It's hard to make heads or tails out of rumors leading up to the NFL Draft, but the sheer speculation connecting the Dallas Cowboys to a potential trade-up from the No. 12 pick suggests Jerry Jones and company are giving it some serious thought.
Some insiders think Dallas could move up to No. 6 for Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. Others have circled Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs as a potential target. However, one player who has not been tied to the Cowboys much -- if at all -- is fellow Buckeye Arvell Reese.
In a recent column for ESPN, Adam Schefter floated one possibility that could tempt Dallas to trade up for Reese: the New York Jets take David Bailey at No. 2, the Arizona Cardinals nab Jeremiyah Love at No. 3, and the Tennessee Titans select Styles at No. 4.
"Then Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese -- or Bailey, if the Jets take Reese at No. 2 -- could slide to No. 5. It would suddenly be very tempting for a team such as the Cowboys to potentially trade up for a top-tier pass rusher. Again, the draft would have to go a specific way for this scenario to play out.
But two teams raised this scenario this weekend, wondering if it somehow could unfold this week. It's exactly the type of scenario that makes the draft so compelling."
Adam Schefter thinks the Dallas Cowboys could trade up for Ohio State star Arvell Reese
Whereas Dallas has been linked to trading up for Bailey, there’s been virtually no mention of Reese. While Schefter was speculating more than reporting, he did confirm the Cowboys are viewed as a “potential trade-up candidate in the eyes of some front office executives."
A lot has to go right for Reese even to be a possibility for Dallas.
With Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza penciled in as the top pick, the draft, for all intents and purposes, begins with the Jets at No. 2. The odds have swung back and forth between Reese and Bailey, pointing to a true 50/50 split just days before draft night.
Trading up for Reese is a long shot, but for the sake of entertaining Schefter's intel, it's a very tantalizing idea. While Reese is the top overall player on FanSided's Big Board, there are mixed opinions on where he'll play in the pros.
Some believe he’s best suited as an off-ball linebacker, where he played at Ohio State, while others see a future as a ferocious pass rusher. Analysts have compared his trajectory to that of Micah Parsons as someone who made a similar transition from off-ball to edge as a rookie.
Reese could end up as the best player in the class, but he needs time to learn how to rush the passer. He'd be an instant starter for the Cowboys, which they need more than anything, but they're also not in a position to wait for players to realize their potential.
While Reese has the higher ceiling, Bailey is the more polished pass rusher. That immediate impact on winning makes it fair to argue that trading up for Bailey would be the smarter move.
Depending on the cost, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Cowboys fan who’d be disappointed if Dallas comes away with Reese. But there’s still a risk that can’t be ignored.
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