Dane Brugler updated Mock Draft

817Gill said:

A team building strategy that fits the cap and should work theoretically:

Sign Dak to a market value deal and hoard top 100 picks the next two years and draft your defense cheap. Your O is already under contract for the most part, may lose Gallup but it’s not like he’s indispensable. If you hit on those picks at the percentage we usually do, then we should have an above average defense and a top-5 offense. Good ‘nuff.

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I am all for hoarding picks and adding talent and depth.
Trade back and stack some picks.
Gallup would be someone with 1 year left on his contract I look to get picks for.
The following year you can move on from bloated contracts in Zeke, Jaylon, Cooper, and if injuries persist Tyron needs to be considered.
Cowboys need to fill current holes and future holes stockpiling picks is needed.

Kaiser said:

I love Brugler but I think he is doing what draft guys always do and putting the picks down just by talent. Usually the QBs are always picked higher, at this point in 2015 the draft guys were thinking Carson Wentz would go late in the first and he ended up second overall (ha!). If you bunch those guys up and then guys like Sewell and Ja'Marr Chase go high, you could have your pick of the CBs if you trade down to 8 or so.

I also love the idea of two #2's and then trading two #3s to get a third second rounder. Getting four guys out of the top 50 would be pretty sweet when you look at our recent non-Taco track record.

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IDK.......in a traditional draft I'd do this in a heartbeat but for this draft, I'm not sure we'll truly know the difference from 2nd or 3rd round talent, but that's just me.

Kaiser said:

Dane Brugler posted an updated mock, interesting stuff for the "Trade Down from Three" (four now) guys like me and @817Gill.

He assumes CB is the biggest need and the #1 pick, like I do. He has Dallas 4th and just taking Caleb Farley with the 4th pick instead of trading down. He has Surtain going 5th to the Chargers.

For the QBs he has them at 1 with Lawrence (obviously) but Zach Wilson at 2, Field at 6 and Trey Lance at 8. Not hard to see a scenario where teams have different grades on all four and teams trade into the top four to get them - which I would love to see. We could add an extra high #2 trading down from 4 to 8 or 10. There will be some excellent safety prospects in the 2nd round and we already have 9 picks already (including two 3's and two 4's) to use in trades to move up. Six picks in rounds 2 - 4 would bring a lot of talent to training camp.

Another interesting note is he has Clemson CB Derion Kendrick going 12th, a spot we could trade down to. He lists Kendrick as "one of the best athletes in the class" and a guy similar to Diggs with a ton of talent who recently moved to CB from WR and who should improve dramatically with reps and coaching.

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trade down seems most sensible

timb2 said:

What happens if QB Mac Jones wins the Heismann or the National Title at Alabama? Do you think he hangs around when both Bama WRs,Starting LT,Og,and Center,and starting RB leave because they are Seniors?

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Mac Jones is going to enter the draft.

I can see a guy like Trey Lance falling more.

One thing in 2016 when the QB class was weak and Wentz had a good showing in D-II. However, this year the QB class is stronger and Lance only played one game this year, and it was a bad showing.

D-II, other D-I QBs actually playing and at a high level. I could see him slip out of top 10. Of course teams go off potential with QB, but 1 game film this year will hurt imo especially with it being a 50% completion game.

Commanders are known for bad QB picks, but with how fast Haskins flamed out I'm not sure if they want to take Lance. Guess it all depends on Snyder

I like his 2 pick 2nd round and 1 pick 3rd round. I know why(teams first pick) but still funny to me

John813 said:

Commanders are known for bad QB picks, but with how fast Haskins flamed out I'm not sure if they want to take Lance. Guess it all depends on Snyder

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So what you are saying is....Snyder will trade up to the first overall pick and select Trey Lance over Trevor Lawrence.

Hawkeye0202 said:

IDK.......in a traditional draft I'd do this in a heartbeat but for this draft, I'm not sure we'll truly know the difference from 2nd or 3rd round talent, but that's just me.

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Sure, there is no way to really know until Dallas has their draft board assembled. They traded up for a higher pick in 2014 with DLaw and that was clearly the right move (even though me and most posters here thought it wasn't).

In 2018 they took Conner Williams in the 2nd and Gallup in the third so that wouldn't be the year to do it.

In 2017 the players were Awuzie and Lewis so you can probably say that year could go either way.

My thinking is you go for the quality over quantity this year and the extra #2 will either be their second or third second round pick - which gives quantity and quality.

tyke1doe said:

Mac Jones is going to enter the draft.

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Yes just like Joe Burrow

Kaiser said:

Dane Brugler posted an updated mock, interesting stuff for the "Trade Down from Three" (four now) guys like me and @817Gill.

He assumes CB is the biggest need and the #1 pick, like I do. He has Dallas 4th and just taking Caleb Farley with the 4th pick instead of trading down. He has Surtain going 5th to the Chargers.

For the QBs he has them at 1 with Lawrence (obviously) but Zach Wilson at 2, Field at 6 and Trey Lance at 8. Not hard to see a scenario where teams have different grades on all four and teams trade into the top four to get them - which I would love to see. We could add an extra high #2 trading down from 4 to 8 or 10. There will be some excellent safety prospects in the 2nd round and we already have 9 picks already (including two 3's and two 4's) to use in trades to move up. Six picks in rounds 2 - 4 would bring a lot of talent to training camp.

Another interesting note is he has Clemson CB Derion Kendrick going 12th, a spot we could trade down to. He lists Kendrick as "one of the best athletes in the class" and a guy similar to Diggs with a ton of talent who recently moved to CB from WR and who should improve dramatically with reps and coaching.

