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We're another week closer to the draft and we've got another edition of freshly mocked drafts to peruse.
What stands out about this week's mock draft roundup is that many of the most recent mocks have the Cowboys taking a cornerback with the first pick, something that should give many Cowboys fans a feeling of déjà vu:
At about this time last year, some mocks in full-on wishful thinking mode had the Cowboys taking LSU's Patrick Peterson. For many others, Nebraska's Prince Amukamara was a popular choice for the Cowboys' ninth pick. At the time, Mel Kiper even found it difficult to let Amukamara slide all the way to the ninth spot:
"I can't see (Amukamara) getting past Dallas. Now, surprises happen every draft, and you never say never, but right now, I had a tough time getting him down to Dallas," Kiper said. "I didn't even feel great about pushing him down to Dallas. I thought about even giving him to a couple teams earlier. San Francisco (at No. 7) could go corner, maybe somebody could trade up and get him."
Of course, Amukamara ended up slipping all the way to the 19th spot; such is the transient nature of these mock drafts. The draft is still eleven weeks away, so we'll see many more permutations of these mocks before we're done, and that is a good thing: it'll help flush out even the most obscure prospects.
After the break, we look at some of the latest mocks out there and who they have going to the Cowboys.
Walter Football, 2/8/2012: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
I've always had reservations about putting Janoris Jenkins in the first round because of his multiple arrests, but he seems to have turned his life around. He hasn't gotten into trouble at North Alabama, and he even recently told the media that he doesn't even hang around people who smoke weed anymore. It seems that as with Phil Taylor, getting kicked out of school served as a wake-up call for Jenkins.
If the Cowboys are content about Jenkins' character, they'll take him at No. 14. Their secondary is an abomination, so multiple upgrades will need to be found this offseason. Jenkins is easily one of the most talented players in this class.
Drafttek, 2/8/2012: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
We have discussed ad nauseam over the past few weeks why CB is a need (along with the interior of the OL and generating a pass rush) for Dallas ... so why don't we take a different approach this week? Let's assume (there's that word) that Cuzzin Jerruh does absolutely nothing in free agency. If the Cowboys do not select Kirkpatrick, the probably starters are Jenkins and Scandrick as it will be difficult to justify $8 million for Newman, and for nickel and dime you have Ball and Walker. OG David DeCastro is still available on this simulation; however, if he is not the selection then Dallas still has Kosier, Nagy and Arkin on the roster and I can't imagine there being a great demand for free agents Dockery and Holland on the open market. OLB Courtney Upshaw could be had to rush the passer, but if he's not the Cowboys could place Butler or Albright opposite DeMarcus Ware if they don't re-sign Anthony Spencer. So tell me Cowboy Nation . . . what's the worse case scenario?
DraftAce.com, 2/7/2012 Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
Rob Ryan recently stated that he wants the Cowboys to focus on the secondary this offseason, and I suspect Jerry Jones will listen. Charges were recently dropped against Kirkpatrick in his marijuana arrest, which help alleviate any concerns teams may have about his character. Then again, the Cowboys aren’t the type of franchise that pays much attention to those types of concerns to begin with, and for that reason Janoris Jenkins may be an option here as well.
Rob Rang, Cbssports, 2/7/2012: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
The Cowboys' defense made gains under Rob Ryan, but inconsistencies in the secondary led to plenty of breakdowns. Kirkpatrick's recent arrest for marijuana possession could scare off some teams but Jerry Jones has shown a willingness to overlook off-field transgressions in the past. There is no denying Kirkpatrick's size and physicality would be a welcome addition to a defense in need of a shakeup in the secondary.
Dane Brugler, Cbssports, 2/7/2012: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
The Cowboys have several holes to fill, but the greatest need is in the secondary, more specifically at cornerback. Kirkpatrick is a top-10 talent with an impressive blend of size, length and speed, but could fall a few spots on draft day because of his recent marijuana possession charge. His aggressive playing style coupled with Dallas' need at cornerback makes this an easy pick for Jerry Jones and company.
Chad Reuter, NFL Network, 2/7/2012: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama
Upshaw is not an explosive sack-master like DeMarcus Ware, but he can get after the QB and hold the edge against the run as well as any player in the draft. He would be the perfect pickup to play across from Ware if scheduled free agent Anthony Spencer ends up leaving Dallas this offseason.
Draft King, 2/7/2012: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
Coples looked great in the Senior Bowl, though in many ways it wasn't an accurate demonstration of his potential since he mostly faced off with Washington OL Senio Kelemete, who projects much stronger as an offensive guard than as a left offensive tackle. But there is no doubting Coples' size and strength, and he could be a great fit for Dallas' 3-4 defense.
Football’s Future, 2/6/2012: Michael Brockers, DL, LSU
There was a lot of talk about the Cowboys liking JJ Watt last year, so they could be in the market to add some youth to their defensive front. Brockers has a load of talent but is a work in progress. That likely won't scare off Jerry Jones, who has no problem going for the home run.
Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft overview (min. two rounds deep)
| Site | Date | 1st Round | 2nd Round | 3rd Round | 4th Round | 5th Round | 6th Round |
| Draft Tek | 2/8 | Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama | Ben Jones, OC, Georgia | Jonathan Massaquoi, OLB, Troy | Josh Norman, CB, Coastal Carolina | Ryan Van Bergen, DE, Michigan | Jaymes Brooks, OG, Virginia Tech |
| Walter Football | 2/8 | Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama | Chandler Jones, OLB, Syracuse | Tank Carder, ILB, TCU | Ben Jones, OC, Georgia | ||
| Draft Site | 2/7 | Mark Barron, S, Alabama | Kelechi Osemele, OG, Iowa State | Nick Foles, QB, Arizona | Brandon Lindsey, DE, Pittsburgh | Shaun Prater, CB, Iowa | Carmen Messina, ILB, New Mexico |
| Sideline Scholars | 2/7 | Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis | Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State | Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt | |||
| Great Blue North | 2/2 | Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama | Bruce Irvin, OLB, West Virginia | Jaye Howard, DT, Florida |
Walter Football walked away with the popular vote for best mock draft for four weeks in a row. Four weeks in which they had David DeCastro mocked to the Cowboys (and in three of which they also Janoris Jenkins going to the Cowboys in the second round). That obviously ended today.
Is their mock still good enough to hold on to the top spot, or is it somebody else's turn to take BTB's mock draft crown?