2021 NFL Draft: Way-too-Early 1st-round Favorites for the Dallas Cowboys

As things stand right now through the first half of the season the 2-6 Dallas Cowboys currently hold a Top 5 first-round draft pick (5th overall) in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. Anything of course can happen between now and the completion of the 2020 season. The Cowboys could move even higher in the pecking order or even slide down a bit, but odds are they should have a Top 10 pick by the way they’ve played this year.

With that in mind, how many of you are excited about the Dallas Cowboys potentially having such a high draft pick and have already started to look at potential targets? I don’t know where you stand, but since there’s not much else to look forward to in the second half of the season I’ve already started to look at potential draft targets for the Cowboys. I know it’s way-too-early considering a lot can change between now and then, but I just can’t help myself.

Today, I thought I’d share with you some of the first-round favorites I believe could be in play for the Dallas Cowboys if they indeed hold onto a Top 5 pick in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. Please remember this is without knowing if Dak Prescott is retained or not or what potential moves the Cowboys could make in free agency. The players below are the ones I believe are worthy of a Top 5 selection based on potential “needs” as things stand right now.

Without further ado, let’s get started…

QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson

Clemson Tigers QB Trevor Lawrence

Surpassing the New York Jets for the No. 1 overall draft pick seems unreasonable, but it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility the way the Dallas Cowboys are playing this season. If that indeed happens drafting Trevor Lawrence is a no-brainer. With the saved money of having a starting QB on a rookie contract the Cowboys can then re-tool and restock the roster through both the draft and free agency. Don’t get your hopes up of seeing Trevor Lawrence in a Cowboys uniform though. The Jets are unlikely to win a single game this season.

QB Justin Fields, Ohio State

Ohio State Buckeyes QB Justin Fields

Some may view Justin Fields as a consolation prize behind Trevor Lawrence, I believe he’s just as talented with just as high a ceiling. For the Dallas Cowboys to have a shot at the Ohio State QB they will likely have to be slotted in the Top 3. Again, that’s not completely impossible the way they’ve played this season. Drafting Fields would be another no-brainer for me. His talent and skill set alone are very similar to Dak Prescott, so the offense would basically stay the same. It would be somewhat of a lateral move, but the money saved on a rookie contract may be worth it.

OT Penei Sewell, Oregon

Oregon Ducks OT Penei Sewell

With Tyron Smith’s inability to remain healthy and his long-term health now in jeopardy after having neck surgery, the Dallas Cowboys would be wise to consider finding his heir apparent now rather than later. Penei Sewell without a doubt checks all of the boxes NFL teams look for in a blindside protector. He’s already an accomplished run blocker and pass protector, but he’s only going to get better as he ages and matures. At just 20 years old, he could anchor the Cowboys offensive line for the next decade, almost like Tyron Smith has.

LB Micah Parsons, Penn State

Penn State Nittany Lions LB Micah Parsons

Micah Parsons is arguably the cleanest prospect in the entire 2021 draft class. He is a superb athlete with special instincts who is equally as good as an off-ball LB or coming off the edge as a pass rusher. I would personally be hard-pressed not to draft him if I were the Dallas Cowboys, even with Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch already in the fold. Parsons is no doubt an upgrade over either and should definitely still be in play considering Smith’s decline in play since his 2019 Pro Bowl season and LVE’s inability to stay healthy.

EDGE Gregory Rousseau, Miami

Miami Hurricanes EDGE Gregory Rousseau

DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory, Dorance Armstrong, Bradlee Anae, and quite possibly Aldon Smith (if re-signed) gives the Dallas Cowboys a solid group of pass rushers next season. However, that doesn’t mean Gregory Rousseau won’t still be in play for them. He has exceptional size (6’5″, 260) and length, and better yet, he knows how to use them to his advantage. He’s still developing the technical aspects of his game, but he possesses all of the physical traits to be a difference making type of edge player in the NFL.

CB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama

Alabama Crimson Tide CB Patrick Surtain II

With a Top 5 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft the Dallas Cowboys should be able to pick and choose from amongst the top rated cornerbacks in the draft class. Caleb Farley, Shaun Wade, and Patrick Surtain II are all competing to be the top CB this year, but the latter is the consensus CB1 right now. He possesses the ideal height/weight/length combination for a player at his position and comes from NFL bloodlines. With the Cowboys he would reunite with his former teammate, Trevon Diggs, and give them a pair of the most talented CBs they’ve had in quite some time, possibly ever.

Do you have a first-round favorite in 2021 for the Dallas Cowboys right now?