Dallas Cowboys: Power ranking five first round options
By Mitch Larson
4. The Dallas Cowboys trade back
Generally speaking, moving back in the draft to acquire more assets is almost always a good strategy. The math here is pretty simple, but even setting last year’s injuries aside, the 2021 Dallas Cowboys have way too many holes and unknowns on their roster as it currently stands to feel confident that next season will be significantly different from the last. Having more options at their disposal to draft more players will help them.
Ever since trading up to the third overall pick, it’s felt like the San Francisco 49ers are in a prime position to control how this draft will go. It feels pretty much inevitable at this point that quarterback Trevor Lawrence will go first overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars while signal-caller Zach Wilson will go second to the New York Jets.
Yes, the 49ers still currently have Jimmy Garoppolo under contract. But generally speaking, teams don’t move up weeks before the draft to a pick like third overall if they aren’t going to select a quarterback.
Similarly, the Atlanta Falcons are sitting at the fourth overall pick and could go in any direction. They could just as easily take Kyle Pitts as they could draft quarterback Matt Ryan’s eventual replacement. Who the 49ers and Falcons ultimately chose to draft and more importantly who they pass on, will cause a snowball effect in one way or another.
If the draft goes haywire and a quarterback like Ohio State’s Justin Fields or Alabama’s Mac Jones begins to plummet, then expect plenty of teams to be on the phone with the Dallas Cowboys. They are in a great position to take advantage of someone eagerly seeking to move up for a quarterback. This could present a unique opportunity to stockpile future assets and still get a player who can help them right away later in the first round.
Plus, if the draft shakes out where defensive players like Alabama corner Patrick Surtain II, South Carolina corner Jaycee Horn, or Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons all go early, then Dallas could trade back in lieu of overreaching on a player who was much further down on their draft board. However it shakes out, the Cowboys should be prepared for every scenario.