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Dallas Cowboys should trade back in 2018 draft, not up

By Steven Mullenax

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 28: Fans celebrate after Ezekiel Elliott of Ohio State was picked #4 overall by the Dallas Cowboys during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University on April 28, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 28: Fans celebrate after Ezekiel Elliott of Ohio State was picked #4 overall by the Dallas Cowboys during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University on April 28, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /
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Due to a lack of overall roster depth, it would be wise for the Dallas Cowboys to trade back for more picks than to trade up for a certain player in the upcoming draft.

As there is every year, there appeared to be some transcendent prospects in the upcoming draft that may be able to change the fortunes of several NFL teams, including the Dallas Cowboys. Names like Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley and Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith.

Unfortunately, the Cowboys possess the 19th overall selection in the first round. And all of these players are predicted to be off the board before the Cowboys’ number is called. So if Dallas wants the top receiver prospect in this draft class to help replace bolster their underperforming wide receiver corps, they’ll have to trade up for him.

But as much as the Cowboys may want a player like Ridley, one draft expert believes Dallas would be better suited to simply stand pat and keep all of their second and third round draft picks.

"“As much as I think Calvin Ridley would be a perfect fit as the Cowboys Z receiver, I’m not sure I would give up a day two pick to trade up,” responded Dane Brugler to a mailbag question via the Dallas Morning News. “One of the issues with this roster is the lack of depth and those day two picks should be future starters. And the depth of this year’s WR group is encouraging, there will be plenty of options in the 2nd or 3rd round.”"

In fact, if the Cowboys really want to help their roster depth, it may be wiser to trade down from the 19th overall selection and gather more draft picks. That’s exactly what Dallas did back in 2013.

In that draft, the Cowboys had the 18th overall selection. They traded that pick to the San Francisco 49ers. In exchange, Dallas got the 31st overall pick in the first round and the 74th pick in the third. With their new first round selection, the Cowboys drafted Wisconsin center Travis Frederick. And with their extra third round pick, they grabbed Baylor wide receiver Terrance Williams.

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The Dallas Cowboys have several team needs to address this offseason. And they are expected to fill many of them in the upcoming NFL draft. So keeping their picks or trading back to acquire more seems like the best course of action for the Cowboys due to their roster depth issues.

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