Why the Dallas Cowboys should avoid drafting D.J. Chark

Although the Dallas Cowboys have a desperate need for a true speedster at wide receiver, they should avoid drafting LSU’s D.J. Chark.

Following the release of longtime veteran Dez Bryant last week, now more then ever the Dallas Cowboys are in need for a young, talented prospect at wide receiver. And many believe the Cowboys will address that void early in the upcoming NFL draft.

Names like Alabama’s Calvin Ridley, Maryland’s D.J. Moore and SMU’s Courtland Sutton are all touted as possible first round selections for Dallas next Thursday. If the Cowboys opt to address the receiver position in Day Two of the draft, names like Texas A&M’s Christian Kirk, Memphis’ Anthony Miller, Oklahoma State’s James Washington and Notre Dame’s Equanimeous St. Brown are all intriguing options.

But one name that seems to perfectly fill the Cowboys longtime need for a true speedster at the position is LSU wide receiver D.J. Chark. The 21-year old prospect has the two things this Dallas’ coaching staff covets. Size and speed. At 6-foot-3, 199 pounds, Chark has an ideal frame for the modern NFL. And the former Tiger ran a blazing 4.34 forty at the Scouting Combine.

Possessing similar traits to former Cowboy receiver Brice Butler, Chark has a rare combination of physical traits that would seemingly make him the perfect candidate in Dallas.

Unfortunately for Chark, one of his biggest detractors is former NFL scout and current football analyst for DallasCowboys.com, Bryan Broaddus. And as an alum of LSU, no one likely knows more about the player than Broaddus.

"“I went to school at LSU. I live and die with how their games go. Chark is one of the reasons I tend to die,” Broaddus recently responded to a mailbag question on the team’s official website. “He’s a wildly inconsistent player. His ability is outstanding. His ability to finish is not. No one in this draft looks the part more than him, but you need to beware of what potentially lies ahead.”"

In 13 games last season, Chark recorded a modest 40 catches for 874 yards and three touchdowns. Despite averaging 21.9 yards per reception, you’d have liked to seen better numbers from a prospect some are touting to be a borderline first round selection.

Speed is always an alluring trait in the NFL. Combine that with above average height and you have yourself a wide receiver prospect that will skyrocket up draft boards on traits alone.

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D.J. Chark appears to be a player on that kind of upward trajectory this offseason as he’s expected to be a high second round selection in the upcoming draft. But Chark is also a player who appears to lacks polish, needing to work on both his ball skills and route running. And he’s simply far too inconsistent on tape. And inconsistency is certainly something the Dallas Cowboys already have enough of.