News: BTB: Cowboys 2016 Draft: Reassessing Dallas' Needs Going Into Day Two Of The Draft

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Now that the first-round selection is in the books, what are the priorities for rounds two and three?

With basically their choice of every player in the draft, the Dallas Cowboys chose to add Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State to their depth chart. The team also tried to address need and value by trading back into the first round to pick Paxton Lynch at quarterback but were apparently outbid by the Denver Broncos. The Broncos offered pick 31 and pick 94. Reports have Dallas offering their second- and third-round picks (34 and 67), but apparently the Seattle Seahawks valued the third-round option they got from the Denver enough to settle for less value. Personally I believe that getting Lynch would have been a good deal, but the price they were offering was rather high, and it may be best that they lost out to the Broncos.

This also has come out regarding why the Seahawks took the offer they did.

@Marcus_Mosher @TheCowboysWire @JonahTulsNFL I was told that Seattle thought Denver would take Ifedi if DAL got Lynch. That was the issue.

— Dan Turner (@dtsturner) April 29, 2016​

Ezekiel Elliot might be the most NFL ready player in the entire draft, and presumably comes in as the immediate starter. With Elliot's abilities both out of the backfield and lined up wide, he makes all three of Dallas's other running backs expendable. Still with a pair of thousand-yard rushers in the stable, Dallas is set at running back. A team in need of running back depth might be able to pick up a rejuvenated Darren McFadden for a song.

So how do the remaining needs stack up?

Dallas would seem to have a tremendous opportunity to upgrade at defensive end, with several solid prospects still on the board. Noah Spence, Kevin. Dodd, and Emmanuel Ogbah are among the well-regarded defensive end prospects remaining on the board today. With the first round being used to address the offense, there is going to be considerable pressure to go defense at 34, and possibly at 67 as well.

There are various other defensive prospects at positions of need, including tackles A'Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed, cornerbacks Mackensie Alexander and Kendall Fuller, and safety Vonn Bell. A late run on wide receivers spared highly-regarded prospect Sterling Shepard, though it seems unlikely the Cowboys would go that route not having addressed defense in the first round. That disclaimer goes double for tight end, though team history in the second round forces me to note that Hunter Henry is also available. And there is always the temptation to take a risk on linebacker Myles Jack with his medical history. That is the kind draft move that the Cowboys almost hold the trademark on.

Given the number of defensive line prospects available and their relative ranking prior to the draft, it seems very likely that the highest-ranked player on Dallas's board at this moment plays a position of significant need for them. And there is word that the Cowboys should be able to get real value with the third pick of the day when the draft starts back up.

Jerry says the Cowboys do in fact have first-round names left in their board heading into Friday.

— David Helman (@HelmanDC) April 29, 2016​

So strap in. Day one was exciting and/or exasperating, depending on how you feel about taking Elliott. Day two looks to be just as riveting. (And if nothing else, having Michael Irvin announce the second-round pick should be fun.)

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