Why the Dallas Cowboys need to think about a stud not pegs

When something doesn’t fit, we sometimes hear it described in the form of a popular idiom: “A square peg in a round hole.” Anyone who has ever struggled with a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit has no problem understanding the idiom. To use the comparison, the Dallas Cowboys need puzzle pieces.

The question that every NFL team faces when drafting new talent is whether they will focus on plugging the obvious holes on their roster or focus on taking the very best talent available when their selection arrives.

The Cowboys might face this dilemma when it comes time for them to select with the 10th pick of the first round in the 2021 NFL draft. Dallas already possesses one of the best offenses in the NFL. The obvious plug-and-play desire would exist on the defensive side of the ball.

The question facing the Dallas Cowboys will be whether they look for a round peg that fits their round-hole-need, or do they opt for a stud instead? By stud, I mean a can’t-miss type talent. The type of player who not only starts for an NFL team, he is a difference-maker.

To be fair, the two desires do not have to be mutually exclusive. In every NFL draft, there are game-changers on both sides of the ball. But what if there is a “generational” type player? What if that player doesn’t represent plugging a glaring hole in the roster?

Florida tight end Kyle Pitts might be that generational player. Even some who feel the “generational” description is overused have noted that Pitts just might fit that description.

What if cornerbacks Patrick Surtain II (Alabama) and Jaycee Horn (South Carolina) are available when the Cowboys pick comes up? Or what if Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is still there? Does Dallas fill holes with players who promise to meet the need, or do they opt for the extremely rare offensive piece that only adds to an already strong unit?

Starting quality players arrive on the NFL landscape every draft. Next year, there will be impact players who play cornerback, safety, and linebacker. You might even find your starter in the second, third, or fourth rounds.

When a player is available that most acknowledge being extremely rare, you take him. You don’t make a choice to fill the round hole with the right peg when a stud is available. If Kyle Pitts is available with the 10th pick, take the stud.