Dallas Cowboys Draft: Three Rounds of Defensive Line Targets

The Dallas Cowboys will be looking to add defensive line help during the offseason as they build the roster. Here are some draft prospects they could target.

With the 28th overall selection in the first round of next week’s NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys will likely be looking to acquire a top-tier pass rusher. The problem is there is no guarantee that a player of that caliber will be on the board when their number is called and they’re on the clock.

Fortunately, this draft class is deep in quality defensive lineman. So the Cowboys should be able to find a solid pass rusher during the first two days of the event.

Below are my picks for the Cowboys at one of the team’s biggest positions of need and the players that could fall to them in each of the first three rounds.

First Round: Defensive lineman

Derek Barnett (Tennessee)

Barnett will likely not be available by the time the Cowboys are on the board but if he is the team could fully use his skill set. In some mock drafts he falls to the late 20‘s however that could be wishful thinking.

He is the best pass rusher besides Myles Garrett and Solomon Thomas and exemplifies the definition of “war daddy”. He is a decorated pass rusher and has one of the most consistent track records coming out of college. With some work he is one of the players suited to make an instant impact this season for Big D.

Takkarist McKinley (UCLA)

McKinley is the other big name that could fall down the draft board. He is a below average hand fighter but has the speed and power to make up for it. At the NFL level some coaching could help sharpen some of his pass rushing techniques. He would be an immediate upgrade for the Cowboys defensive line.

Charles Harris (Missouri)

Harris is the safest pick here going with the logic that the Cowboys need a pass rusher before anything else. Harris is a productive player who may struggle clamping down on opposing running backs but could become a very dependable pass rusher. He would need more work than the two players above but has a terrific spin move which should translate to the NFL level. Harris is one of the last top tier pass rushers with a first round grade so he should be around when the Cowboys are on the clock.

My Favorite: Charles Harris

Some other names ring out in the first round such as Taco Charlton, T.J. Watt, and Malik McDowell. I think Charlton is the most solid of all the names listed above as he makes up for his lack of athleticism with brute force and vicious hands. He has a tendency to disappear and has less of a pop coming off of the ball than Harris, McKinley, or Barnett.

Watt has a ton of upside but his knee injuries are more than concerning plus he does not really have any experience playing on defense besides the couple of games he strung together in college. He would need to put on some pounds, gain some muscle, stay healthy and learn for a couple of seasons before he could make a big impact.