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by Jon Machota
Most NFL general managers would say their plan of attack for the draft is to evaluate everyone and ultimately choose the best player available, regardless of need.
Now, that's not necessarily what they actually do when they're on the clock.
But with the recent free agent additions made by the Cowboys, they could realistically be a franchise that approaches the draft in that way, according to ESPN draft guru Todd McShay.
During a Monday podcast, McShay and fellow draft expert Mel Kiper discussed the possibilities for the Cowboys at No. 14 in next month's draft.
While Kiper was in favor of Alabama safety Mark Barron, McShay was open to a wide variety of scenarios.
"I love when teams are able to fill their voids with proven commodities and veterans in the NFL and then go to the draft and be able to sit back and ... are not forced to pick those certain positions," McShay said of the position the Cowboys are in after signing cornerback Brandon Carr and offensive linemen Mackenzy Bernadeau and Nate Livings last week.
"They could still draft a corner," he said. "They're not in love with what they have necessarily. They could still draft Mark Barron, the safety out of Alabama who health is not supposed to be an issue, even though he's had sports hernia surgery. But he's supposed to be 100 percent for this upcoming season and it's not supposed to have any long term affects on him.
"Or they could simply sit back and just take the best player available. Maybe it's another pass rusher, which they don't necessarily need, but okay. Maybe it's Dontari Poe, a guy that needs time to develop but could realistically play defensive end or nose tackle in that 3-4 scheme."
Poe, 6-4, 346 pounds, was outstanding at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last month. The Memphis defensive tackle turned in a combine-best 44 reps in the 225-pound bench press and ran an official 4.98 40-yard-dash, slightly faster than what Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh turned in a few years earlier.
"I think it's going to be interesting for the Cowboys because they can listen to trade offers," McShay added. "Let's say [Texas A&M quarterback] Ryan Tannehill does fall all the way to 14, for some possible reason, or a different player and a team wants to move up a few spots. I think this sets up the Cowboys to take advantage of the draft and a player that falls to them at 14 because they are not forced to do anything."
Most NFL general managers would say their plan of attack for the draft is to evaluate everyone and ultimately choose the best player available, regardless of need.
Now, that's not necessarily what they actually do when they're on the clock.
But with the recent free agent additions made by the Cowboys, they could realistically be a franchise that approaches the draft in that way, according to ESPN draft guru Todd McShay.
During a Monday podcast, McShay and fellow draft expert Mel Kiper discussed the possibilities for the Cowboys at No. 14 in next month's draft.
While Kiper was in favor of Alabama safety Mark Barron, McShay was open to a wide variety of scenarios.
"I love when teams are able to fill their voids with proven commodities and veterans in the NFL and then go to the draft and be able to sit back and ... are not forced to pick those certain positions," McShay said of the position the Cowboys are in after signing cornerback Brandon Carr and offensive linemen Mackenzy Bernadeau and Nate Livings last week.
"They could still draft a corner," he said. "They're not in love with what they have necessarily. They could still draft Mark Barron, the safety out of Alabama who health is not supposed to be an issue, even though he's had sports hernia surgery. But he's supposed to be 100 percent for this upcoming season and it's not supposed to have any long term affects on him.
"Or they could simply sit back and just take the best player available. Maybe it's another pass rusher, which they don't necessarily need, but okay. Maybe it's Dontari Poe, a guy that needs time to develop but could realistically play defensive end or nose tackle in that 3-4 scheme."
Poe, 6-4, 346 pounds, was outstanding at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last month. The Memphis defensive tackle turned in a combine-best 44 reps in the 225-pound bench press and ran an official 4.98 40-yard-dash, slightly faster than what Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh turned in a few years earlier.
"I think it's going to be interesting for the Cowboys because they can listen to trade offers," McShay added. "Let's say [Texas A&M quarterback] Ryan Tannehill does fall all the way to 14, for some possible reason, or a different player and a team wants to move up a few spots. I think this sets up the Cowboys to take advantage of the draft and a player that falls to them at 14 because they are not forced to do anything."
