With the NFL Draft quickly approaching, the shortlist of prospects for the Cowboys to target with their first selection grows narrower and narrower.
Now, when the Cowboys come on the clock Friday night, fans will have a clear idea about which group of players they’d like to see the Cowboys choose from. Will they look for an athletic defensive back with “Swiss-Army Knife” type ability? Or a hard-nosed defensive lineman who can win with effort and power?
Right now, it’s all speculation, but here is my personal wishlist for the Dallas Cowboys at 58th overall.
Find Yourself A Safety
Specifically, land either Washington’s Taylor Rapp or Virginia’s Juan Thornhill. The Cowboys won’t be able to control which, if either, is available when they come to the podium, but both would provide their defense with something different.
Taylor Rapp is more of what the Cowboys need right now. He can play strong safety, he can play in the box, and he should be a solid professional and have a nice career. Juan Thornhill, though, is the one I see with a gigantic upside.
His athletic profile puts him in elite category, and his tape is more than good enough to justify a top 50 pick, let alone finding him at 58. Thornhill is the more versatile defensive back, while Rapp fits the “strong safety” prototype much more traditionally.
Either way the Cowboys will be making an excellent selection if they add one of these two players to their roster. Hopefully, they’ll be available at the end of round two, but I’m certainly more skeptical about Rapp making it there.
Let’s Beef Up The Trenches
This, on my wishlist, means taking either Boston College’s Zach Allen or UCF’s Trysten Hill.
It would be a bit of reach to grab Hill here, admittedly, but he’s a good player that would fill a need of sorts right away. The Cowboys made some moves to help out the interior of their defensive line throughout free agency, but drafting a young gun is never a bad idea. I’d be more comfortable taking him at 90, but certainly won’t be mad about it at 58.
While Trysten Hill might be considered a reach at 58, Zach Allen could be a steal. The 6’4″ 280 pound defensive end is stout against the run, setting the edge and playing physically against offensive tackles, but he also offers upside as a pass rusher as well. His strength, effort, and heavy hands are impressive both against the run and pass.
You can never have enough talent across the defensive line, and both Zach Allen and Trysten Hill would give the Cowboys just that.
