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The time is nearing when all the hard work we have put into our draft research will come to an end. Soon, the Dallas Cowboys will make their draft selections. Will they make picks we applaud or will it cause us to throw a fit? Either is a possible outcome.
Before the draft commences, it’s helpful to lay out the prospects onto a draft board and that is what we are doing here today. This list is not a ranking of every player as many big-name players will be missing from this board. Instead, this list will consist of Cowboys-specific targets centered around what we know this team looks for from prospects at a certain position.
Many of these players have already been profiled here at Blogging The Boys and mentioned multiple times in mock drafts for the Cowboys. A lot of them are pre-draft visitors and very few of them are small school prospects as we try our best to align with how the team approaches the draft. However, not all of these players satisfy that criteria as some of these prospects are players that for one reason or another have drawn attention through the draft evaluation process. In short, this is my own custom board with an effort to fit with what this Cowboys team might do.
This draft board consists of 60 players stacked up, with 10 listed for each round (the numbers next to each player in the graphics are consensus rankings courtesy of NFL mock draft database).
ROUND ONE
WR Chris Olave, Ohio State - A super polished route-runner with nice speed, he’s about as bust-proof as they come.
EDGE Jermaine Johnson, Florida State - Great size and agility to be a consistent disruptor on the defensive line.
WR Jameson Williams, Alabama - A good route-runner, big deep threat, he just blows past defenders and outruns everyone.
DT Jordan Davis, Georgia - A monster of a human, he’s got the strength to force his way into the backfield.
IOL Zion Johnson, Boston College - Size, athleticism, smarts - this guy checks off all the boxes.
OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa - Needs a little refinement, but has great athletic traits to be a nasty thorn in the sides of pass rushers.
CB Trent McDuffie, Washington - He’s got elite athleticism combined with great smarts to be effective from the get-go.
WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas - A physical, explosive playmaker, he’s a highlight reel waiting to happen.
IOL Kenyon Green, Texas A&M - A wide-setter with great pop in his hands, he’s got the lower bend to anchor down.
WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State - Great hands and quickly gets from point A to B, not sexy, just efficient.
ROUND TWO
EDGE Arnold Ebikeie, Penn State - A lengthy attacker with great get-off, he’s an under-the-radar edge rusher.
LB Christian Harris, Alabama - Disciplined tackler who sticks to his assignments, and does it fast!
LB Quay Walker, Georgia - Length and speed allows him to cover a lot of ground quickly, and he’s just getting started.
S Daxton Hill, Michigan - This smart defender explodes towards the action and will make an immediate impact.
CB Roger McCreary, Auburn - Not fancy, but gets the job done thanks to his instincts and fluid movement.
CB Kyler Gordon, Washington - Exceptional athletic ability will serve him well while he improves his processing.
WR George Pickens, Georgia - Great suddenness, he’s very elusive and has top-notch ball skills.
OT Tyler Smith, Tulsa - Tenacious player always looking to throw people to the ground.
S Jalen Pitre, Baylor - This do-it-all safety offer teams a lot of versatility.
IOL Darian Kinnard, Kentucky - Powerful upper body strength allows him to be the bully in the trenches.
ROUND THREE
EDGE Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma - A slippery pass rusher with an aggressive attack style, he plays like a poor man’s Micah Parsons.
WR Alec Pierce, Cincinnati - Dynamic playmaker who’s big, fast, and shows outstanding ball-tracking skills.
IOL Dylan Parham, Memphis - Athletic player with good fundamentals.
WR Christian Watson, North Dakota State - Outstanding size, possesses both quickness and home-run speed.
LB Brian Asamoah II, Oklahoma - Great athleticism to go all over the field, plays like an All-Pro safety.
IOL Ed Ingram, LSU - An agile run blocker with nice length to secure blocks, he does a lot of things well.
EDGE Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati - Uses his length and quickness to continuously create separation from his blockers.
EDGE Sam Williams, Mississippi - Powerful and productive, he’s got the skills to be an every-down contributor.
IOL Sean Rhyan, UCLA - Moves well for his size, this college tackle has the traits to convert to a powerful guard.
CB Tariq Woolen, UTSA - Superfast lengthy corner who offers appealing upside if he develops his game.
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ROUND FOUR
TE Cade Otton, Washington - This Dalton Schultz-clone would make the transition easy for Dak Prescott.
WR Khalil Shakir, Boise State - A shifty receiver who can do a lot of damage after the catch.
TE Jelani Woods, Virginia - An athletic upside player, he’d bring some excitement to the passing game.
RB James Cook, Georgia - A nice pass-catcher with great slashing ability, he could fit nicely in a tandem role.
IOL Marquis Hayes, Oklahoma - A violent hand-striker with great mental processing, he drives his opponent once he digs in.
S Nick Cross, Maryland - This fast-tracker is a playmaker when he makes good choices.
LB Brandon Smith, Penn State - Still needs work, but he has great athleticism with impressive college production.
IOL Cameron Jurgens, Nebraska - Doesn’t overpower, but shows great athleticism and moves very well in space.
RB Tyler Allgeier, BYU - Hits the holes quickly and shows good burst, he’s got a lot to offer at the position.
CB Alontae Taylor, Tennessee - Fast and physical, he offers a lot of flexibility in the secondary.
ROUNDS FIVE
TE Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin - With a great catch radius, he makes difficult catches look easy.
EDGE Tyreke Smith, Ohio State - Still learning, but possesses the traits to be an effective player on pass-rushing downs.
CB Damarri Mathis, Pittsburgh - Good speed, good length, this smart and aggressive corner has everyday starter potential.
OT Max Mitchell, Louisiana-Lafayette - Not athletic, but plays with a lot of quickness and has swing tackle potential.
CB Akayleb Evans, Missouri - Lacks ball skills, but has the speed, length, and physicality to be disruptive in the secondary.
RB Kyren Williams, Notre Dame - A slippery runner who creates his own space and doesn’t go down easy.
IOL Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina - Lots of pop in his hands, if he latches it’s over as he’s moving piles.
S Dane Belton, Iowa - Disciplined defender who seems to make all the right moves.
DT Neil Farrell Jr., LSU - Quick off the snap, this 340-pound beast will give opposing blockers fits.
WR Romeo Doubs, Nevada - Good route-runner who will offer deep threat ability.
ROUND SIX
RB Ty Chandler, North Carolina - Jack off all trades, master of none, all he does is run the ball effectively.
S J.T. Woods, Baylor - With great speed and great length he covers a lot of ground in a hurry.
K Cade York, LSU - Powerful leg with great accuracy, he always comes through in the clutch.
OT Vederian Lowe, Illinois - He needs to improve his pad level, but this high-character tackle should be able to maximize his skills and add depth.
RB Jerome Ford, Cincinnati - Very little wasted movement, makes good decisions, and shows nice acceleration.
CB Jaylen Watson, Washington State - Lacking inexperience, but the traits are there to carve out a role at the next level.
RB Hassas Haskins, Michigan - He doesn’t create for himself, but is a physical player who runs downhill.
EDGE Amare Barno, Virginia Tech - Super long wingspan with his eyes on the prize, he’s an interesting project for Dan Quinn.
OT Dare Rosenthal, Kentucky - The size and strength is there if he can show better maturity and harness that potential.
IOL Dawson Deaton, Texas Tech - Lacks strength, but he’s an athletic mover who recognizes what’s going on around him.
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Breaking those players down by position vs. round gives you...
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