Dallas Cowboys: Which first-round draft strategy do you prefer?

Advantages and disadvantages to each scenario

If the Cowboys were to take a quarterback and let Prescott go, that would save them a fortune. But it would signal a rebuilding year, almost certainly. The odds of nabbing a quarterback who would be instantly elite are very, very low.

Even Super Bowl-winning, MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes took a few years to mature. And some first-round quarterbacks turn into total duds or at least mediocre quarterbacks.

Though, let’s face it. If Dallas somehow were to miraculously wind up with the first pick in the draft, they’d be crazy to not take Trevor Lawrence. There isn’t a quarterback as good in every draft. If there’s a sure thing, he’s it.

But it should also be said that Dak Prescott is a solid top ten quarterback in the NFL. He’s not in the top three, and probably not in the top five. But he’s still very good, and was on a historic pace before he was injured earlier in the season.

Since then, we’ve seen how bad the Cowboys can be without him. Answer: Very bad. So, the only quarterback I would take in this draft over Prescott is Lawrence. That’s it. The only one. Any other QB is likely to be a downgrade, in my opinion. Dak haters, do your worst.

Drafting an offensive tackle in the first round, especially Penei Sewell, is the closest thing in drafting to a guaranteed Pro Bowler. Especially with Dallas’s drafting history. Remember, they’ve drafted three All-Pro O-linemen in the last ten years. But… did it get them to the Super Bowl? No. So….

Given that there’s so many good cornerbacks in this draft, and how hard it is to get a great one outside the first round, this might be the wisest choice.

In fact, since no one’s here to stop me, I can’t quite resist giving my own opinion. First, I’m assuming Dallas doesn’t wind up with the first overall choice. If that were the case, see above.  Otherwise, here’s what I would do: If they wind up with the second or third overall pick, I’d trade down to get the extra picks, then hopefully, still pick up Surtain, the consensus best cornerback in the draft.

If they pick lower, say pick six through twelve, I’d listen to offers, but unless I got some amazing deal, I’d probably just go ahead and pick the best CB left on the board, which would likely either still be Surtain, or Caleb Farley of Virginia Tech.

There are a few reasons for this decision, starting with how crucial the cornerback position is. But the other thing is, you have to go with what’s on the board. And there are a bunch of good cornerbacks on the board this year.

Other than OT, it’s the highest percentage move this year. And again, the greatest offensive line in the league didn’t bring America’s Team to the Super Bowl.  So, CB it is.

Either way, I’d then use my second rounder to choose the best OT still on the board (depending on the quality of the choices) and use the rest of my picks on defense. Tyron Smith has been out injured at least three games every year for the last four years, and now he’s out for the whole season. They have to do something.

I would use my third round pick to choose the best safety, nose tackle, or linebacker still available, and go from there, again focusing primarily on defense. My goal would be to get at least a starting-caliber player at each of the positions I’ve already mentioned.

The Cowboys’ draft guru, Vice President of Player Personnel Will McClay and company found four starting caliber-guys in this latest draft. Maybe they can pull off another miracle. Let’s hope. But none of this is set in stone, obviously. It all depends on what happens the rest of the season, not just in the NFL, but in college football.