Mel Kiper’s new 2-round mock draft has the Cowboys trading back in the first round

Tired of seeing the Cowboys pick at #10 in your mock drafts? We’ve got a changeup for you then. Trades at the top of the first round in most mocks haven’t really involved the Cowboys too often. Generally you see some activity inside the top ten with teams trading up to grab a quarterback, but the Cowboys are left to pick at #10.

But with so many quarterback-hungry teams in the draft this year, if one of the main five quarterbacks falls to number ten, the Cowboys could become a very popular trading partner. And if things fall a certain way, the Cowboys may be more than willing to drop out of the ten spot to collect an extra pick or two.

In this week’s Mel Kiper mock draft from ESPN, the Cowboys make that trade. After four of the expected quarterbacks go in the top six picks, and with Penei Sewell and Kyle Pitts off the board, the circumstances seem right for a trade. And with only one defensive player off the board, Micah Parsons at pick nine, the Cowboys could still drop down and get a defender they want.

So Kiper has them making a deal with the New England Patriots.

With only one of the top five quarterbacks still available, the Patriots jump five spots with the Cowboys, giving Dallas their 2022 first-round pick in return. The Cowboys don’t need a quarterback, so they’d be thrilled to get an offer like this and move down only a few spots, because their biggest holes are on defense and they can get a good player at No. 15.

With the tenth pick, New England takes quarterback Justin Fields. Now the Cowboys have to wait to see if they can still get a player they really want at #15. Fortunately, there are still some wide receivers and offensive tackles in the mix, pushing defensive players down the board even further.

The Giants take Jaylen Waddle at 11 and the Eagles get the Cowboys usual pick when they take Patrick Surtain at 12. Two offensive tackles, Rashawn Slater and Christian Darrisaw, go 13th and 14th, leaving the Cowboys with a clear shot at the other corner.

15. Dallas Cowboys (via mock trade with NE)

Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina

Dallas trades back five spots with New England, gains what would likely be a 2022 first-round pick and is able to plug a need at No. 15. The Cowboys’ defense was dreadful last season, and they lost starting corner Chidobe Awuzie in free agency. They can pair Horn with 2020 second-round pick Trevon Diggs, who had a nice rookie season. The knock on Horn is that he had only two career interceptions, but that ball production should come in time.

So in this scenario, the Cowboys get a cornerback in Jaycee Horn, one that some analysts believe is the top choice, and they get a first-round pick in 2022. It would be hard to argue with that set of circumstances if they came to pass. This is probably the dream scenario that the Cowboys front office is hoping for in the first round.

In the second round, Kiper has the Cowboys helping their defense some more with a jack-of-all trades defensive lineman.

44. Dallas Cowboys

Joe Tryon, DE, Washington

Tryon played linebacker, defensive end and defensive tackle at Washington, picking up eight sacks in 2019 before opting out of last season. At 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, he’d play end for the Cowboys, who have an under-the-radar hole behind DeMarcus Lawrence. Dallas could go offensive line here as well.

Tryon might be the kind of player Dan Quinn is interested in. The Cowboys are probably going to use some mixed fronts and could use a versatile pass rusher in that rotation. Tryon sat out 2020 but had an excellent 2019, and is among the top-rated pass rushers in this draft.

So BTB, would you be happy with Jaycee Horn and an extra first-round pick in 2022? Or would you have rather taken Surtain, or maybe Slater, at pick #10?