5 surprise players the Cowboys could draft at No. 24

3. Quay Walker, Linebacker, Georgia

This might initially throw the fanbase for a loop, but it may be my favorite pick out of these options. All the talk heading into this draft has been around the offensive line and receivers, but we are not talking about the Cowboys linebacker group nearly enough.

Dallas has just four linebackers currently on the roster with playing experience. One of them is Micah Parsons, who is not a full-time LB. Two of them are mediocre veterans in Leighton Vander Esch and Luke Gifford. The other is Jabril Cox, who is currently recovering from a torn ACL. They have to address this in the draft. If all other options are gone, Quay Walker is a solid option to pull the trigger on.

While sometimes overshadowed in the Georgia linebacker room by guys like Nakobe Dean and Channing Tindal, Walker played a huge role in the National Championship-winning defense this past season. He has prototypical size at 6-4 and 241 pounds, surprising speed with that frame (4.52-second, 40-yard dash at the combine), and the tried and true tackling skills that Dallas is lacking at that position. Another important thing to mention here is Walker’s presence on the Cowboys’ top 30 visit list, a sign that they do indeed have interest in him.

On occasion, there will be instinctual troubles, and Cowboys fans now know how frustrating that can be as certain players in recent years have seriously hurt the defense with that exact same issue. But it is not a massive weakness for him. Walker is a true leader, captain-of-the-defense type guy who would bring some intangibles the Cowboys quite simply do not have right now. If the board is looking dry at 24, look for Jerry Jones to look Walker’s way.