5 surprise players the Cowboys could draft at No. 24

4. Trent McDuffie, Cornerback, Washington.

Here, we have a true surprise pick. At just 5-1 and 193 pounds and lacking numbers in both arm length and hand size, Trent McDuffie would directly go against the Cowboys’ cornerback philosophy. It is well known by now they almost exclusively hunt for bigger corners, yet, that strategy has continued to burn them in the past. McDuffie could be their chance to right those wrongs.

His speed, ball skills, and down-right rugged attitude on the field check every box of what you want in a cornerback right now. He is very likely to be gone by this pick, so it would take both a fall and a change in how Dallas likes their corners, but this is supposed to be a surprise pick after all.

Don’t let the needs at WR, OL, LB, and DL overshadow the fact that Dallas needs corners, too. Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis often struggle, and Kelvin Joseph is dealing with some serious legal issues at the moment. McDuffie brings an attitude that players rally around and the skills that fans fall in love with.

It would definitely be big news if he dropped this far, but corners with size issues fall nearly every draft. The question would be if Dallas could swallow the tough pill and actually take a shot on a smaller cornerback. If they do, it could be one of their best defensive draft hits yet.