Cowboys Draft Rumors: Insider pegs SEC cornerback as likely Day 2 target

The Dallas Cowboys don’t have a pressing need at cornerback. Trevon Diggs and Stephon Gilmore form one of the best duos in the NFL, and Dallas is blessed with legitimate depth at the position in Jourdan Lewis and DaRon Bland, to say nothing of Israel Mukaumu potentially taking up a role in the slot.

With that in mind, it’d be shortsighted of the Cowboys to target a cornerback in the first round of the draft.

Several CBs will come off the board in Round 1. Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez and Clemson’s Devon Witherspoon are potential top-10 picks, while Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr., Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes and Michigan’s DJ Turner all came off the board in the first round in Mel Kiper’s new mock draft.

The cornerback talent goes beyond the projected first-round picks, however. It’s considered a deep class by experts with myriad potential starters — or immediate rotation players — available on the second and third day of the event.

In fact, ESPN’s Jordan Reid is hearing the Cowboys are likely to prioritize a cornerback on Day 2. Not only that, but South Carolina’s Darius Rush is a name that’s “been mentioned frequently in connection with Dallas.”

NFL Draft Rumors: Cowboys to target South Carolina CB Darius Rush on Day 2

The Cowboys targeting a cornerback — Rush specifically — makes perfect sense. Gilmore is viewed as a one-year rental depending how he performs in 2023, and there’s little clarity at the position beyond Diggs and Bland. Even Diggs is entering the final year of his rookie deal and will be extension-eligible.

Further, Nahshon Wright and Kelvin Joseph could struggle to make the 53-man roster this season, and Jourdan Lewis is entering the final year of his contract. We wouldn’t pencil in Lewis as a lock to be here come August. If Dallas drafts a cornerback early, Lewis could be traded or cut to save money on the cap.

Rush, meanwhile, was made in a lab to play cornerback for Dan Quinn. He scored a 9.81 RAS (relative athletic score) and has the acceleration, length, and fluidity to thrive in the NFL as a man corner. His instincts in off coverage and tackling need refinement, but he has excellent ball skills as a former WR recruit.

Rush starred at the Senior Bowl, where he clocked at 21.65 mph — the fastest of any cornerback — and parlayed that into an impressive Combine performance. He fits the mold of corners the Cowboys have targeted in recent drafts and is battle-tested having played in the vaunted SEC the last four years.

Given Rush’s athletic profile and where he’s expected to come off the board, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better CB target for Dallas.

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