Dallas Cowboys: Adding the third piece with fourth overall draft pick
With the fourth pick in the 2016 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys select – (insert name here). Is there a name that leads to extreme disappointment?
With the fourth pick in the 2016 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys select – (insert name here). Could there be any name mentioned that leads to extreme disappointment? With the fourth pick, it’s nearly impossible to screw up. Notice I did say nearly because you can’t please everybody. Most drafts have 18 players that are considered – first round talent. You’ll hear that phrase a lot to suggest that every player selected in the first round isn’t first round talent.
It’s not fair to determine if we selected the right player immediately, it takes time. Remember the excitement when we drafted cornerback Morris Claiborne in 2012 with the sixth overall pick? Compare that to the confusion when we selected center Travis Frederick in 2013 with the 31st pick. In 2016, Cowboy Nation considers Claiborne to be a bust and Frederick to be a great pick. So if you aren’t satisfied by the selection, don’t be quick to judge.
Right now, nobody knows the exact order of the draft prospects when they are placed on the Cowboys draft board. Even with the fourth pick, there’s room for surprises. The only team guaranteed to get the player they want is the team that picks first. The following domino effect makes drafts fun to watch and nearly impossible to predict. The majority of mock drafts will get tossed into the trash when the first draft day trade is made.
As someone that enjoys fantasy football, that happens to be the limit of my draft day expertise. Having the fourth pick, means the Cowboys need to enter the draft with five favorite players. The top five seem to be (in random order): Laremy Tunsil – OT, Jalen Ramsey – CB, Joey Bosa – DE, Ezekiel Elliott – RB, Miles Jack – LB.
As long as they don’t trade down, the Cowboys will be able to get one of their top candidates no matter what happens. When experts say: Cowboys will get Safety Jalen Ramsey in the first round and running back Derrick Henry in the second round, it sounds great. Every prediction has a 50% chance of being accurate, so here’s mine.
Personally, I’m a defensive guy and would like to see them draft a starter in the secondary. I don’t see that happening because with the fourth selection, I want a starter. If we select someone for the defensive line, the rookie might earn playing time, but won’t replace DeMarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford, Jack Crawford, Cedric Thornton or Randy Gregory.
In the secondary, a rookie won’t replace Barry Church or Byron Jones. The Cowboys still have cornerbacks Brandon Carr with Claiborne and the return of Orlando Scandrick. Is anyone willing to replace Sean Lee or Rolando McClain‘s spot at linebacker with a rookie? Anthony Hitchens hasn’t been a liability either, in fact, I would say he’s a young building block for the defense.
Long story short, I am willing to predict that we draft Ezekiel Elliott. Anybody can pick one player, so I’m also going to predict that we call Emmitt Smith and have him present Elliot with the #22. You might think it’s too soon for that, but if Dez Bryant can wear #88 with Michael Irvin‘s blessing and Randy Gregory has DeMarcus Ware‘s #94 – then why not?
My fellow Landry Hat writer Ben Grimaldi said (in this article) that Tony Romo and Elliott could be the next John Elway and Terrell Davis. I’m not going to say he’s wrong, but he must’ve forgotten about that #88 on the outside.
Oh yeah, I’m feeling it! I’m predicting: The Triplets Part 2 with #9, #22 and #88 on the field! The return of the dynasty and a boost our Lombardi count to eight within four years! They’re going back to back like Drake! That’s a bold prediction covered in ghost peppers and I’m super confident that it will happen. After all, I have a 50% chance of being right!
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Next: Punt returners the Dallas Cowboys should target in the draft
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