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Friday is mock draft day here on BTB and we have 19 of the freshest and juiciest mocks handpicked for your mock draft delectation.
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, USA Today, ESPN, CBSSports and many others.
The Greg Hardy signing has significantly altered the mock draft landscape for the Cowboys. In our previous Mock Draft Trackers, defensive end was almost always the most frequently mocked position for the Cowboys. This week, there's not a single mock projecting a first-round DE for the Cowboys. Instead, defensive tackles are the flavor of the day, with nine of the 19 mocks picking a DT for the Cowboys.
Is this a relapse into pre-Sharrif Floyd thinking by mockers who are simply not very knowledgeable about the Cowboys, or is a defensive tackle a real option for the Cowboys this year?
We'll find out in 27 days. For now, all the mock draft goodness is summarized below, and there's a poll at the end as well.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
Drafttek, Apr 1 Comment: "Other than Tyrone Crawford, all other DT's on the current Cowboys roster had negative grades on Pro Football Focus. Projecting position flexibility for the DL is appropriate when discussing Brown's skill set as either a 1- or 3-technique DT; during his 2014 season at Texas, he recorded 64 tackles (14 for loss) and 6.5 sacks. Brown followed up his excellent Combine with an outstanding Pro Day in Austin. Not picking up Melton's option saved the Cowboys $9MM in 2015, Nick Hayden was re-signed for 1 year but new blood is needed on the DL, so "Hook 'Em" Malcom!"
CBSSports (Prisco),
Mar 31 Comment: "With Greg Hardy added outside, Brown would be a great fit inside."
NFL.com (Zierlein),
Mar 26 Comment: "Brown is a great fit in the penetrating, upfield attack of the Cowboys and should help fortify their defensive front very quickly."
Eddie Goldman, DT, FSU
Ourlads, Apr 2 Comment: "Thick from head to toe. Long arms and a wide frame, holds his weight comfortably. Fires out of his stance with his hands up and ready to go. Easy bender, stays below the pads of the blocker, consistently winning the leverage battle. Strong, heavy hands that are very functional. Aggressive at the point of attack. Shows the strength to anchor his position. Handles the double teams to keep linebackers clean. Effective bull rusher. Creates a tremendous amount of force to press the pocket."E$PN (McShay), Mar 30 Comment: "The Cowboys addressed their pass-rusher need by signing Greg Hardy, and DeMarcus Lawrence should also help in this area if he's able to stay on the field for a full season. Goldman doesn't offer much in terms of getting to the quarterback, but he's very stout against the run and will make Dallas stronger down the middle of its defense. The Cowboys could look to add a running back to pair with Darren McFadden following the departure of DeMarco Murray to the Eagles, but they can address that need on Day 2 or 3."
NFL.com (Davis), Mar 25 Comment: "Cowboys fortified OL in first round in recent years. It’s the DL’s turn now. There will be a few options available for Dallas in the DT pool. Goldman provides strength and power."
Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
The Big Lead (McIntyre), Apr 2 Comment: "With Shelton and Brown off the board, Phillips is clearly the #3 DT in the draft. Jerry Jones has gone sensible, so no Melvin Gordon here … right? The Cowboys can’t possibly think Darren McFadden is the replacement for DeMarco Murray, but I can see Dallas going RB in the later rounds, like if Alabama’s TJ Yeldon drops to the 3rd round, or perhaps Michigan State’s Jeremy Langford in the 4th."SI.com, (King), Apr 1 Comment: "Cowboys have needs all over the front seven, and Phillips is the best big body available."
SI.com, (Banks), Apr 1 Comment: "With the top two running backs already off the board, and Greg Hardy signed to help boost the pass rush, defensive tackle could be in line for first-round attention. Phillips doesn’t carry a consensus first-round grade, but with Danny Shelton, Eddie Goldman and Malcolm Brown no longer available, Phillips might get pushed up into the bottom of the round. Cornerback is another option for Dallas (Connecticut’s Byron Jones?), but again, the market there is starting to look pretty well picked over at this point."
RUNNING BACKS
Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
Ourlads (Syvertsen), Apr. 2 Comment: "The DeMarco Murray saga was something I saw coming and this team realistically had to have planned for this to happen. Fortunately this year’s running back class is loaded with potential starters and immediate contributors. Gordon has sky-high talent and compares favorably to Murray without the injury history. Grouped with veteran Darren McFadden and high-upside backup Joseph Randle, the Dallas backfield may not skip a beat."UT San Diego (Brown), Apr 1 Comment: "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."
NFL.com (Brooks), Mar 30 Comment: "Jerry Jones would welcome the opportunity to replace DeMarco Murray with the most explosive running back in the draft. Gordon would anchor the Cowboys’ running game and give Jason Garrett the freedom to stick with the blue-collar approach that netted an NFC East title."
Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
Football's Future (Davis), Mar 31 Comment: "The running game was too important to the Cowboys success last year to put off taking a back until later in the draft, especially if Gurley is still around. "SB Nation (Kadar), Mar 30 Comment: "With the signing of Greg Hardy, the Cowboys don’t necessarily have to take a pass rusher in the first round. If they don’t, you have to consider running back one of their biggest needs. Gurley is a player who could be the team’s bell cow for years, as long as he stays healthy."
NESN (Kyed), Mar 30 Comment: "Goldman has the strength to take on two blockers against the run, and he showed potential as an interior disruptor. The Cowboys need defensive line help."
CORNERBACKS
Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
SB Nation (Halprin), Apr 2 Comment: "They need help, and Kevin Johnson should be the answer. He's fluid in man coverage, and he shows solid footwork, backpedal and good hips. His lanky frame is a concern in run support, and he can be overly aggressive on occasion, but his pure cover skills are too good to pass up. He also had a great combine, putting up excellent numbers, including amazing quickness is the short shuttle and three-cone drill."Markus Peters, CB, Washington
Star Telegram (Williams), Mar 30 Comment: "The Cowboys have uncertainties with Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, and Sterling Moore left in free agency."CBSSports (Brugler), Mar 29 Comment: "Brandon Carr has disappointed and Morris Claiborne has been the one blemish on an otherwise flawless first-round resume for the Cowboys the past five years, making cornerback a need in this year's draft. Peters has his baggage, but the reward outweighs the risk at this point."
Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
USA Today (Ruiz), Apr 2 Comment: "Dallas can its pick of the best cornerback or defensive lineman available here. Collins will take time to develop, but he'd be a huge asset in stopping the NFC East's scary group of receivers."So there you have it. The mock draft community does not like linebackers or defensive ends for the Cowboys (at least for this week). Let us know in the attached poll and in the comments section what you think about that.
Poll
Given the choice between a DT, RB, or CB, and assuming all available prospects had the same grade on your board, which position would you pick with the Cowboys' first-round pick in 2015?
- Defensive Tackle
- Running Back
- Cornerback
- Other
1 votes | Results
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