The Dallas Cowboys primary objective in the first round of the NFL Draft should be finding a new weapon for Dak Prescott.
Just to be clear, tight end and running back do not meet the criteria. A starting wide receiver opposite CeeDee Lamb is the biggest need on the roster.
With Lamb being virtually unguardable in the first and second levels, Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan and his 6-4, 213-pound frame is seen as an ideal fit. McMillan has become the consensus peferred pick among Cowboys fans and it is easy to see why.
Unfortunately, McMillan won't be coming to Dallas after the Carolina Panthers stunned the NFL landscape and took him with the No. 5 overall pick.
Panthers break Cowboys, Dak Prescott's hearts with stunning Tetairoa McMillan pick
The Panthers were heavily linked to Georgia linebacker Jalon Carter, but they needed another weapon for Bryce Young and settled on McMillan. It's a heartbreaker for the Cowboys.
It was no surprise to see McMillan surge up draft boards in the weeks leading up to Thursday night. His stock dropped throughout the pre-draft process despite a dominant final two seasons in Arizona, during which he led the FBS with 2,721 receiving yards and 42 catches of 20 yards or more. He caught 26 touchdowns in his three seasons.
McMillan's volleyball and basketball background shows up all over his film. He attacks the ball at the catch point and has freakish body control to come down with passes regardless of their accuarcy. You will never see McMillan let a ball carry into his chest.
Prescott and the Cowboys really could have used another red zone target. Opposing teams devote nearly all of their attention to shutting down Lamb when Dallas crosses the red zone. The field shrinks and the team's other receivers don't win enough in single coverage. That is why you see Prescott hold onto the ball longer than you'd like in the red zone and force passes into tight windows.
Part of that is on the play-caller, and maybe can explain why Mike McCarthy was let go, but personnel is the biggest culprit.
McMillan will feast in one-on-one situations. His size, length and ball-winning traits are why so many draft analysts compare him to Buccaneers star and future Hall of Famer Mike Evans and rising Falcons star Drake London.
While a dagger, the Cowboys can rebound. Texas receiver Matthew Golden, whom they are clearly enamored with, is still available.