Dallas Cowboys might have to rethink their draft strategy

Draft a position of need on the defensive side of the ball

The Dallas Cowboys defense is really bad. If the team finds itself with a top 15 pick it should absolutely use it on a defensive player if a worthy one is available. However, if Dallas wins the NFC East and winds up with the 19th pick there is a good chance that there will not be a worthy player on the board.

Dallas could certainly hope that Clemson cornerback Derion Kendrick or Miami edge rusher Gregory Rousseau falls into their lap at 19, though that is probably unlikely. America’s Team could also (slightly) reach for a defensive player to fill a position of need. That strategy might result in them selecting either South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn or Miami defensive lineman Jaelan Phillips.

Both of these prospects would address real concerns for the Cowboys and instantly make the defense better. There are other players who might meet this criterion as well including Penn State edge rusher Jayson Oweh (who has a higher ceiling than the other two prospects in my opinion).

Either way, this strategy would likely mean passing up on the best player on the board or hoping that a player inexplicably falls to them (like wide receiver CeeDee Lamb did in the last draft).

The Dallas Cowboys will be forced to change their draft strategy if they squeak into the playoffs. Regardless of what happens to America’s Team, they have already fallen considerably in terms of their draft position. The repercussions of the fall will likely force Dallas to rethink its strategy heading into the 2021 NFL Draft.