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The cowboys are also getting a bunch of comp picks.

It’s really not out of the question that the cowboys could *** 4 starting defenders and some role players, if they play their cards right.

dogunwo said:

Derion Kendrick is a beast, maybe the most naturally gifted of all the corners. He's a former QB and WR, so his hands and recognition of offense is better than most corners. I think he has the highest upside of all the corners. I am really not trying to homer out on him, lol, but he's that good.

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A couple of the plays he made against Virginia were ridiculous.

DakPresgoat said:

The cowboys are also getting a bunch of comp picks.

It’s really not out of the question that the cowboys could *** 4 starting defenders and some role players, if they play their cards right.

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With a pick in the top five and the potential for trade downs it could be even higher.

The last time we had a pick this high we got one backup (Anthony Brown) and four starters (Zeke, Jaylon, Dak and Maliek Collins) but three of those played in a Pro Bowl. We also got a semi-backup in Kavon Frazier.

Last year the draft was a homerun and we probably got four starters and three backups.

In 2019 its two starters and two backups, but we got Amari Cooper with the #1.

In 2018 its three starters (LVE, Williams, Gallup) and three backups. But LVE has been to a Pro Bowl and Gallup probably will at some point.

Kaiser said:

With a pick in the top five and the potential for trade downs it could be even higher.

The last time we had a pick this high we got one backup (Anthony Brown) and four starters (Zeke, Jaylon, Dak and Maliek Collins) but three of those played in a Pro Bowl. We also got a semi-backup in Kavon Frazier.

Last year the draft was a homerun and we probably got four starters and three backups.

In 2019 its two starters and two backups, but we got Amari Cooper with the #1.

In 2018 its three starters (LVE, Williams, Gallup) and three backups. But LVE has been to a Pro Bowl and Gallup probably will at some point.

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I agree. If the cowboys go defense heavy this draft and hit on their picks. Theres no
Reason the defense can’t be at least middle of the pack next year.

Healthy Dak and the o line coming back. Plus a middle of the pack defense........ thats a playoff team that can make some noise. IMO.


They really just need to execute and nail the draft picks. But it’s totally doable.

Kaiser said:

Last year the draft was a homerun and we probably got four starters and three backups.

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Four starters?
Lamb, Diggs, Biadasz, and who?
Gallimore ? He may get to start but I don't think he'll end up a starting-caliber player.

I'm intrigued by Robinson but a little worried that he has yet to suit up while we have cycled through DB's. Still time.

I'm an Anae fan as well, but I think he's a situational player. Again, rooting for him to be more.

DiNucci is not an NFL-caliber QB,

2019 Draft not looking great either. Hill is not good, McGovern finally showing something, Pollard is really good. Jackson, Jackson, Weber, and Jelks all cut. Pollard is really the lone bright spot in that class.

Here's one of the trends I have seen with Dallas. The Cowboys start to improve in any certain category and then Jerry sees that success, and then overly involves himself. A few years back, the team really turned a corner on getting better at drafting players, mainly due to Parcells revamping the scouting and personnel departments. The Cowboys have focused, more qualified professionals invested in the draft process and we started having some successful draft classes. Jerry wants to be a part of it (wants to take credit) and starts weighing in and allowing people he respects (Rod Marinelli for example) to have significant influence in the process, and they start overriding the scouts and personnel people. That's how we end up with Taco and Hill over TJ Watt and Juan Thornhill.

The 2021 draft will be so critical on whether or not this core group of players has a real chance to compete for a title the next few years. Hopefully Jerry steps back some and lets the dedicated professionals have the loudest voice come draft day.

DakPresgoat said:

I agree. If the cowboys go defense heavy this draft and hit on their picks. Theres no
Reason the defense can’t be at least middle of the pack next year..

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I think the biggest thing by far is for the players to learn the system and develop some cohesion with the plan and with each other. That and basic health, the defense wasn't bad against Philly, Steelers and Vikings. And I think the breakdowns against Washington could be because the team really only had two practice days to prepare for that game.

If you add in a top ten CB, then high second round picks at Safety and DT you would have a totally different defense once they gel with the system.

Kaiser said:

I think the biggest thing by far is for the players to learn the system and develop some cohesion with the plan and with each other. That and basic health, the defense wasn't bad against Philly, Steelers and Vikings. And I think the breakdowns against Washington could be because the team really only had two practice days to prepare for that game.

If you add in a top ten CB, then high second round picks at Safety and DT you would have a totally different defense once they gel with the system.

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I don’t like making excuses for lack of results, generally.


That being said. I do think it’s entirely fair and reasonable to say that covid and no real off season really was a major set back for a team with basically all new coaching staff and an entirely new defensive system.


They weren’t ready to play by the season opener. They just weren’t.

I think a real off season plus some new young talent infused could make a big difference for the defense.

DakPresgoat said:

I don’t like making excuses for lack of results, generally.


That being said. I do think it’s entirely fair and reasonable to say that covid and no real off season really was a major set back for a team with basically all new coaching staff and an entirely new defensive system.


They weren’t ready to play by the season opener. They just weren’t.

I think a real off season plus some new young talent infused could make a big difference for the defense.

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Yeah yeah yeah, how many kids do you have these days?

Kaiser said:

Yeah yeah yeah, how many kids do you have these days?

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Lol my daughter will be 4 months old in a few days.

my son is 4 years old. Everyday he is asking “is it Christmas now?” Lol