News: BTB: Cowboys 2017 Draft: Predicting All Seven Draft Picks For Dallas

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A Cowboys mock for all seven rounds of the draft.

Typically, I limit my draft predictions to the first three rounds so I can concentrate on the top 100 players. Last year I predicted the Cowboys would draft Ezekiel Elliott in round one, Kevin Dodd in round two, and Dak Prescott in round three. And even though Prescott wasn’t taken until the fourth round, these were pretty solid predictions for the first two days of the draft. Dodd was taken right before the Cowboys picked in the second round, so who knows what Dallas would have done had he still been on the board.

While things become more of a shot in the dark after the first three rounds, I have decided to go ahead and take that shot. This year I will extend my predictions throughout the entire draft and do a full mock for the Cowboys.

Round 1 (pick 28)


DE Takkarist McKinley, UCLA

There will come a point where many of us will look at his shoulder injury as a blessing. McKinley has the tools right now to be a good pass rusher, but it’s his full potential that excites people. He is an impressive athlete that explodes off the line. His long arms and relentless chasing makes him a savage in the running game. Just imagine the ceiling of this guy once Rod Marinelli teaches him to strike with power and drop those hips better. And while the talent is what draws you in, his drive is the clincher. This kid is hungry. When he gets to The Star and is around this strong locker room, he’s going to want to quench that immense thirst to be successful.

The Baltimore Ravens pick at 16 and the Detroit Lions pick at 21. Both teams have shown interest in Takk. If he makes it past these two, the Cowboys have a decent shot to land him.

Backup Plan: Charles Harris

Round 2 (pick 60)


CB Cordrea Tankersley, Clemson

It’s the corner nobody seems to be talking about. At least that was the case until our own Dave Halprin just recently shared some rumors that involved Tankersley being a player the Cowboys were interested in.

A lot of big name corners will start flying off the board in the second round and that will cause some people to become frustrated. But that’s no reason to fret because the Cowboys can still land one of the more polished cornerbacks in the draft. Tankersley doesn’t wow people with any one thing he does, but is able to produce on the field because he’s so solid in a lot all areas. A physical corner that consistently wins at the line of scrimmage, he stays with his man throughout the route. He has good awareness to make plays on the ball and is a willing tackler.

Round 3 (pick 92)


DB Desmond King, Iowa

After spending a first-round resource on an edge rusher, the Cowboys will attack the secondary in day two of the draft with two straight picks. The selection of King gives the team some flexibility as he can play corner or even transition to safety. Despite his smaller frame, he is a physical player and tackles extremely well. While his college production paints a brilliant picture for him, his lack of athleticism provides a lower ceiling at the cornerback position. He demonstrates high levels of effort and knows hows to finish plays. Rolling all these traits into a safety position will give the Cowboys a valuable asset in the secondary.

Don’t be surprised if: one of the injured corners (Sidney Jones or Fabian Moreau) make it into the third round and the Cowboys make a move. The front office has shown the ability to exhibit patience and take a chance if it means landing a good player. Dallas loves to put on their fancy pants and feel they’ve pulled one over on them.

Round 4 (pick 133)


OT Julie’n Davenport, Bucknell

Can the Cowboys hit another fourth-round home run? Well, that’s a tall task, but this monstrous offensive tackle from Bucknell has a shot. However, unlike Dak Prescott who hit the ground running, Davenport will take some time to develop. While still raw, he has 36 inch arms and moves great for his size. He’s had flashes of great play, but still very inconsistent. One of his weaknesses is his over-eagerness to run block and engage the defender. At least in the Cowboys offense, he’d get plenty of chances to do that.

With Doug Free calling it quits, the Cowboys will be looking for their future right tackle. And with Chaz Green struggling to stay healthy, the search continues. The team signed Byron Bell to fill a gap so that could provide enough of a bridge until Davenport is ready to go to work.

Pet Cat Alert: I would love CB Rasul Douglas here, but trying to stay focused on how the Cowboys operate.

Round Six (pick 211)


SS Tedric Thompson, Colorado

Over Thompson’s 47 game career with the Buffaloes, he has tallied 13 interceptions and one forced fumble. There is not a single physical measurable of Thompson that excites anyone, but there is not a single one that discourages them as well. Solid would be a good way to describe him, but size/speed combo has allowed him to be an effective safety. He is a strong tackler and welcoming hitter. The Cowboys tried to find a safety late in the draft last year with Kavon Fraizer, but could find a better option in Thompson this year.

Round Seven (pick 228)


LB Blair Brown, Ohio

The Cowboys may have had other plans for the seventh round pick, but when they find the athletic linebacker still available, they snag him. If you’ve been following OCC’s SPARQ series, you’d find that Brown is atop the list for linebackers.

Brown is an instinctive linebacker who can shoot the gaps. He has small arms and can get caught up in blocks, but his athleticism will find him work on an NFL team. With the appeal of a nickel linebacker or a special teams player, he’s a great pick this late in the draft.

Round Seven (pick 246)


RB T.J. Logan, North Carolina

The Cowboys look to supplement Lance Dunbar’s role by taking the speedster from North Carolina. In each of his four seasons with the Tarheels he finished second on the team in rushing. That’s not impressive at all, but he’s not a featured running back. Logan is a receiving back and what is impressive his 4.37 speed. And he also has great hands.


Speed kills and Logan has the cut and go to tear up defenses. He would fit nicely in the passing game, but could also challenge Lucky Whitehead for kickoff return duty. The only knock on Logan is that he’d have to come up with a new touchdown celebration. His current one is already taken in Dallas.


That’s my mock. Are there any of these players you’d like to see the Cowboys draft?

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