The Dallas Cowboys may take the leap of faith and trade into the top 10 of the NFL Draft to get their guy. If they don't, they'll make their first pick at No. 12 overall or trade down.
R Mason Thomas is widely viewed as a late first-round pick, but Pete Prisco has the First-Team All-SEC pass rusher landing with the Cowboys at No. 12 in CBS Sports' latest mock draft.
Of all the offensive prospects projected to Dallas, Thomas is comfortably the most unhinged suggestion of Mock Draft Szn. The former Sooner would be a fine pick at No. 20 overall, but in no universe should he be in the conversation for the 12th pick, even though Prisco sees shades of a current All-Pro pass rusher in him.
"He has a chance to be (as good as Nik Bonitto). The measurables are the same. They're a lot twitchy."
The Dallas Cowboys cannot draft R Mason Thomas at No. 12 overall
When comparing Bonitto and Thomas, both weigh about the same, but Bonitto is an inch taller. On tape, Thomas is an explosive player off the edge, making sharp turns around opposing offensive tackles to put immediate pressure on quarterbacks.
The All-SEC player racked up 15.5 sacks over the past two seasons at OU, and could be a difference-maker at some point in the NFL if he realizes his potential.
Thomas is a solid pass rusher and a worthy first-round pick, but most projections have him going late in the first round. For example, Field Yates had Thomas going No. 32 to the Seattle Seahawks in ESPN's recent three-round mock draft.
If Thomas is in play, it would make more sense at No. 20, though the Cowboys could have other edge options like Akheem Mesidor available. The only edge prospects who should be in the conversation at No. 12 are Arvell Reese (if you don't consider him an off-ball linebacker), David Bailey, Rueben Bain, and maybe Mesidor.
Thomas belongs in the second half of the first round with Zion Young, Cashius Howell, Malachi Lawrence, Keldric Faulk, TJ Parker, and Gabe Jacas. Taking Thomas at 12 would cause a firestorm among Cowboys fans comparable to the Micah Parsons trade.
Thomas is one of the more underrated edge rushers in the class and could follow a similar path to former Bonitto, who coincidentally also went to Oklahoma. That said, the Cowboys have a laundry list of better options than reaching for him at No. 12.