The Dallas Cowboys selected Byron Jones, a cornerback from Connecticut with pick number 27 of the first round in the 2015 NFL draft. Dallas had long been connected to corners in this draft, and Byron Jones was one of the guys they had in for a visit. He is physically gifted on a level beyond what most players are, something the Cowboys will obviously hope to harness.
With the issues the Cowboys have at corner, this pick makes a ton of sense. He should immediately compete to be on of the Cowboys top three corners.
You can check out our scouting report on Jones, here.
Jones is a tall, well-built corner with rare, off-the-charts athleticism (see below). He's fast and instinctive, and flashes good ball skills and anticipation. Moreover, he is an "RKG" through and through. Jones was a team captain as a senior, is a leader at practice and in the film room and carries himself like a consummate professional. He's reported to be respectful and polite guy, and is reputed to be a quick study who can process information quickly. Last summer, he served an internship at the U.S. Capitol (this may be why teammates refer to him as "Senator Jones"). Overall, he boasts a rare (and I mean RARE) combination of size, intelligence and raw athleticism.
"I think it fits a need and I think he's an explosive kid .He's clean off the field. He plays hard. Like most tall corners he's a little bit stiff and a little bit raw. However, this kid can play corner, free safety, he can be a gunner on special teams."
Cowboys draft picks for the 2015 draft:
Round 1, Pick 27 (27) -- Byron Jones, CB
Round 2, Pick 28 (60) --
Round 3, Pick 27 (91) --
Round 4, Pick 28 (127) --
Round 5, Pick 27 (163) --
Round 7, Pick 19 (236) (from Chargers) --
Round 7, Pick 26 (243) (from Ravens) --
Cowboys team needs in the draft:
CB - The situation with Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne makes this a priority.
RB - DeMarco Murray's departure opens up a spot for a rookie to compete with Darren McFadden and others.
DL - The Cowboys could certainly use help along the defensive line. A pass-rusher and an active one-tech are possibilities.
LB - The Cowboys have Rolando McClain and Sean Lee, but injuries for Lee and injuries and off-the-field issues for McClain make things thin.
WR - Dallas could use a speedy wide reciever, especially one who can return kicks.
T/G - Depth along the line, especially at swing tackle.
NFL 1st round draft order (with picks already made):
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jameis Winston
2. Tennessee Titans - Marcus Mariota
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Dante Fowler, Jr.
4. Oakland Raiders - Amari Cooper
5. Washington - Brandon Scherff
6. New York Jets - Leonard Williams
7. Chicago Bears - Kevin White
8. Atlanta Falcons - Vic Beasley
9. New York Giants - Ereck Flowers
10. St. Louis Rams - Todd Gurley
11. Minnesota Vikings - Trae Waynes
12. Cleveland Browns - Danny Shelton
13. New Orleans Saints - Andrus Peat
14. Miami Dolphins - DeVante Parker
15. San Diego Chargers (from San Francisco) - Melvin Gordon
16. Houston Texans - Kevin Johnson
17. San Francisco 49ers - Arik Armstead
18. Kansas City Chiefs - Marcus Peters
19. Cleveland Browns (from Buffalo Bills) - Cameron Erving
20. Philadelphia Eagles - Nelson Agholor
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Cedric Ogbuehi
22. Pittsburgh Steelers - Bud Dupree
23. Denver Broncos (from Detroit Lions) - Shane Ray
24. Arizona Cardinals - D.J. Humphries
25. Carolina Panthers - Shaq Thompson
26. Baltimore Ravens - Breshaud Perriman
27. Dallas Cowboys - Byron Jones
28. Detroit Lions - Laken Tomlinson
29. Indianapolis Colts - Phillip Dorsett
30. Green Bay Packers - Damarius Randall
31. New Orleans Saints (from Seattle Seahawks) - Stephone Anthony
32. New England Patriots - Malcom Brown