In today's mock draft round-up, we look at 14 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. All these mocks are from this week, and while most of them are technically post-free agency mocks, I don't think a single one has factored in the Greg Hardy signing yet. So that's something we'll look at closely in our mock draft round-up next week, same time, same place.
For now, all the mock draft goodness is summarized below, and there's a poll at the end as well.
DEFENSIVE ENDS |
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Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA |
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CBSSports (Prisco), Mar 17 |
Comment: "They need help with the pass rush and this kid has a lot of speed that could have him moving up this board." |
CBSSports (Rang), Mar 16 | Comment: "Given the loss of DeMarco Murray to the hated Eagles, it would be easy for Jerry Jones and Co. to roll the dice on Georgia's Todd Gurley with this pick. Another priority would be to build the defensive line. Odighizuwa's power and motor make him an ideal complement to last year's second round pick Demarcus Lawrence." |
Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi State |
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CBSSports (Brugler), Mar 19 | Comment: "An ideal fit at left defensive end, Smith and Demarcus Lawrence would provide the Cowboys with a formidable duo long-term on the edges." |
SB Nation (Kadar), Mar 16 | Comment: "Running back is often a position associated with the Cowboys at No. 27, and it should be with DeMarco Murray gone. But if the Cowboys choose to target the position later in the draft, pass rusher rises to the top of the team’s need list. Smith gets compared to Michael Bennett of the Seattle Seahawks because he’s capable rushing the passer despite being a power end and can work inside in certain situations." |
Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky |
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DraftKing (Pickney), Mar 18 | Comment: "This is lower than where I think Dupree should go, but quality players slip in the draft every year. There is a line of thought that the Cowboys will use this pick to draft a running back, and maybe they will. But they can also add a really solid defensive end in Dupree here while still having the opportunity to land a quality running back in round two." |
RUNNING BACKS |
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Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin |
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CBSSports (Brinson), Mar 20 | Comment: "The Cards dashed Dallas' hopes [of getting Gurley], but they can settle on having to take Gordon. He's not a bruising monster but he had 17 runs of 40 or more yards last year with Wisconsin and his home-run threat ability would pair nicely with Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden. Hitting wide-open holes created by Dallas line could be gold here." |
NFL.com (Jeremiah), Mar 18 |
Comment: "The Cowboys land DeMarco Murray's replacement right here." |
NFL.com (Casserly), Mar 15 | Comment: "Gordon will be a strong candidate to win Rookie of the Year." |
Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia |
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RealGM (Risdon), Mar 17 |
Comment: "Because Darren McFadden is not a full-time RB and Jerry knows it, and he won’t be able to resist the highest-end RB in the last four drafts falling into his lap here. " |
CORNERBACKS |
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Ronald Darby, CB, FSU |
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Rotoworld (Norris), Mar 19 | Comment: "Darby was not targeted often this year. In fact, CFF charted only one target on every ten passes FSU faced. He has tremendous speed to stick and catch up with receivers, but his footwork and improvisation will allow separation that NFL WRs can take advantage of." |
Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut |
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Sehawks Draft Blog (Staton), Mar 13 | Comment: "This has to be a defensive pick surely? Jones’ stunning combine should push him into the first frame. Dallas can take a player at pretty much any position on defense and you can make a case to justify it." |
SAFETY | |
Landon Collins, S, Alabama | |
SI.com (Farrar), Mar 18 | Comment: "Yes, the 'Boys need a new marquee running back, but Dallas has been rewarded for its fundamental discipline in the draft with the kind of offensive line that will make any back better, so there's little urgency there. Where they need help is on a defense that was held together by great coaching and the limited time on the field that such a run game creates. It's time to fill in that defense, and though J.J. Wilcox and Barry Church played well last year, Collins would bring a different level of talent to that secondary. Collins can crash down on the play like every Nick Saban-coached defensive back is taught to do, but he's also learning the nuances of pass coverage—and it shows on the field." |
Foxsports (Schrager), Mar 17 | Comment: "Collins is the best safety in the draft. He wore No. 26 at Alabama to honor his idol, former Miami Hurricanes great Sean Taylor. He also has some of Taylor's game — the explosiveness, the versatility and the leadership — in his repertoire. A 6-foot, 228-pound thumper, he ran a 4.53 40, topping the time of a former teammate, Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who ran a 4.58 in Indianapolis a year ago. Not a flashy pick — yes, the temptation is to go with a running back here — but a wise one. In recent years, the Cowboys have (surprisingly or not) fought off such temptation and made the right picks." |
LINEBACKER |
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Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington |
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USA Today (Middlehurst), Mar 18 | Comment: "Though he insists he's a linebacker, Thompson's NFL future is still unclear. But Dallas could use him either as a weakside linebacker or safety in the pass-happy NFC East." |
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 | Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State | Josh Shaw, CB, USC | Eric Rowe, CB, Utah | Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn |
Draftsite | Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA | Alex Carter, CB, Stanford | DJoun Smith, CB, Florida Atlantic |
Senquez Golson, CB, Mississippi | Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida |
Walter Football | Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State | Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana | Tyrus Thompson, OT, Oklahoma | Gabe Wright, DT, Auburn | Mike Hull, LB, Penn State |
San Diego Union Tribune | Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin | Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington St | Doran Grant, CB, Ohio State | Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State | Ray Drew, DE, Georgia |