Will the Cowboys select Patrick Surtain II in the first round?
The Dallas Cowboys were football comedians in 2020. The defense displayed poor execution, and at times, was somewhat comical. At least that was the prescription for die-hard fans witnessing the Star get blown up by opposing offenses.
You couldn’t help but just laugh at the television screen. No matter what collection of 11 players on the field for the defense, the Cowboys could never recalibrate into a functioning, consistent defense.
To usher in some new air to Big D, the Dallas Cowboys did the obvious. Mike Nolan is out as the defensive coordinator, replaced by former Falcons head coach, Dan Quinn. Jim Tomsula is also out of Dallas. The moves came as no surprise. If anything, many speculated these moves would go down during the season.
The Cowboys hold the 10th overall draft pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The draft this year will take place in Cleveland, and the first round starts on April 29. So, given the disaster of the defense in 2020, who will the Dallas Cowboys go after with the 10th pick?
Please, Mr. Jerry Jones, don’t call Mike McCarthy to discuss an offensive prospect. The ‘Boys need to revamp their defense. Anyone with a pair of eyeballs can see that much.
With the 10th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select. ..
Patrick Surtain II. Alabama. Cornerback.
No surprise. No splash. A simple and easy choice.
What’s there not to like? Mr. Surtain towers at six-foot-two, 202 pounds. He turns 21 this April.
If his last name sounds familiar, it should! His father is Patrick Surtain, who was selected in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He would go on to play seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins. After that, he signed a mega-deal with the Kansas Chiefs, where he played his final four seasons as a cornerback.
In the end, Surtain senior tallied 538 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, and a whopping 37 interceptions during his 11 seasons in the NFL. He made the Pro Bowl three times and was honored with First-Team All-Pro in 2002. He also had the opportunity to coach his son, which adds intrigue to both their profiles.
I was really hoping for Jourdan Lewis to prove himself right in 2020. But Lewis took a beating last season, which doesn’t say much considering how poor the defense was in general. It’s clear that Dallas needs to fill some holes in the rushing and passing defense, so Surtain just makes sense for the Cowboys.
With Trevon Diggs showing promise his rookie year, the Cowboys could really bolster their cornerback’s room with the addition of Surtain II. Lewis turns 26 but is scheduled to be a free agent in March. Chidobe Awuzie is in the same boat.
So, will Patrick Surtain II leave the Alabama Crimson Tide for the Dallas Cowboys? At Alabama, Surtain totaled 117 tackles and 27 pass deflections in three seasons. To his credit, he has four forced fumbles and four interceptions, with one returned for a score in 2020.
The cornerback picked up several accolades in 2020, including Unanimous All-American, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-SEC. Clearly, his father’s blood runs in his veins. If anything, getting coached by another All-Pro helps.