Cowboys trade shakes up strategy in new mock draft

Round 5, pick 192, Sam Ehlinger, QB- Texas

The Dallas Cowboys kicked off their offseason with a bang by re-signing quarterback Dak Prescott to a blockbuster deal. However, as fans of America’s Team saw firsthand last year, that does not mean the team can simply forget about the position moving forward.

The organizations’ backup quarterback is currently projected to be Garrett Gilbert. The 29-year old won the admiration of many Cowboys fans when he nearly led the team to an upset victory over the then-undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers.

However, the fact that Gilbert has only thrown 44 passes in his NFL career coupled with his 52.3 percent completion rate should not inspire confidence in his ability to be the teams’ sole competent backup at the most important position in football.

Dallas’s pick here is intended to inject a little bit of competition into the role of backup signal-caller. The team uses its fifth-round pick to select Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger.

The 22-year old passer played four years for the Longhorns and managed to accrue an impressive 94 passing touchdowns while only throwing 27 interceptions. He also added 33 scores on the ground during his collegiate career, demonstrating his potential as a dual-threat quarterback.

Ehlinger had what was arguably the best statistical year of his career last season and he managed to lead the Big 12 in touchdowns responsible for (passing and rushing) with 34.

The Dallas Cowboys are able to inject some competition into the important position of backup signal-caller with this selection. The fact that they get to keep Ehlinger in Texas is just an added benefit of this move.