There’s a ton of DL talent in this draft and I’m very interested in seeing who falls.
Jalen Carter
Will Anderson
Tyree Wilson
Myles Murphy
Lukas Van Ness
Bryan Breese
Could Van Ness or Breese fall to us? Way too early to tell, but entirely possible.
Plus guys like Keion White and Isaiah Foskey are extremely interesting on the fringe of possible BPA
And we could still possibly go with an EDGE/Pass rush specialists like Nolan Smith or BJ Ojulari could.
That’s 10 potential defensive game changers with only 24 picks ahead of us. I like our chances of getting another disrupter on the D-line.
I will also say no thanks to any WR available at pick 26. I just don’t like the high end talent in the WR class. No one sticks out as special in terms of NFL talent. I think Mayer for sure, and possibly Kincaid, will make bigger impacts in the passing game than all but 1 or 2 of these
Anderson, Murphy, and Wilson will likely be long gone by 26, which leaves Carter, Van Ness and Breese.
Frankly, I’m not really in on Van Ness and Breese; and Carter, I haven’t really looked into enough to know on him.
Breese, I’m just too worried about injuries. I’ve seen too many guys start their career off like this and then somehow, it usually manages to continue on for them. There is a chance he stays healthy but that is just a few. I wouldn’t risk it with a first round pick.
Van Ness, I just don’t see it with him. I know he’s strong and has very good length, but I just want different traits with a first round EDGE. He probably at worst will be a solid player that is strong against the run, but I think those guys can be found outside of round 1. Besides, I think Vrable takes him in Tennessee in the first. He is a Vrable player all day long.
The Combine could change my mind on him, but I don’t expect that.
The combine will also be important for Carter, who I’m withholding judgement on until I see what kind of athlete he is.
I don’t love Ojulari either… but now Nolan Smith is my guy. I love his athleticism and even undersized he’s a beast against the run. Just freakishly strong for his size and tough as hell. He’s also a great leader, being vital to Georgia as a guy that is a natural leader and is loved by everyone on that team… players
and coaches.
Smith is a guy that I could definitely get behind using a first round pick on. He would be a big part of an athletic rotation on the edge who would be able to play against the run as well as on passing downs. I love the way he plays and his mental make-up.
The problem with him is that I think he’s going to kill the pre-draft circuit, combine and interviews especially, and he’s going to go before pick 26. You never know though, so I’m not giving up hope.
Unless Carter surprises, Smith is about the only edge that I’d like Dallas to take in the first… besides Anderson, I mean, who will be a top 3 pick. So, Unless we get lucky and Smith falls, I’m not really expecting an edge player in round 1 for Dallas.