, they should take a CB in the first, S in the 2nd, LB and DT in the 3rd, and sign a DT in free agency. My preference is Dalvin Tomlinson or Sheldon Rankins.

I am waiting for the combine to decide which CB is the one I want. Farley and Surtain are similar in ability, so I want the one with more quickness and speed.

 

[visionary]

I totally agree with this philosophy that pressure up front helps the back end, that's 100% true.
But I also believe that it goes both ways. Good coverage helps your rush get home.

My biggest concern is that in today's NFL, offensive coordinators and QB's are so good at getting the ball out of their hands so fast, that it can negate most pressure from a pass rush. Not always obviously, but it seems so more often than not, and more and more as time goes on.

Pressure from a defense can come in many forms. From a slick move off the edge, a quick move or powerful bull rush from inside or a well timed blitz. Even a dominate run game puts pressure on an offense by putting them in bad down and distance situations.
And most QB's get rattled when they continue to drop back and see blanketed coverage with no where to go with the ball.
A defense who can do all things well, puts tremendous pressure on an offense. And that leads to mistakes, which leads to more wins.
Don't get me wrong, I want a great pass rush, but even more than that I want a complete defense. One that can do all things, very well.

Again, I'm not disagreeing with you at all. DT and LB are huge needs for this team and will greatly improve our success this year. I actually think an elite LB may be our biggest need of all. Collins could possibly fill that hole. And a dominate DT is always welcome on my D line. Although I will say that I think Gallimore has potential to do the job, if he got some help in the form of a gigantic run stuffing 1T.

I'm just trying to maybe put out another perspective on the construction of the D.

a great QB will pick apart ‘coverage’ every day of the week

With current NFL rules there is no shut down CB

teams now have 3-4 WRs on the field and one of 2 really good CBs are not that effective

given all of these factors the only option is pressure and hit the qb and make him uncomfortable

Picking CBs high is useless, defense starts and ends with front 7 and great safety play

we have good enough CBS if we sign one of Awuzie or Lewis . This draft and FA needs to be about DL, LB and safety IMO

 

[texbumthelife]

I'm a fan of Surtain. Horn and Farley not so much. I think if Surtain and Parsons (maybe Collins) are gone, I put Leatherwood's name on the card and laugh all the way to the Lombardi. The kid is going to be an amazing player. He's already arguably the most talented OL in college and he's just scratching the surface. He can maul, but he can also play finesse blocking schemes. I think he's the perfect replacement for Tyron, even if that's not his immwposition.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

a great QB will pick apart ‘coverage’ every day of the week

With current NFL rules there is no shut down CB

teams now have 3-4 WRs on the field and one of 2 really good CBs are not that effective

given all of these factors the only option is pressure and hit the qb and make him uncomfortable

Picking CBs high is useless, defense starts and ends with front 7 and great safety play

we have good enough CBS if we sign one of Awuzie or Lewis . This draft and FA needs to be about DL, LB and safety IMO

I would have to agree on the DL need, all one has to do is look at the rushing yardage given up by this defense, with backs like Gibson, who did "pretty well" against other teams and just blew past our DL. And if the DL isn't stopping a runner, the LBs are next, so the need is there also.

But if there aren't any really good DL players left when Dallas picks, you don't want to get yet another DL guy who's basically what you have already, that's not helping the team. Go to another player that will improve his position, be it LB,CB, S or even LT.

The aim is to get better wherever you can, after all as we all know, it is STILL a team sport, the Brady's and Mahomes's notwithstanding...

 

[Cowboyny]

honestly he may move in front of parsons after this season and his possible combine.

There is definitely a chance. Heard Voch Lombardi this week saying his two top candidates at 10 right now are Slater and Collins and he would have no issue taking Collins at 10. I have heard that Collins is actually rated more in the teens, then where many of the media scouts have him towards the bottom of rd 1. He has a good off-season, could rise up as a top 10 pick.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

There is definitely a chance. Heard Voch Lombardi this week saying his two top candidates at 10 right now are Slater and Collins and he would have no issue taking Collins at 10. I have heard that Collins is actually rated more in the teens, then where many of the media scouts have him towards the bottom of rd 1. He has a good off-season, could rise up as a top 10 pick.

I'll take any of the 3 if they can stay on the field and off IR...

 

[Bowdown27]

There is definitely a chance. Heard Voch Lombardi this week saying his two top candidates at 10 right now are Slater and Collins and he would have no issue taking Collins at 10. I have heard that Collins is actually rated more in the teens, then where many of the media scouts have him towards the bottom of rd 1. He has a good off-season, could rise up as a top 10 pick.

Exactly. How he’s played this past year, winning defensive player of the year, he’s going to move up charts on some boards. Now with the rumors of no combine that would kill parsons stock