Mock Draft: Big D shores up the D-Line

The Cowboys had a very up and down season last year but they caught fire at the end of the year and ended up reclaiming the NFC East crown from Philadelphia. They had a nice wildcard win against Seattle only to have their season end the following weekend in Los Angeles. They were able to keep star pass rusher Demarcus Lawrence by franchise-tagging him for a second consecutive season. The Cowboys will need to address the interior of the defensive line, With David Irving retiring after being suspended for violating the substance abuse policy. They have a big hole to fill. The Cowboys appear to be going in the right direction. They've got their QB, they have what some consider an elite level defense, and of course they still have that great offensive line. They don't have a lot of early picks, including not having a 1st round pick due to the Amari Cooper trade but luckily they don't have a ton of holes to fill.


Rd.2  #58 overall Dre'Mont Jones DL, Ohio State

Like I mentioned, Dallas does not have a 1st round pick this year. But this year's draft is absolutely loaded with defensive line prospects. Dre'Mont Jones is a guy that in any other draft could have been selected in the first round. Jones is a very athletic three-technique defensive lineman that finally showed the potential he's had in 2018. Jones had 43 tackles and 8.5 sacks this past season in Columbus and would be a plug and play guy immediately with the absence of David Irving. Jerry Jones and the Cowboys should Run, not walk to the podium if Dre'Mont Jones is there with the 58th pick.

Rd.3 #90 overall Juan Thornhill S, Virginia

Many speculated that the Cowboys signing Earl Thomas was a sure thing but The Ravens decided to give Thomas a mega deal and Dallas decided to sign George Iloka to a one year deal. I've personally never been much of a fan of Iloka's game so the Cowboys should look to the future and take Virginia safety Juan Thornhill. Juan has the size for the position and has great ballhawking skills from being a cornerback when he arrived to Virginia. He's got the ability to be moved all over the field whether you line him up right on a receiver, or you keep him back to patrol the secondary. Some teams may consider moving him back to cornerback but Dallas should keep him at safety.

Rd.4 #128 overall KeeSean Johnson WR, Fresno State

The Cowboys need to get Amari Cooper some help. As good as Cooper is, they relied way too much on him in the later parts of the season. Michael Gallup had an impressive game in the team's last game of the season but it was a roller coaster of a season for him and he needs to be more consistent. KeeSean Johnson would be a great fit in Dallas. While at Fresno, Johnson outproduced former Bulldog great and Packers receiver Davante Adams. Everything KeeSean does on the football field is so smooth. It gives Dak Prescott another receiver that can win jump balls consistently and make tough catches in traffic. If he can continue to do what he did at Fresno, hes an absolute steal.

Rd.4 #136 overall Erik McCoy C, Texas A&M

Another major storyline for Dallas last year was the health of star center Travis Frederick. In August of last year, Frederick announced that he is suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune disease. This sidelined him for the entire 2018 season and he still has not been cleared to play. For as good as the rest of the players are on Dallas' line, you could definitely see a difference with Frederick not in there. As a precaution, Dallas should possibly look into drafting a replacement or at least a backup for him. Erik McCoy has the athletic ability to play both center and guard, something that could be useful since Cowboys star guard Zach Martin also missed time last year with injuries.