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Dallas has a history of taking a chance on injured players who fall in the draft, could they do it again in 2017?
As you already know from reading Dave Halprin’s review of Todd McShay’s most recent mock draft, the ESPN guru of all things draft related has the Dallas Cowboys taking Taco Charlton in the opening round of the upcoming NFL Draft.
While I like the choice, it was something else included in McShay’s most recent post that really has me wondering about the possibilities for the silver and blue.
An important note: I'm a big fan of CB Sidney Jones, but he's not included in this mock draft after suffering what looks to be a serious leg injury at Washington's pro day last week. Some team will get a steal on Day 2 if Jones returns to full health.
The corner positions in Dallas have been a topic of concern seemingly since Moby Dick was a minnow, and Jones, if healthy, could be one answer to the franchise’s questions.
The Washington Huskies defensive back suffered a devastating blow during the team’s Pro Day when he went down with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Up to the point of his injury Jones was considered to be a top 20 talent, and his performance at the recent NFL Combine did nothing to lower his standing. It might have also boosted him in the eyes of some franchises.
He will fall at least one and possibly two rounds in the draft.
The Cowboys will be picking at # 60 in the second round, and that means that the team might be faced with another opportunity to cash in on an athlete’s misfortune by taking a gamble that he will regain most of the abilities that made Jones the top corner in the draft.
That is a gamble that is not without precedent in the Cowboys front office. Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, and most recently Jaylon Smith were all talents that fell due to injury and were selected by the Cowboys in the second round. Lee’s rebound needs no discussion. Carter’s ability to perform at the professional level withstanding, this is a strategy that has paid off for the team. It was not Carter’s recovery that failed him.
All signs are positive on Smith.
Will Dallas roll the dice one more time to potentially fill a much needed position?
A lot will depend on on how well Sidney Jones progresses between now and when the draft begins. Issues like the one he experienced are a challenge that can be difficult to battle back from, but they are not impossible to overcome. A few years back Dallas went through something similar with Barry Church, who was able to fight back and contribute to the team.
If all signs look positive and Jones is still on the board when the Cowboys go on the clock in the second round, I would not be dismayed to here the name of Sidney Jones called as their selection.
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