COWBOYS MOCK DRAFT 2016

April 5, 2016

Time to move on to one of the NFL’s marquee franchises. Even though I still think America’s Team resides in Wisconsin, maybe in today’s world the glitz & glamour of a team in Big D, with it’s snake oil salesman owner, does more accurately represent our changing society. Wait a minute, this is football talk, so let’s get back on track and mock the COWBOYS draft. You may be surprised by some of these Picks, but I am serious.

Round 1, Pick 4 MYLES JACK/LB/UCLA 6’1/245
Unlike JAYLEN SMITH, Jack is right on track with his knee injury recovery and I guarantee Cowboys medical staff have checked him out carefully. Even though RB/ELLIOTT is available I have JACK rated one slot higher and this team has serious need for elite talent at LB for their Defense. Their best LB is SEAN LEE, whose body has been ravaged in recent years, including multiple concussions. I have no doubt this guy can play either inside or out in their schemes, and will be a multiple time Pro Bowler. JACK has as much, or more, overall talent of any player in this years Draft. On my Board TUNSIL, RAMSEY & BOSA are not available to Dallas. PP#4

Round 2, Pick 34 KENNY CLARK/DT/UCLA 6’3/314
No pattern of Bruin players intended here, just a great value and a talented player where the team is average in talent. Combine CLARK with VFA THORNTON and ROD MARINELLI will think it’s Christmas in July when Training Camp opens this summer. He is a stout defender with more athleticism than you’d expect. He should jump into the DL rotation right away. He is strong enough to collapse the pocket from the inside, which most QBs hate with a passion. PP#36

Round 3, Pick 67 CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG/QB/PENN STATE 6’4/223
Drum roll please, as the team drafts its replacement for TONY ROMO, with a couple of years to groom him for the job, hopefully. HACKENBERG is a talented guy who was in a bad situation, in a rebuilding college program that changed coaching staffs after his first season there. I will venture an opinion that had BILL O’BRIEN stayed at Penn State with HACK, then we’d be looking at a First Rounder here. He will have plenty of QB groomers to work with him in Dallas, including HC JASON GARRETT, QBC WADE WILSON & OC SCOTT LINEHAN. This has the potential to be a steal of a first round talent in Round 3. That will make Owner JERRY JONES smile broadly as he brags about his next QB, starting April 29th. PP#65

Round 4, Pick 101 JALEN MILLS/DB/LSU 6’0/191
There are still questions as to whether his best fit will be as a CB or S, but there is little doubt he’s the next LSU-to-NFL DB. And this secondary can use young, inexpensive help at either position right now. He’s been starting, when healthy, for 4 years down on the Bayou. If he were 10 lbs heavier, or a tick faster he’d have been gone by Round 3. Even if he never earns a starting spot his versatility will be useful in the pass-happy NFL where teams constantly roll out defensive sub-packages with 5, 6 even 7 DB on the field at a time. PP#96

Round 4, Pick 135 JONATHAN WILLIAMS/RB/ARKANSAS 5’11/219
Heading into the 2015 season WILLIAMS was expected to be the bell cow for the Razorback running game. But an August foot injury put him down for the season. Word is a lot of NFL teams are checking his recovery carefully and will jump on him if the news is good. SOme personnel people like his potential even more than running mate ALEX COLLINS. With the signing of ALFRED MORRIS the Cowboys can afford to take their time with WILLIAMS, with an eye to him replacing another Razorback, DARREN McFADDEN, as MORRIS’ backfield mate in 2017 at the latest. Great value at this sot in the Draft. PP#131

Now we must jump all the way to Round 6 for the remainder of the Cowboys’ picks.

Round 6, Pick 189 DENVER KIRKLAND/OG/OT/ARKANSAS 6’5/335
This big man will probably have to move inside to OG if he’s ever to be a starter as a pro, but he certainly could be a valuable 3-4 position back-up at the very least. He has that road grader size that the Cowboys traditionally like, but isn’t a half bad athlete. He might lose 10 lbs. easily in an NFL training/weight room, which could help his mobility. I see him as a great value here as young depth on that excellent OL they have built in the last 4 years. PP#189

Round 6, Pick 212 BRIEAN BODDY-CALHOUN/CB/MINNESOTA 5’10/193
Showed himself in college to be a gambling, ball-hawking CB who has a real nose for the ball. He may not have the overall size or skills to be an NFL starter, but should be a very valuable asset as a sub-package Corner or slot coverage guy. His 4.47/40-time from the Combine confirms that he possesses the speed to compete as a pro in coverage. His tools, and his value here in Round 6, are another indicator of he good depth in this draft class. PP#212

Round 6, Pick 216 JASON FANAIKA/ER/DE/UTAH 6’2/271
A late-blooming, edge-rusher who saved his best for last in college. He may actually have the ability to drop a bit into coverage as an OLB, but his best value is clearly as an edge-rusher. He may have enough versatility, and energy, to be a Swiss Army Knife roster guy, able to fill multiple roles, especially on Special Teams units. DC ROD will find ways to use an athlete and high energy guy like FANAIKA.
PP#214

ROUND 6, Pick 217 DEREK WATT/FB/WISCONSIN 6’2/234
JJ’s little brother may be the ultimate Swiss Army Knife player as he clearly demonstrated at the Shrine venue in January. He may even be able to serve as a back-up long snapper. The COWBOYS usually have a FB on the roster for red zone/goal line work, and WATT would be a cheaper role player than TYLER CLUTTS, not to mention more versatile. He’s one of those perfect guys to fill about 4 roles at the bottom of an NFL roster. And hey, his presence might help the JONES BOYS lure JJ WATT to Big D for his next contract. Blood is usually thicker than water.

This Draft Class doesn’t fix everything, and may lack glamour overall, but Personnel Director Stephen Jones has shown the wisdom to value football ability over glitz and glamour, as he takes over more personnel responsibility from dad. These picks would help the team today, and even more so a couple of years down the road.

Pigskin