Can the Dallas Cowboys draft their cake and eat it too?

With the fourth overall selection, the Dallas Cowboys should be able to blend the perfect mix of best player available and biggest void to fill.

On Sunday, I wrote an article entertaining the idea of drafting the best player available, regardless of position when the Dallas Cowboys are on the clock with the fourth overall pick in May’s NFL draft.

The idea is an intriguing one I must admit. Usually, people find themselves in two separate camps when it comes to the draft. You have a faction of folks that believe that you just draft the absolute best player available. You have another group that is dead set on filling the biggest void on the team.

More from The Landry Hat

Neither is wrong. It’s really just a matter of preference.

My preference is that you don’t whiff when it’s your turn at bat.

If you draft a quarterback that becomes the next Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers, awesome. Maybe you snag the reincarnate of Jerry Rice. Maybe you get someone who will some day find his bust in Canton, Ohio amongst the best defenders to ever play the game. To me, it doesn’t really matter as long as you don’t miss when you’re that high up.

Here’s the thing. While it seems unlikely, it happens a lot more than you would like to hear about.

Take a look at the last five drafts, minus last year for fairness purposes and you can see the land mines all over the place.

2010
#1 Sam Bradford – QB (this is solely because of the expectations of the position, Bradford isn’t really a bust, but he’s not worthy of the first overall selection either.)

2011
None (when your top five is Cam Newton, Von Miller, Marcell Dareus, A.J. Green and Patrick Peterson, that’s 5 for 5.)

2012
#2 Robert Griffin – QB, #3 Trent Richardson – RB, #5 Justin Blackmon – WR, #6 Morris Claiborne – CB (throwing an extra pick in here since this is directly related to the Dallas Cowboys. While it may be unfair to label Mo a “bust,” it is also fair to remember he cost the Cowboys a second round pick, 39th overall, to go along with the lofty number six pick.)

2013
* #1 Eric Fisher – LT, * #2 Luke Joeckel – LT, #3 Dion Jordan – DE (yes, Fisher and Joeckel are starters but neither is considered a top ten tackle, which is what you’re going for when you get drafted either #1 or #2 overall. In fact, this ranking by Athlon Sports lists neither in the top 20.)

2014
#1 Jadeveon Clowney, #2 Greg Robinson (Clowney can’t stay on the field, Robinson is being graded on the same scale as Fisher and Joeckel.)

Nine out of twenty-five players have proven to be unworthy of being drafted in the top five. That’s a miss percentage of 36%. The point is, you don’t want to be in that 36%.

So, while this seems to skew towards those on the best player available bus, I think the Cowboys can actually have their cake and eat it too.

Do the Cowboys need another stud at the wide receiver position? It wouldn’t hurt, but there are certainly bigger needs.

Should the Cowboys go get Tony Romo‘s replacement at quarterback? Respectfully to those thinking it’s now or never for this option, I say pass. This team is ready to win now.

That leaves the defense as the destination spot for whichever name appears on the index card to be read by Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The numbers prove this is the way to go as well.

In 2012, seven of the ten best teams in points allowed made the playoffs. In 2010 and 2013, that number went up to eight of ten and this season, nine of the ten most stingy scoring defenses all made the playoffs.

Stopping the run is also very important as it turns out. Since 2011, at least six teams that finished in the top ten in rushing yards allowed made the playoffs.

Oddly enough, pass defense wasn’t as necessary to the puzzle. Only once since 2010, did more than five of the ten best defenses regarding passing yards allowed earned playoff berths.

This would indicate that the Cowboys should be looking at bolstering their front seven with their fourth overall pick. Obviously a dream scenario would somehow involve Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa falling all the way to four.

There is a small chance of that happening if Tennessee passes on him, since Cleveland will likely choose their new franchise quarterback at two and one would think protecting quarterback Philip Rivers is the Chargers number one priority.

If Tennessee does elect to choose Bosa first overall, and the Browns and Chargers follow the likely paths just mentioned, that would leave the Cowboys with choices along the line (Oregon’s DeForest Buckner or Alabama’s A’Shawn Robinson) or super athlete Myles Jack, the do-it-all linebacker from UCLA.

Jack does present some risk, but his ceiling of reward is ridiculous. Buckner has the prototypical size and speed coveted for all edge rushers and Robinson is the unique run-stuffing tackle that can get sacks as well.

Whichever player the Dallas Cowboys choose come draft day, the most important skill might not be size, speed or versatility. It may just be consistency.

Next: Why the Cowboys losing Jerome Henderson is a good thing

Thank you for reading the above article. It’s our sincere hope you’ll visit our site often as we work really hard to provide Cowboys fans with fresh, daily content about their favorite team. Please feel free to take part in further discussions about this topic below in our comment section. All we ask is that each participant is respectful in both their responses and towards others. Thanks again and…Go Cowboys!

Home/Cowboys Draft