Cowboys trade shakes up strategy in new mock draft
By Connor Green
Round 3, pick 75, Marvin Wilson, DT- Florida State
The Dallas Cowboys defense was objectively terrible this past season. The unit gave up the second-most rushing yards per game with 158.8 last year. It was clear relatively early on that the team could use an upgrade along its defensive line and particularly in the interior of the d-line.
The organization made a handful of underwhelming moves to attempt to address this need in free agency. That included signing two interior defensive linemen in Brent Urban and Carlos Watkins. Urban is a solid run-stopper, but neither player is expected to start for the Cowboys next season.
The Cowboys attempt to upgrade this position of need in the third-round and select defensive tackle Marvin Wilson. Wilson played four seasons with Florida State during his collegiate career and is considered one of the top interior defensive lineman in this draft class.
The 22-year old racked up 15 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks, and 109 total tackles in his 34 games played for Florida State. The young defender’s best statistical season came back in 2019 when he posted a career-best 8.5 tackles for a loss, 44 total tackles, and four pass deflections (very impressive for a defensive lineman).
The six-foot-five, 305-pound prospect is the prototypical size of an NFL defensive tackle and was very good at stopping the run during his time at Florida State. The Cowboy’s current starting defensive tackles, Neville Gallimore and Trysten Hill, are both young and relatively unproven at this point in their careers.
The Dallas Cowboys address a position of need with this selection and nab a player who could turn into an every-down starter at some point in the future. The addition of Wilson adds to an already talented young core of defensive tackles who could be difference-makers in Dan Quinn’s new defense.