The NFL draft is less than a month away and the anticipation is at an all-time high in North Texas. The Dallas Cowboys, due to a disappointing 6-10 campaign in 2020, are in a position to add plenty of premium talent to their roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
With the loss of Chidobe Awuzie to free agency, and finishing 31st against the run last season, cornerback and defensive tackle are two positions high on the Cowboy’s radar in the draft. ESPN’s Todd McShay recently released his two-round Mock 4.0 and has the Cowboys adding two defensive studs from the SEC in South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn and Alabama’s Christian Barmore.
Horn is one of the top three corners in the draft along with Alabama’s Patrick Surtain and Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley. He has the prototypical size of 6’1 and 205 pounds. Possess excellent ball skills that led to 23 pass breakups during his days with the Gamecocks. Excels in man and off coverage while also providing support against the run. Uses his physicality to battle receivers through the catch point and does a great job covering crossing routes.
If Horn is the pick in the first round, the Cowboys would be getting another playmaker at corner to pair with 2020 second-round pick Trevon Diggs who led the team in interceptions (3) and pass breakups (14) despite missing four games with a broken foot.
I wrote last month on how the Cowboys should consider Horn with the 10th pick and McShay is of the same mindset. The possibility of this duo being together is something to salivate over and would set the Cowboys up nicely at the corner position for the foreseeable future.
Barmore is a mountain of a man at 6’4 and 310 pounds. As a redshirt freshman, he registered 26 tackles, two sacks, and two pass breakups. He took it up a notch in his sophomore campaign with 37 tackles, eight sacks, three pass breakups, and three forced fumbles. He was named First-Team All-SEC in 2020 and was the Defensive MVP of Alabama’s victory over Ohio State in the National Championship Game when he recorded five tackles and a sack.
Barmore is a 3-technique with power and is also very agile. His explosive first step gives him the necessary leverage he needs off the line of scrimmage. He possesses straight-line speed and does a great job pursuing plays as well.
The Cowboys need an anchor on the interior of their defensive line to go along with Antwaun Woods, Neville Gallimore, Trysten Hill, and Brent Urban. Barmore’s size and athleticism make him an interesting prospect and one the Cowboys should strongly consider if he’s there when the 44th pick comes around.
Horn and Barmore are two very talented prospects and would instantly upgrade a Cowboys defense that was one of the NFL’s worst in 2020.
