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Every Friday we review the latest, greatest mock drafts published over the last seven days. Today is no different, as we look at 16 different mocks offering nine different prospects.
The sixteen mocks we look at today propose nine different prospects for the Cowboys, and we're still very, very far away from having a consensus pick emerge for the Dallas Cowboys. Three years ago on BTB, at the end of March, we were asking ourselves "Is Tyron Smith To Cowboys A Foregone Conclusion?" The answer, as it turned out, was a resounding 'yes'.
Over the last two drafts, no single prospect really emerged as the consensus pick - and the Cowboys' draft-day trades rendered any projection moot anyway.
Three years ago, I was irritated that the consensus pick emerged fairly early in the process. Over the last two years I was irritated that there was hardly any consensus at all. Perhaps I'm just easily irritated, but one thing seems to be clear, this year the Cowboys will have a lot of options on draft day - if they are looking for defensive line prospects. In today's roundup of the freshest, juiciest mocks published in the last week, 12 out of 16 mocks have the Cowboys picking a defensive lineman for Rod Marinelli's Rushmen.
Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota
Indy Sports Report (Arthur), Jan 16 Comment: "The Cowboys offense is set, but last year their defense was offense (thank you). Pairing RaShede Hageman next to Jason Hatcher will give the Cowboys a great defensive line whether Anthony Spencer is back or not."
Sports Agent Blog (Thorn),
Jan 14 Comment: "Owner Jerry Jones shockingly (but wisely) isn’t firing people, so Monte Kiffin’s scheme will get another shot at proving that it can still work. With the cover-2 scheme that Kiffin employs, pressure from the defensive line without blitzing is paramount. The center of Dallas’ defensive line is weak and the one guy who is solid (Jason Hatcher) is an unrestricted free agent. Hatcher should be brought back and paired with a player of Hagemen’s caliber. Hageman’s stock will likely rise tremendously once his insane athleticism is put on display at the combine, but the tape will even him out to somewhere in this range come draft day."
Draft King (Pickney),
Jan 14 Comment: "Hageman could serve as a replacement for DT Jason Hatcher, who turns 32 before the start of the next season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent. The "Tampa Two" defense is predicated on the front four providing sufficient pressure on opposing quarterbacks, something Hageman should help with quite well."
Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri
NFL.com (Brooks), Jan 14 Comment: "Jerry Jones has been known to gamble on a player with significant upside. Ealy is as talented as they come, but his production doesn't match his athleticism at this point."
Draft Season (Falk),
Jan 14 Comment: "Dallas is a wildcard at pick 17, they could go in a handful of directions in round 1. While they have quite a few needs, improving the defensive line has to be close to the top of the list. Ealy is a hot name right now and could end up being a steal if he can manage to stay on the board until 17.
Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame
Walter Football, Jan 16 Comment: "The Cowboys would love it if someone like Louis Nix fell to them because they have major problems at defensive tackle. Jason Hatcher happens to be a free agent, while the other starter, Nick Hayden, was an abomination this past season. Nix can fit in either defense, so he would make lots of sense just in case Jerry Jones wants to eventually move back to the 3-4."
Drafttek.com,
Jan 14 No comments yet from Drafttek this early in the season.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama
NFL.com (Davis), Jan 16 Comment: "The safety position has been an issue for years in Dallas."
ESPN In$ider (Kiper),
Jan 16 Comment: "I don't see a decent free safety solution on the Cowboys' roster, and good ones typically don't make it to free agency, so this pick lines up need and board value pretty effectively. Clinton-Dix has the range to handle the deep role in man-free coverage as he did for Nick Saban. He has good instincts, is generally strong with his routes and angles to the ball, and does a good job of not letting quarterbacks get him going in the wrong direction with their eyes."
Calvin Pryor, FS, Louisville
Cleveland.com (Fedor) Jan 16 Comment: "The Cowboys defense was laughable in 2013, especially against the pass. They allowed the second-most touchdowns (33) and third most yards per game (286). Having a safety with speed, range and ball skills, who also delivers violent hits is exactly what Dallas needs in the secondary. The former high school running back didn't get too many headlines, but he was the best player on Louisville's defense in 2013."
NFL.com (Jeremiah),
Jan 14 Comment: "Pryor might be the most physical football player in the entire draft. Against the run, he is very quick to diagnose and he explodes to the alley. He takes correct angles and he doesn't need to gear down before securing the tackle. He uncoils his hips on contact and he's produced several impressive hits this season. Against the pass, he has the instincts and ball skills to play over the top, and he has enough speed/agility to match up in man coverage. He's a complete safety.
Stephon Tuitt, DT, Notre Dame
Draft Countdown (Wright, Jan 17 Comment: "Notre Dame DE Stephon Tuitt is an impressive physical specimen who has shown the ability to make an impact against the run and pass. Tuitt is also extremely versatile with experience lining up at defensive end and defensive tackle as well as in both an even and odd front. After getting off to a slow start precipitated by offseason surgery that hampered his conditioning efforts Tuitt gradually rounded into form as the season progressed and even showed flashes of dominance at times. The situation may be even more dire on the interior so a defensive tackle such as Louis Nix of Notre Dame, Ra’Shede Hageman of Minnesota or Timmy Jernigan of Florida St. are strong possibilites as well."
SB Nation (Fairburn),
Jan 14 Comment: "Stephon Tuitt was far from dominant for Notre Dame this season, but his length is going to be tough for a team like the Cowboys to pass up. The defensive line is a big issue for the Cowboys, and having a player like Tuitt who can play multiple positions would be a big bonus for them."
Timmy Jernigan, DT, FSU
Draftseason (Edlund), Jan 5 Comment: "The Cowboys need a defensive tackle who can penetrate and create ruckus in the backfield in order to make their Tampa 2 scheme work. Jernigan is nothing, if not a disruptor and would be a great pick for Jerry Jones here.
Trent Murphy, DE, Stanford
The Football Expert (Clearwater), Jan 7 Comment: "Murphy is one of my favorite prospects in this draft. He can do a little bit of everything including rush the passer; which is why I have Dallas taking him here. He will be a big upgrade to their pass rushing corps."
Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo
Fox Sports (Schrager), Jan 15 Comment: "A top-20 pick out of the University of Buffalo? Yes. Mack is college football's all-time leader in forced fumbles and can flat out get to the quarterback. He has a bit of a past and that could haunt him in the interview process, but his talent is top-10 worthy. The Dallas pass rush left a lot to be desired in 2013. Let Mack learn from DeMarcus Ware."
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