Dallas Cowboys 2019 NFL Draft: 3 burning questions

The Dallas Cowboys have several burning questions when it comes to the 2019 NFL Draft. Here are the three biggest we could think of.

The Dallas Cowboys are going into the 2019 NFL Draft without a selection on the first day. And that wait to make their initial pick is going to be a long one.

But the Cowboys have done a great job in recent weeks of fortifying their roster with quality free agent additions, giving them the flexibility to choose the most talented prospects when their number is finally called.

Here are our three burning questions for the Cowboys prior to the upcoming NFL draft.

#1. What is the Cowboys’ biggest need?

This is a question that really is in the eye of the beholder. Many fans believe safety is the Cowboys’ biggest need. And the fact Dallas attempted to trade for All-Pro safety Earl Thomas during last year’s draft would appear to confirm the team feels the same way.

But the recent signing of veteran safety George Iloka plus the Cowboys continued faith in Xavier Woods and Jeff Heath gives the team much more flexibility. The same could be said for positions like wide receiver, tight end, and defensive end.

The Cowboys could certainly use more help at defensive tackle. And finding a running back to spell Ezekiel Elliott is a glaring void. But the team’s biggest need might, in fact, be at cornerback. Starter Byron Jones is recovering from hip surgery and could start training camp on the PUP list. Both Jones and Anthony Brown are in the final year of their rookie deals. With the potential of losing two starters at the position in 2019, securing that future need with a rookie who could be developed for a season now seems critical.

#2. Who will fall in the second round?

If the Cowboys do not trade up and indeed make their first selection with the 58th overall selection in the second round, it’s going to be a long, gut-wrenching wait. And there are several intriguing prospects Dallas is undoubtedly hoping fall to them. The fact as many as five quarterbacks could get selected in the first round should help.

On top of the Cowboys’ wish list at No. 58 could be prospects like Washington safety Taylor Rapp, Boston College defensive end Zack Allen, South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel, Mississippi State safety Johnathan Abram, TCU edge rusher L.J. Collier, Alabama tight end Irv Smith Jr., and Vanderbilt cornerback Joejuan Williams.

#3. Will the Cowboys trade up?

Dallas does not have a first-round selection in the upcoming draft due to the trade the Cowboys made last season for Oakland Raiders’ wide receiver Amari Cooper. Although owner/general manager Jerry Jones and company say they’ll be watching highlights of Cooper through the first round to remind themselves what they traded for, it’s hard to imagine they will be willing to sit still that long as valuable prospects slowly drop off their board, one-by-one.

Although trading back into the first round is costly, the fifth-year option could make it a strategic move if the right player falls. A more likely scenario is seeing the Dallas Cowboys try to move up just a few spots in the second round in order to leapfrog other teams with similar needs.