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When we looked at the mock draft landscape 14 days ago, we saw 11 different mocks proposing 9 different players for the Cowboys. Since then, the NFL Combine has rearranged big boards across the nation, and the names mocked to the Cowboys have changed significantly.
Of the nine players mocked to the Cowboys 14 days ago, only four make a repeat appearance in today's summary: Running backs Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley as well as defensive tackles Carl Davis and Eddie Goldman. Here's who's in and who's out in the Cowboys mock drafts.
| OUT | IN |
| Alex Carter, CB, Stanford | Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon |
| Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State | Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky |
| Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU | Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA |
| Marcus Peters, CB, Washington | Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest |
| Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi State | Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State |
| Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami | |
| Eli Harold, DE, Virginia |
In today's round-up, we look at 18 of the latest mocks published over the last few days, including mocks from SI.com, Foxsports, NFL.com, USA Today, a whole armada of mocks from CBSSports and many others. And for the first time this year we seem to have an early favorite for the Cowboys' first-round pick.
All the mock draft goodness is summarized below, and there's a poll at the end as well.
| Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA |
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| CBSSports (Brugler), Feb 24 | Comment: "Dallas needs to address the defensive line early in the 2015 NFL Draft and if the medicals check out alright, Odighizuwa is worth this pick." |
| CBSSports (Rang), Feb 24 | Comment: "The Cowboys are hopeful that 2014 second round selection Demarcus Lawrence winds up being a difference-maker at pass rusher, but reinforcements are needed. Odighizuwa lacks name recognition but the 6-3, 267-pound defender is powerful, active and instinctive." |
| Optimum Scouting (Galko), Feb 25 | Comment: "Pairing up Demarcus Lawrence with another edge player is very important for the Cowboys for the future if they hope to maintain defensive success in 2015. Odighizuwa built upon a strong Senior Bowl week with a solid workout in Indianapolis, and he looks like the perfect option to play the strong side on the Cowboys defensive line opposite Lawrence." |
| Rotoworld (Norris), Feb 26 | Comment: "A history of hip issues might keep Owa from going this early, but the talent warrants it. Few convert speed to power as well as good and frequently as Owa." |
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Drafttek.com, Feb 25 |
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Carl Davis, DT, Iowa |
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CBSSports (Kirwan), Feb 24 |
Comment: "At the Senior Bowl he demonstrated his motor runs hot. He is disruptive inside and also ran 5.06 at 320 lbs. Henry Melton has been released and the Cowboys need big, quick people inside on the defensive line." |
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NFP (Gabriel), Feb 26 |
Comment: "The Cowboys aren’t bringing back Henry Melton, Davis gives them a big and quick inside guy to replace him." |
| Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky |
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NFL.com (Jeremiah), Feb 25 |
Comment: "Dupree hasn't put it all together yet, but his upside as a pass rusher is sky high." |
| Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State | |
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RealGM (Risdon), Feb 23 |
Comment: "Controversial picks are nothing new in Dallas, and Edwards would be one. Physically gifted and a terror versus the run, the former elite recruit never really developed as a pass rusher…or seemed to care much about it. Defensive line guru Rod Marinelli loves challenges like this, and he fills a big need. I do believe Edwards is going high." |
| Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State | |
| Bleacher Report (Miller), Feb 24 | Comment: "The Dallas Cowboys need help at defensive end and defensive tackle, and you can almost bet they'll draft one of each early on. Who they draft at No. 27 overall depends on scheme fit and graded value. Eddie Goldman, the big nose tackle from Florida State, is both." |
| Eli Harold, DE, Virginia | |
| The Big Lead (McIntyre), Feb 23 | Comment: "Feels like OLB or DE, but keep an eye on Doug Free’s situation in free agency. Cowboys free agency will happen after Dez/DeMarco get sorted out." |
| Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon | |
| Foxsports (Schrager), Feb 23 | Comment: "Often compared to Cardinals star Calais Campbell, Armstead could play either the 3-technique or the 5-technique, and performed at a high level for a great Oregon team. At 6-foot-8 and 290 pounds, the sky is the limit for Armstead with good coaching. What better mentor could there be than Rod Marinelli? Dallas could be in the running back market if DeMarco Murray leaves, but I like Armstead going here." |
| Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest | |
| DraftKing (Pickney), Feb 26 | Comment: "Defensive backs are a big need for Dallas, and Johnson would seem like a very viable possibility for the Cowboys if he's on the board at this spot." |
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Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami |
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| NFL.com (Davis), Feb 25 | Comment: "Perryman did not run as well as expected at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he's a player and a striking hitter." |
During a conference call yesterday, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper was asked what he thought about taking a running back in the first round.
Several mock drafts have projected the Cowboys to address their running back situation as early as the first round. Kiper isn’t on board with that idea. He doesn’t believe in taking a running back in Round One.
"Take your pick," he said. "You can find them [in the later rounds], and they’re there every year. They’re going to be there again this season."
Here are a few mock drafters who disagree with Kiper:
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Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin |
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| SI.com (Banks), Feb 24 | Comment: "Who said you can’t draft a running back in the first round any more? With the Cowboys poised to see DeMarco Murray, the league’s leading rusher, depart in free agency, Gordon would give Dallas a headline-name replacement who led the NCAA in rushing with 2,587 yards." |
| E$PN (McShay), Feb 26 | Comment: "Cornerback, defensive line and tight end are among the positions Dallas could look to address this offseason, and depending upon how the DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant contract situations turn out, running back and wide receiver could also become priorities. If the Cowboys can keep only one of those guys, Murray is likely the odd man out as the 27-year old running back. Gordon's running style and skill set is very similar to Murray's as a workhorse who runs hard, gets from zero to 60 in a flash and displays great vision and patience as a runner, which would make him an ideal replacement. He isn't great in the passing game but showed some improvement at it this season. This pick would break the two-year streak of no running backs being drafted in the first round." |
| SB Nation (Kadar), Feb 23 | Comment: "Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett was vocal in how much he wants DeMarco Murray back, but it’s hard to see it working financially if he’s offered a big contract. If Murray leaves, Gordon probably secured his position as the first running back taken in the draft." |
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Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia |
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| USA Today (Davis), Feb 27 | Comment: "Once his knee is fully healed, he's got the ability to potentially take the offense to a level beyond what DeMarco Murray did." |
And now for a look at some of the prospects that might fall the Cowboys' way later in the draft. The table below summarizes four mock drafts that go at least four rounds deep. Let us know in the attached poll which of these mocks you like the most.
| Source | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Drafttek | Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA | Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington St | Jacoby Glenn, CB, Central Florida | David Cobb, RB, Minnesota | Doran Grant, CB, Ohio State |
| Draftsite | Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU | Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State | Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers | Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane | Tony Lippett, WR, Michigan State |
| Walter Football | Eli Harold, DE, Virginia | Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State | David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa | Kurtis Drummond, S, Michigan State | Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane |
| Big Blue View | Carl Davis, DT, Iowa | Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana | P.J. Williams, CB, FSU | Kurtis Drummond, S, Michigan State | - - |