The 2018 NFL Draft is merely weeks away and drawing closer and closer by the minute now that we have entered the month of April. All of the speculation and anticipation about who the Dallas Cowboys will select will finally come to an end and we can all hopefully breathe a sigh of relief.
As things stand right now, there is no clear-cut player or position the Dallas Cowboys seem to be targeting with the 19th overall selection in the first round. I think the only two positions we can mark off the list for sure in the first round is quarterback and running back, everything else is probably fair game.
I know a lot of Cowboys Nation want to see the Dallas Cowboys take a defensive player with their first pick, and from what I’ve seen, linebacker and defensive tackle are at the top the list. It certainly makes sense considering the Cowboys roster depth at each position, but I’m not completely sold that’s the direction they need to go.
I’m all for the Cowboys drafting a DT in the first round if his name is Vita Vea, but that’s because I believe he is a difference maker and his addition to the defensive line helps everyone around him. That’s what you’re supposed to get from a first-round draft pick.
With that in mind, it’s also why I don’t think it would be wise by the Dallas Cowboys to draft a linebacker in the first-round.
The Dallas Cowboys already have their starting LBs heading into the 2018 season in Sean Lee (WILL), Jaylon Smith (MIKE), and Damien Wiilson (SAM). It just doesn’t make a lot of sense to draft another LB who isn’t going to make an immediate impact.
Having said that though, Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds would be a draft day steal if still available for the Cowboys at 19. It’s a no-brainer to write their name down on the draft card, but those are the only two LBs I’d personally consider that early.
What the Dallas Cowboys really need at the LB position is depth. They need a player who can step in and fill the role left by Anthony Hitchens. They really just need a rookie with starting potential/traits, who can fill in a few games if needed if someone goes down with an injury. These kind players can be found a little later in the draft.
I know my opinion about a first-round linebacker may be an unpopular one with many of you, but I think it’s the right one. I just believe different positions besides LB can make more of an immediate impact. We don’t need another backup/project in the 1st like Taco Charlton.
