1st Round: UNC OG Jonathan Cooper
There’s not much to say but will steal a line from Mel Kiper “These top OGs are best at their or any position in 5 years.” Cooper can come in and start at RG from Day 1 and yes there is the possibility he is there at 18 with teams reaching for OTs in this Draft. If available its a no-brainer pick in 1st.
2nd Round: LSU Safety Eric Reid
Reid is best hitting safety in this years draft. Although he lacks some elite man coverage skills which i the main reason he is not ranked higher, he will be a perfect fit in Monte’s Tampa 2. He is an aggressive safety and will make a good impression with the way he reads/reacts. Reid reminds me of a more athletic version of Darren Woodson who lived for making people fear coming across the middle. Reid can be just that in Dallas and wouldn’t miss a beat with having Claiborne next to him again with familiar communication. Reid was a team captain and by now should know Garrett likes college team captains. He is my favorite safety out there n great fit for Dallas in 2nd Round.
3rd Round: LSU OT Chris Faulk
Faulk played against top notch talented pass rushers in SEC. He may have been a top 5 OL without the knee injury. He has a way of putting his body on people and moving them at will. Faulk doesn’t have the feet to play LT but will be drafted to play on the right side. Smith/Parnell/Faulk would be a great trio of youth that brings depth for years to come. With another year learning how to use his body he could be a steal in 3rd Round and develop into a solid RT
4th Round: TCU DE Stansly Maponga
Pass rush needs to be improved as does another edge rusher to take pressure off Ware and Spencer. He could be in DE rotation with Crawford to keep Spencer and Ware fresh late in passing downs. One of my favorite pass rushers in draft, the more time passes the better player he can become after his leg fully heals. Maponga has a package of pass rush moves and is a solid fit as 4-3 DE.
5th Round: Arkansas RB Dennis Johnson
Johnson is an all-around RB and a tough runner that keep legs moving in traffic. Some compare Johnson to a poor mans Maurice Jones-Drew. He’s a great receiver out of backfield and shows great pass protection for NFL systems. Cowboys starter Murray is a Top 5 RB in my eyes but needs a quality backup not a scat or 3rd down back to keep his carry numbers down. Johnson split carries at Arkansas and would be a good #2 RB in Dallas.
6th Round: Harvard FB Kyle Juszczyk
Vickers was a problem in the run game. First off this is a young mans game and this kid may be the best overall true “football” player in draft. He has unbelievable hands and is worth a draft pick because of his versatility. His 15 catches 192 receiving yards in 1 game shows how talented he is and adds another toy for Romo. Juszczyk also adds a more versatile Blocker for Murray in run game. Can play TE or line up in the slot. I think he is one of the most under appreciated players in this draft. Some think fullbacks are a dying breed but this kid can do it all and brings great value to Dallas for a number of reasons.
I like this mock as an LSU fan lol but more so just a fan of the Cowboys. Would love to see Cooper with a star on his helmet if he is available at 18, him or warmack for that matter. As Todd knows I’m big on Pass Rush too but the Reid pick makes sense since S needs to be solidified as well. Great point with him and Claiborne being in same d backfield. They were a force at LSU and as Todd says that communication could be great in new T2 scheme. If the draft went in this direction or something similar it would be a pretty good one…still hoping for passrush a Little earlier but this is very acceptable….great job Todd.