As I am going through all the different types of things the Dallas Cowboys could do this week, something I just can’t get over is how bad their linebacker room is.
The issue is, if they don’t land Sonny Styles by trading up, which after what the Giants did over the weekend, I do not think they are going to reach for a linebacker with their first-round pick.
With that, the question gets raised: Can they actually wait to draft one, though? Because right now they need help in the worst way at linebacker and the board has only one or two guys left after Styles that I would be okay with them drafting.
Let me first say this, people who come on here and say we have no idea what the plans are of Parker and his new defense and what the team will do.
That is why this is a BLOG site, and 90% is just our thoughts, and we do keep up with the team and give major updates when they happen, but a post like this is just my thoughts.
Realistically, neither should be considered for the Cowboys at 20 given their ranking and the positional value.
But we know that teams will reach to fill needs…
CJ Allen
CJ Allen is a guy that they could probably get away with reaching for with the 20th overall pick, and that is because they do not have any second round pick as of now unless they make some trades for them.
The team’s leading linebacker from last season, Kenneth Murray Jr., has not re-signed, and thank goodness because he was AWFUL.
The other top option was 2025 fifth-round pick Shemar James, who played like a typical fifth-round rookie.
Allen was an elite player at Georgia, posting back-to-back run-defense grades of at least 88.0. He could be drafted as early as pick 15 or as late as the second round, but Dallas’ need at linebacker is strong enough to select him at pick 20.
Jacob Rodriguez
If they can somehow get a pick back into the second round, Jacon Rodriguez would be my favorite pick of the draft.
Rodriguez fills a league-wide need for improved processing at the linebacker position. There is an emphasis on playing sideline to sideline and finishing plays, and Rodriguez shows those traits. He projects as a starting-caliber player.
I don’t think they take him with the 20th overall pick. I think that would be either Allen above or the next player I will touch on next, but Rodriguez is in my thoughts, the only guy that they can wait outside the first round and still draft and be a day-one starter at linebacker.
His major weaknesses are lacking ideal mass and length to engage and shed blocks in the box, and he needs to do a better job staying in phase and finishing plays when dropping into coverage.
The next guy I will list is a major question mark. They could probably wait, but who knows.
Anthony Hill Jr.
In 26 games since the 2024 season, Anthony Hill has totaled 23.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and three interceptions. In basically every way, Hill was all over the field and impacting the ball in several ways.
Back in March, Cowboys Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer flew to Austin for Texas Pro Day. After seeing him in action, Schottenheimer had dinner with him.
That is nice and all, but his numbers have been just okay since 2024, but it won’t be any worse than what Dallas currently has at linebacker, and he played with Overshown when he was at Texas a few years ago, so they would be teammates again.
As of now, the off-ball linebackers are DeMarvion Overshown, Shemar James and Justin Barron, who clearly needs some work.
Listen, your guess is as good as mine at this point. We have NEVER seen a perfect mock draft, and we never will, because nobody has any idea how much they like or dislike a player, and just like a March Madness bracket, we will never see a perfect mock.
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