Mel Kiper Jr’s latest mock draft has Cowboys getting a DE to help Parsons

Throughout the offseason, many mock drafts will be posted by many media outlets. All are speculative, but some writers have more insight than others. Mel Kiper Jr. is one of those guys most people trust. In his latest mock draft (subscription required), Kiper Jr. has the Dallas Cowboys picking a player who has yet to be mentioned for Dallas in any previous speculation.

That player is Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis. As Kiper Jr. noted, making any mock drafts ahead of free agency is difficult. There is no telling what a team will need in the draft until they realize which free agents are leaving and who they may be signing. That being said, the writer thinks that the Cowboys should draft an edge rusher to allow Micah Parsons to play more snaps at linebacker.

Karlaftis is a force-based rusher who has impeccable power. The Purdue player has only two full seasons under his belt, so he will definitely need help from Dan Quinn in order to continue developing his skills. Luckily for Quinn, he has the size and strength of a professional edge rusher already.

His power allows him to have a great first step off the line of scrimmage and his speed allows him to get to quarterbacks more easily than other players. In 2021, the DE had 4.5 sacks, 25 solo tackles, and four forced fumbles.

Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft has Cowboys selecting defensive end George Karlaftis out of Purdue in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft

The interesting thing about Kiper Jr.’s pick is that he believes that Parsons needs more snaps as a linebacker. As Cowboys Nation quickly found out in 2021, Parsons was a Swiss Army knife on the Cowboys defense. He took snaps at several defensive positions. While he was drafted as a linebacker, Parsons performed incredibly as an edge rusher. Will the Cowboys want him taking more snaps at linebacker? Plus, if the Cowboys re-sign free agent Randy Gregory, then the need for Karlaftis becomes very low.

Kiper Jr. also notes that at times Karlaftis was a better run defender than an edge rusher. So, overall, the pick seems a bit strange. But that is not to denounce Karlaftis’ talent. Many outlets are saying he is a dark horse in the draft who may shock teams at the NFL Combine. Overall, the Purdue player seems like a guy with a relentless toughness that any team will love. But, is he worth the Cowboys’ only first-round pick? We will keep an eye on him at this weekend’s NFL Combine.