News: BTB: 2015 Mock Draft Tracker: "Best Corner Available" For Cowboys?

[NewsBot]

Friday is mock draft day: Find out who notable draft pundits predict the Cowboys will select with their first pick.

In today's mock draft round-up, we look at 19 of the latest mocks published over the last few days, including mocks from SI.com, NFL.com, ESPN, CBSSports and many others.

Nine of the 19 mocks have the Cowboys taking a cornerback. The Cowboys have had Kevin Johnson, Byron Jones, Jalen Collins, and P.J. Williams in Dallas for a visit. Does that mean the Cowboys will follow a BCA - Best Corner Available - draft strategy?

Source Player Comment​

Cornerbacks​

E$PN (Kiper), Apr 16

Byron Jones​

There's already a need at cornerback -- you can't have enough if you expect to play with some leads -- and that's before we have a resolution on Brandon Carr's contract situation. Jones is one of the biggest sleepers in the draft, a cornerback with the ability to handle safety, an extraordinary athlete with very good instincts. He's also a great kid.
SI.com (Banks), Apr 16

Jalen Collins​

The Cowboys are back to being their disciplined selves in the draft—it’s a fairly new phenomena—and avoid reaching for a running back. There are defensive tackle prospects still on the board who would make defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli almost giddy, but he’ll be well satisfied to add another cover man to a secondary that still needs help.
Yahoo (Edholm), Apr 16

Jalen Collins​

Mo Claiborne might be a lost cause, Brandon Carr is a financial albatross and Orlando Scandrick, the Cowboys’ best corner, is best-suited to play inside. That means the Cowboys will have to address cornerback, and they do so with a long, athletic wonder who can run and mirror and start early on, despite having to wait his turn in college. Collins is adept at rerouting receivers, a key requirement in Rod Marinelli’s defense.
Drafttek,
Apr 15

Kevin Johnson​

I don't want to overplay the question mark that is the Dallas secondary, but when Orlando Scandrick leads the CB position with 2 interceptions (of the 3 accounted for by position), a playmaker is sorely needed. Yes, DL is a need as well and a pass rush will do more for an average secondary than an outstanding secondary will do for an anemic pass rush; nevertheless, the Cowboys' depth at this position is not good and you can pencil Johnson in as a Day One Starter!
CBS (Brugler), Apr 15 Marcus Peters Brandon Carr has disappointed and Morris Claiborne has been the one blemish on an otherwise flawless first round résumé for the Cowboys the last five years, making cornerback a need in this year's draft. Peters has his baggage, but the reward out-weighs the risk at this point.
NFL.com (Davis),
Apr15 Kevin Johnson With both top running backs off the board, the Cowboys think about defensive tackle here but ultimately opt for a smooth corner that is aggressive in coverage.
USA Today (Davis), Apr 14

Kevin Johnson​

Running back remains an obvious need. But barring a trade for Adrian Peterson or draft night leap for Gurley or Gordon in Round 1, Dallas would be wise to shore up its pass defense at this spot given the struggles of expensive vet Brandon Carr.
Rotoworld (Norris), Apr 14

Marcus Peters​

Peters visited the Cowboys, along with a number of other corners. I believe most of the other names mentioned will be off the board at No. 27, other than P.J. Williams. Peters is aggressive on the outside, and the Cowboys have shown they are willing to work with players other teams are not.
NFL.com (Casserly), Apr 13

Byron Jones​

Jones would fill perfectly into the Cowboys' defensive scheme.

Running backs​

Football's Future (Davis), Apr 17

Melvin Gordon​

The success the Cowboys had last year was due to the strength of the running game. They must draft a back early. Gordon isn't quite as physical as Murray, but he's a big play back that can step right in and carry the ball 15 times a game.
Rant Sports (Alcaraz), Apr 16 Jay Ajayi (traded pick No. 27 to the Lions for pick No. 23) Some would argue that Ajayi is the top running back in this class, and the Cowboys might just fall into that group. So instead of risking him going elsewhere, Dallas trades up to get its guy.
SB Nation (Kadar), Apr 13

Todd Gurley​

The Cowboys need a lead running back, so why not take the best one in the draft in the past three years? Gurley is a true workhorse back when healthy. He runs with power and speed and is good enough in the passing game.
UT-San Diego (Brown), Apr. 15

Melvin Gordon​

The Cowboys need more playmakers on the defensive side of the ball if they truly want to compete for a championship. However, U-T Sports Editor Todd Adams sums up Jerry Jones perfectly: "He loves his skill players." I worry about Gordon's usage at Wisconsin. His total touches were approaching 700, and you'd like to draft a running back below 500. It's really hard to argue with 2,587 yards and 29 touchdowns though.
Foxsports (Schrager), Apr 13

Melvin Gordon​

If Gordon's still on the board at 27, he could well be a Cowboy. A 6-foot-1, 207 pound burner, Gordon's often compared to Jamaal Charles and Reggie Bush. He had 17 runs of more than 40 yards last season.

Defensive Tackles​

WEEI.com (Price), Apr 17 Jordan Phillips There’s a lot of talk about how the Cowboys want to go and get a running back, but wasn’t the idea of building such a great offensive line that you could stick any back behind that group and they could rush for 1,000 yards? If I’m the Cowboys, I go for a boost up front on defense, and then circle back and use my second or third-round selection on the likes of Miami running back Duke Johnson.
CBS (Rang), Apr 15

Arik Armstead​

The Cowboys have clear needs along the defensive line and at running back and are likely to take the best available player among those positions here. With the top backs off the board, Dallas could bank on defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli's ability to unlock Armstead's massive potential.
CBS (Trapasso), April 14 Malcom Brown (traded pick No. 27 to the Patriots for picks No. 32 and No. 101) Rod Marinelli's defense calls for penetrating defensive tackles, and with Henry Melton gone, the Cowboys have a hole on the inside. Brown is a low-center-of-gravity bull who has the burst to get upfield and the strength to shed blockers to wrap up running backs.
CBS (Prisco), Apr. 14 Jordan Phillips Here's another team in need of a big player inside. Phillips would help the run defense.​

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