There is little doubt that the Cowboys' biggest need heading into the 2012 season is the secondary. The Cowboys will likely need a combination of free agency and the draft to fill the holes in their secondary.
Yesterday, ESPN's draft analysts, Todd McShay and Mel Kiper released their latest mock drafts, and both have the Cowboys fortifying their secondary. Of course, player draft projections will change once free agency kicks off next week, but for now here's who Mel Kiper mocks the Cowboys' way:
Mark Barron, S, Alabama
We all know the story. Dallas was a mess defending the pass in 2011, and it might look for help both in free agency and here. Barron's a perfect fit for the Cowboys. He's the best safety in the draft, and the Cowboys can't go wrong with either the top safety or the top cornerback here. He didn't work out in Indianapolis, coming off double hernia surgery, but it's not a lingering concern.
After the break, see who Todd McShay has going to the Cowboys, and perhaps more importantly, take a look at which prospects each draft analyst passed on when they made their choice for the Cowboys.
Todd McShay is also looking to bolster the secondary, and has a cornerback going to the Cowboys:
Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
The secondary is clearly a weakness for Dallas, which has to target the best available defensive back at this point. Cowboys CB Terence Newman is entering his 10th season and Mike Jenkins -- the only corner Dallas drafted in the first three rounds of the last five drafts -- has not panned out. Janoris Jenkins has some character baggage, but he had a strong Senior Bowl week and is the top cover man on the board at this point.
| Players Todd McShay Passed On | Players Mel Kiper Passed On |
| 15. Dontari Poe, DT - Eagles | 15. Michael Brockers, DT - Eagles |
| 17. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB - Bengals | 16. Courtney Upshaw, OLB - Jets |
| 18. Cordy Glenn, OG - Chargers | 17. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB - Bengals |
| 20. David DeCastro, OG - Titans | 20. David DeCastro, OG - Titans |
| 21. Fletcher Cox, DT - Bengals | 21. Cordy Glenn, OG, - Bengals |
Would you pick either Barron or Jenkins over some of the prospects left on the list above? David DeCastro of course is the clear-cut favorite among Dallas fans, but don't some of the other names hold a great deal of appeal as well?
The one name you may have to strike off that list is OG Cordy Glenn. And you may also have to remove CB Brandon Boykin and OC Ben Jones from your extended list of pets cats. And TE Orson Charles, in the unlikely event that he was on your pet cat list in the first place. Why?
It appears that the Cowboys were one of only two NFL teams not in attendance at Georgia's Pro Day this week. Then again, it's draft season, so this may all be subterfuge.