Dallas Cowboys draft debate: K’Lavon Chaisson or C.J. Henderson at 17?

When the Dallas Cowboys are on the clock in the first round, if LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson and Florida’s C.J. Henderson are both available, who are you taking?

The Dallas Cowboys have been doing their due diligence on multiple first-round graded prospects for the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft. And I think we all can agree two of the most popular names surrounding the Cowboys as potential first-round targets have been LSU edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson and Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson.

It’s unknown whether either prospect will still be available when the Cowboys number is called Thursday night at 17th overall. If neither one is still on the board, I would prefer for the team to trade back, acquiring more picks. It’s important that try to find the perfect value for a player and not reach for one.

However, for debate’s sake (because we love this as sports fans), let’s say both Chaisson and Henderson are available. Who are you taking at 17 overall?

The case for Henderson is pretty straight forward and it’s tough to argue against. He’s gaining steam and seemingly flying up draft boards as of late. But the need at his position for the Cowboys is pretty obvious following the loss of Pro Bowler Byron Jones earlier this year to free agency. Henderson has the skills to be the team’s number one cornerback.

A true man cover corner who has Pro Bowl caliber ability to lock down the NFL’s top wide receivers. Henderson’s a quick-twitch corner with fluid hips, instinctive ball skills, press-man coverage ability and he’s also not afraid to get involved in the run game.

I mean what’s not to love about Henderson? He is the consensus number two cornerback in the draft behind Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah and with the loss of Jones to Miami this selection makes perfect sense for the Cowboys in the first round.

But the real questions is will Henderson become available at pick 17? A few weeks ago I would have said yes. But as we inch our way closer to the draft it might be really close. The biggest threat may be the Atlanta Falcons who own the 16th overall selection.

I do think we will see an early run on offensive lineman, quarterbacks, and wide receivers with a lot of trades happening and pieces moving. With all that being said, this gives Dallas better options at 17 and Henderson may slide right to them.

Another option for the Boys at in the first round is edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. Again, at another position of need for the Cowboys. Chaisson absolutely turned it on during the last four games of his college career. He recorded 20 pressures, 5.0 sacks, four hits, 11 hurries, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 18 tackles during that span against Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Texas A&M.

As you take a look at multiple mock drafts that the analyst have out there I think the most common name for Dallas at pick 17 is Chaisson and according to Jane Slater, reporter for the NFL Network he is one of the biggest names to keep an eye on for the Cowboys in the first round.

Chaisson was a pivotal piece to the LSU defense and its national championship victory. If you want an edge rusher who has all the intangibles checked off to become a dominant player than look no further than Chaisson.

Chaisson is an absolute freak athlete and might be one of the most athletic players in the draft. He possesses a long frame with unreal explosion. His get-off is something else to see on the football field as he was able to beat elite college tackles in the SEC conference. He has the bend, speed, length, and strength to be a dominant player off the edge.

Given all of the intangibles about Chaisson is nice to see and read about. He’s got every tool to become a successful edge rusher in the NFL, but my favorite thing about him is his motor.

Turn on the film and watch him track down receivers 20 yards downfield or chase down running backs sideline-to-sideline. He never gets tired and plays every play like it’s his last.

Also, with the potential of the new multiple look that the Cowboys plan to install under defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. Chaisson can become a nice little chess piece and I say this because of his speed and ability to play standing up and with his hand in the ground.

If I had a vote in this debate, my vote would be for the Dallas Cowboys to select C.J. Henderson over K’Lavon Chaisson. I think Henderson is a more consistent player at a much tougher position and he can contribute to this Cowboys defense right away. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.