The expectation throughout the entire draft process is that the Dallas Cowboys will use one of their first two picks on a cornerback. The top target is assuredly Mansoor Delane, the talented cornerback from LSU. And with the recent buzz around Jermod McCoy and his knee, there feels like a big gap in Round after Delane.
The top cornerbacks in, let’s call it “Tier 2”, are Colton Hood, Chris Johnson, and Avieon Terrell. All three players were 30-visits for the Cowboys and Hood, and Johnson have been the “hottest” names over the last month. But is there another name that could enter the conversation for Dallas if they wait to address their cornerback need?
Don’t count out D’Angelo Ponds to the Dallas Cowboys in Round 1
In a recent mock draft by Cory Kinnan, he had two interesting picks for the Cowboys in Round 1. At pick No. 12, he had Dallas selecting Jordyn Tyson, the wide receiver from Arizona State. Tyson has been gaining more steam as a possible pick at No. 12, but the more fascinating pick (and write-up) came in at No. 20.
Kinnan mocked D’Angelo Ponds, a dynamic cornerback from Indiana, to the Cowboys at No. 20. Ponds is No. 45 on the expert consensus board and the biggest reason why he is further down on the draft board is due to his size. He measured under 5-9 at the NFL Combine and weighed in at just 180 pounds. Ponds is also a big outlier with his arm length (29 3/8”), which is usually something Dallas avoids in the draft.
And yet, Kinnan mocked him to Dallas anyway. And the reason that Kinnan mocked Ponds to Dallas is that he believes that the former Indiana cornerback is the No. 2-ranked cornerback for Dallas, ahead of Hood, Johnson, McCoy, and Terrell:
"After missing on Delane early on, the Cowboys still have a need at cornerback. And one piece of new information that I’ve heard this week is that it’s not Colton Hood, Chris Johnson, or Jermod McCoy who the Cowboys have as CB2 on their board. It’s D’Angelo Ponds."
Ponds isn’t someone who has been mentioned in connection with Dallas very often, but he was a 30-visit, and he was one of the most productive cornerbacks in the country. Ponds recorded 61 tackles, 12 pass deflections, 4 tackles for a loss, and 2 interceptions. But would the Cowboys really draft a cornerback that small early in the draft?
It’s hard to know exactly what to trust with just hours to go until the draft. But if the Cowboys do end up making a surprise pick in Round 1, don’t be surprised if Ponds is the name that the commissioner calls.
However, considering where he's ranked among most, don't be surprised if he is more of a trade-down option rather than a stick-and-pick option at No. 20.
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