Thursday, August 27, 2020

Dallas Cowboys NFL Mock Draft Roundup, 2.0

Throughout the year and leading up to the 2021 NFL draft, we will update our Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft Roundup showing picks for the Dallas Cowboys from several prominent sites and draft analysts.

For a more inclusive lists of mock drafts for the Dallas Cowboys, check out our 2021 Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft Database.

The following are picks in recent mock drafts for the Cowboys:

Rotoworld - Thor Nystrom (8/21)

27. Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan

Classic boom/bust scenario if Paye has played his last collegiate snap. The No. 1 athletic "Freak” on Bruce Feldman's list this fall, the 6-4, 271-pound Paye boasts an insane 6.37 second 3-cone, which would have topped all participants at the 2020 combine. Paye also has tested better than any defensive lineman or EDGE at the 2020 combine with a 4.57 forty and 4.15 pro shuttle time. Paye also owns a 34-inch vertical, 30 reps on the bench press, and a mind-blowing 11.3 in the 60-yard shuttle. Paye is extremely raw, more ball-of-clay-athlete than pure pass rusher at this time, but he still posted 50 tackles, 12.5 TFL and 6.5 sacks last season in his first year as a full-time starter, with a solid 77.8 PFF pass-rushing grade.

PFF - Mike Renner (8/19)

27. Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama

The Cowboys are entering 2020 with a hope and a prayer at the cornerback position after losing Byron Jones in free agency. Surtain could change that. He was starting as a true freshman for the Tide back in 2018 and earned a 78.7 coverage grade that season. At 6-foot-2, 202 pounds, Surtain has an ideal size-and-length combination, but his lack of elite speed could drop him a bit.

The Draft Network - Kyle Crabbs (8/19)

26. Caden Sterns, S, Texas

Dallas has been flirting with upgrading safety for two years now between Earl Thomas and Jamal Adams. Neither turned out in their favor, so pegging a local prospect to play on the back end seems like the right move here. Sterns had a terrific freshman season and showed a strong nose for the football -- and with so much speed at linebacker in front of him, Sterns' lack of appeal as an alley filler can be appeased.

Pro Football Network - Oliver Hodgkinson (8/16)

28. Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina

Will the Dallas Cowboys be in the quarterback market when the 2021 NFL Draft comes around? It seems unlikely, but the Dak Prescott contract saga dragged through the off-season and continues into the 2021 NFL season. Despite adding several defensive pieces in 2020, the Cowboys have needs at cornerback, safety, and should also be in the market for an edge rusher.

If you define cornerback play purely on interception numbers alone, then Jaycee Horn probably isn't on your radar as a first-round pick. However, Horn led South Carolina in pass breaks ups in 2019 and in doing so, showcased the ball skills he presumably inherited from his former NFL wide receiver father. At 6'1'', Horn has the size that NFL teams covet, as well as the fluidity in his movements to succeed at the next level.

ESPN - Todd McShay (8/12)

28. Patrick Jones II, EDGE, Pittsburgh

Edge is a huge need for the Cowboys. So huge that I have them reaching a bit here for Jones due to a lack of elite edge-rushing prospects on the board. The Cowboys had a middle-of-the-road sack total in 2019 (39), but there is a void opposite DeMarcus Lawrence, especially with Tyrone Crawford and Aldon Smith on expiring deals. The Pitt defensive end has a quick first step and a 6-foot-5 frame, but Jones still needs work on having a pass-rush plan and his hand-to-hand combat skills against offensive linemen. The tools are there, though, for him to make an impact coming around the corner for the Dallas defense. Safety is another position that needs addressing, but it'd be a bigger reach (Florida's Shawn Davis is the next one in my rankings).

The Draft Network - Jordan Reid (8/10)

27. Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

A lot rides on the success of Blake Jarwin, who the team and fan base seem to be really excited about, but outside of him at the top of the depth chart, the pickings are very slim. Expected to have an explosive offense already with the Cooper-Gallup-Lamb trio at receiver, placing another versatile option in Pitts into the offense gives the team even more ammo to utilize against defenses.

As a tight end, Pitts adds a different dynamic in that he can perform from a variety of different platforms, making his fit into the scheme easier as personnel groupings can mix and match often when he's used essentially as a big receiver. A relatively young prospect still at 19 years old, Pitts' body and game are still maturing with more reps.

Pro Football Network - Matthew Valdovinos (8/9)

28. Elijah Molden, CB, Washington

The Cowboys have a massive need on the defensive line and the secondary, so taking the best player available at either position was the obvious route. That player is Elijah Molden. Maybe the best man coverage defender in the class, Molden is a good athlete with very fluid hips and has natural instincts in coverage as well making him more than capable in zone coverage.

He has good ball skills and is very aggressive when it's in the air, but he lacks natural play strength and can get bullied by receivers that are willing to block. Pairing Molden with Trevon Diggs is a nice duo to build a secondary around.

The Draft Network - Joe Marino (8/3)

27. Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State

The value at Dallas' primary positions of need don't match up well with the board and that's OK because just like last year, the Cowboys landed a steal for the offense--this time at tight end. Freiermuth has the build of a throwback in-line tight end with the physical traits needed to dominate in the "f” spot as well.

Nicknamed "Baby Gronk,” Feiermuth has excellent hands, size, athleticism, and play strength with upside to excel as a blocker and receiver.

Previous update: Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

MORE TEAMS: All NFL Team Mock Draft Roundups

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