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Friday is mock draft day here on BTB and we have 11 of the freshest and juiciest mocks handpicked for your mock draft pleasure.
When we looked at the mock draft landscape just seven days ago, we saw 15 different mocks proposing 12 different players for the Cowboys. Since then, nothing important has happened with regards to the NFL Draft. No workouts, no bowls, no team visits. Yet the mock draft landscape seems to have undergone a seismic shift.
Of the 12 players mocked to the Cowboys just last week, only three make a repeat appearance in today's summary: Running backs Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley as well as cornerback Alex Carter. Out with the old and in with the new; here's who's in and who's out in the Cowboys mock drafts.
OUT IN
Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA Carl Davis, DT, IowaArik Armstead, DE, Oregon Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU
Eli Herold, DE, Virginia Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi State
Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State
Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (OH) Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Shaq Thomson, LB, Washington
Gerod Holliman, FS, Louisville
Andrus Peat, OT, Standford
But instead of hyperventilating about the vagaries of mock drafts before the combine and before free agency, let's look at the positive side of the names tallied above: The Cowboys will have lots of options with their 27th pick, should they chose not to move around on draft day.
Here are the 11 freshest and juiciest mocks published over the last few days.
Carl Davis, DT, Iowa
ESPN (Kiper), Feb 11 I'm not sure there was a player who did more to gain appeal as a potential first-round pick at the Senior Bowl. Davis brings a coveted ability to be disruptive as a pass-rusher from the inside, as he won't just push the pocket with strength, but also can win with quickness and get into the backfield. The Cowboys have done a great job in building their offensive line and have made it possible to be one of the few truly balanced offenses, but any setback on offense could expose a defense that was better on paper than it was in terms of personnel in 2014. They could add talent at all three levels, but Davis would make a lot of sense if the board breaks this way.CBSSports (Kirwan), Feb 11 Davis really helped himself at the Senior Bowl. He's big with quickness and a terrific motor. The kind of guy Rod Marinelli loves to coach. I don't believe the Cowboys will bring back Henry Melton and if there isn't a top DE on the board this is an option.
Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
Ourlads.com (Sylvertsen), Feb 12 With the payday expected to come knocking on DeMarco Murray’s door via the open market this offseason while keeping in mind the cap situation in Dallas, it is a safe assumption the Cowboys will be looking for a running back. With one of the most dominant offensive lines in the league already in place, Dallas could wait on bringing in a running back. However, with Gordon on the board they have the opportunity to maintain an elite-level, tools-rich playmaker in the backfield. Gordon has vision, agility, speed, and strength in the open field. He is often compared to Murray ironically, but doesn’t come in to the league with injury concerns like his potential predecessor did.SB Nation (Kadar), Feb 9 The Cowboys could have to make a tough decision choosing between running back DeMarco Murray and wide receiver Dez Bryant. The belief seems to be that Murray will be let go. Considering the legal issues surrounding backup Joseph Randle, the Cowboys could rely on the impressive talent of the running back class in this draft.
Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU
Draft Breakdown (Dove), Feb 11 Danielle Hunter possesses the elite size, length and explosiveness evaluators look for in an edge player. He someone who generates pressure off the edge but can also counter with an inside move. Despite needing to add some bulk; Hunter still plays the run with integrity setting a strong edge. The Cowboys need all the help they can get on the defensive side of the ball. Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi State
CBSSports (Brugler), Feb 9 A running back is possible here, but the bigger need is a defensive standout who can help immediately, and Smith would fight for the Cowboys' starting left end spot as a rookie. Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
CBSSports (Rang), Feb 9 Set to hit free agency, DeMarco Murray is going to command a lot of money. The Cowboys could re-sign him and elect to fill a hole on defense with this pick, but it is hard to imagine Jerry Jones being able to turn down a player with Gurley's talent should the Cowboys be in the market for a starting running back.Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State
Foxsports (Schrager), Feb 9 With the impact we've seen in recent years from C.J. Mosley and Luke Kuechly, any stigma around selecting an inside linebacker in the first round should be erased. The Dallas defense could need help at defensive back more than at linebacker, but if McKinney slips to 27, I'd be shocked if the Cowboys let him pass on by. Linebacker Sean Lee will be back next season and Dallas got solid production from his replacements this year, but McKinney's a potential 10-year starter in the league, too. At 6-5 and 250, this tackle machine could be a good fit. Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
NFL.com (Davis), Feb 10 The Cowboys still need to beef up their defense despite a surprisingly good year in 2014.Alex Carter, CB, Stanford
Drattek.com, Feb11 Sterling Moore is a RFA in 2015 and if Carr refuses to take a pay cut, the depth at this position is scary! Dallas finished 26th in the league against the pass, allowing 250 yards per game and the top F/A cornerbacks (Cromartie, Flowers, Thurmond, and Maxwell) are looking for a payday . . . and Dallas has already been down that road. Is Carter the answer? That depends upon the question: Does coverage help a pass rush or does the pass rush help the coverage? Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Football's Future (Davis), Feb 9 Jerry Jones isn't afraid to take a chance on a character risk if it means the on field product improves. Enter Peters, the drafts top talent at corner but was also kicked off the UW team mid season. Peters is a great cover man with big play ability but he will need to show some maturity and focus to even go this high.Continue reading...