Dallas Cowboys: Is tight end Hayden Hurst a first round possibility?

Draft buzz surrounding the Dallas Cowboys and South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst has been gaining momentum due to a recent mock draft on NFL.com.

Over the past few months, several prospects have been mocked to the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of 2018 NFL Draft. For the most part, in areas of perceived need on the roster. Positions like wide receiver, defensive tackle, linebacker, offensive guard, pass rusher and safety. But rarely was tight end ever mentioned as a possible selection at 19th overall. That is, until now.

The Cowboys already have a future Hall of Famer manning the position in longtime veteran Jason Witten. But the stalwart tight end will be turning 36-years old before the regular season begins. And there is a real concern that Witten could hang up his cleats soon.

But the depth behind Witten on the depth chart has spurred speculation about using a high draft selection on the tight end position. And that’s despite James Hanna electing to retire last week due to a lingering knee injury. Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin and Rico Gathers are all relatively young players who Dallas could develop into future replacements for Witten.

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Swaim, who was drafted primarily as a blocker, has shown a talent as a receiver during his time in Dallas. The former seventh rounder out of Texas is slated to become a free agent in 2019, but should be easy enough to re-sign.

The Cowboys showed a strong commitment to Jarwin last season, elevating him from the practice squad to the active roster amongst rumors other NFL teams were interested in signing the undrafted rookie out of Oklahoma State in 2017.

Finally, there’s Gathers. The former Baylor basketball star-turned preseason media darling. Originally drafted in the sixth round of the now legendary 2016 NFL Draft, Gathers has spent the past two seasons preparing to make his NFL debut as a tight end.

Last preseason, the 6-foot-6, 285 pound power forward electrified fans as the Cowboys’ top offensive weapon, racking up seven receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns in two games. Unfortunately, a head-injury forced Gathers to Injured Reserve, ending his regular season before it even started.

With these four currently on the roster at tight end in Dallas, it made no sense that the Cowboys would consider drafting a prospect for that position in the first round. But former scout and NFL.com media analyst Daniel Jeremiah has started a bit of a buzz after he recently mocked South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst to the Cowboys at no. 19.

"“Jason Witten won’t be playing for much longer,” wrote Jeremiah on the league’s official website. ” … and the Cowboys don’t have a reliable alternative on the roster.”"

Hurst is a 24-year old tight end who most famously played three seasons of minor league baseball until a bout the “yips” forced him from the game. The 6-foot-4, 250 pound prospect is considered by many to be the top tight end in this draft class.

Drawing comparisons to current NFL players like Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz, Hurst has the makings to be a complete tight end on the next level. At this point, he appears to be a better receiver than a blocker, but has the tool set to improve at both. The biggest knock on Hurst is that he still needs to develop as a blocker and route runner.

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With other, more pressing needs on their roster, the Dallas Cowboys would certainly hear the outrage from media and fans alike if they elected to make a tight end their first round selection on Thursday night. Unfortunately, stranger things have happened on Day One of the draft.

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