While the 2022 NFL Draft is still a month away, I decided to choose two potential players the Cowboys could trade up for in the first round, and to help determine the trade package they would have to put together to move up, I used Draft Tek's value chart.
The chart gives each draft pick a numerical value and is a similar model to what NFL General Managers use to determine if certain situations are worth trading up or down for.
With that in mind, here are the two players that I selected.
Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
In this scenario, the Cowboys trade their 1st-Round Pick (Pick 24, worth 740 points) and their 2nd-Round Pick (Pick 56, worth 340 points), and one of their Fifth-Round Picks for the Baltimore Ravens' 14th overall Pick which is worth 1,100 points. (Also, the fifth-round pick I added to make the math was Pick 178, which is worth 18.6 points.)
Prior to this year's college football season, LSU Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. was being projected as a top-five overall player in this year's draft, and even touted as the next great corner in the league.
However, because of injuries, the hype around him came down a bit, but there is still buzz around him since scouts are still projecting him to be drafted early-to-mid first round.
With this trade up, I went based on The Draft Network's Mock Draft that had him projected to the Ravens at 14 and felt the Cowboys could get a high-risk, high-reward player, and land one of the top cornerbacks in this class to pair across from Cornerback Trevon Diggs.
During an NFL Combine media session, Stingley Jr. said the Lisfranc injury he suffered in his left foot at LSU is what sidelined him in 2021, and he's close to being fully recovered. He added he plans to work out at LSU's Pro Day and sees himself as the top cornerback in this class.
I know fans may feel like they're experiencing déjà vu since we saw the franchise trade up for another LSU Cornerback (Fan-favorite Morris Claiborne) a decade ago, but his upside is too good to pass up.
It's evident that his best season was three years ago when he earned himself All-SEC and All-American honors, but the physical tools and athleticism are there for him to succeed and whoever snags him will be getting an elite, lock-down corner.
Tyler Linderbaum, Center, Iowa
I'm going based off the Draft Network's Mock Draft otra vez (again) and in this scenario, the Cowboys trade their 1st-Round Pick (Pick 24, worth 740 points) and their 3rd-Round Pick (Pick 88, worth 150 points) for the Philadelphia Eagles 19th Overall Pick that is worth 875 points.
Once touted as the best offensive line in the league, it's crazy to see the Dallas Cowboys' big nasties up front go from an elite group to just okay in a span of three years.
After losing franchise Center Travis Frederick to retirement two years ago, the Boys have Guard Zack Martin and Tackle Tyron Smith who remain, but besides them two, they were a shaky group.
You would think the franchise who understood that their offensive line was an issue would either upgrade or retain some of their core pieces, but after the release of Starting Tackle La'el Collins and departure of Guard Connor Williams in free agency this offseason, the line looks worse heading into next season.
Enter Linderbaum, who is considered as the top center of this class, and gives you an immediate boost on the line.
#Iowa stud center Tyler Linderbaum (#65) not being very nice to the ISU linebacker.
He's got that nasty, competitive edge you want. pic.twitter.com/McJcq9NDXI
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) September 13, 2021
While starting Center Tyler Biadasz had his moments this season, he was considered the weakest link of the group to many, and the franchise could lock up their center of the future.
Looking at several mock drafts, people have him getting selected mid-to-late first round, but I feel the Cowboys opt for this trade-up to not miss out on an elite prospect that teams may be overlooking because of size and limited position versatility.
