Early Draft Targets for the Dallas Cowboys
As the NFL playoffs progress, the Dallas Cowboys are preparing for next season by taking the necessary steps to ensure they reach the playoffs again. They enter the draft in April with two first-round picks, which is a major step in the right direction to improve this roster. The last time the Cowboys had two first-round picks in an NFL Draft was back in 2008, when they drafted Felix Jones 22nd and Mike Jenkins 25th. Now that the draft is still months away, what are some potential options for the Cowboys regarding their picks?
Ohio State Boys
Two players who have garnered a lot of attention are safety Caleb Downs and linebacker Sonny Styles, who are both from Ohio State. Downs, the brother of Josh Downs, who plays for the Colts, has been a monster for the Buckeyes. He has an elite skill set similar to the likes of former Cowboys safety Darren Woodson or Chargers safety Derwin James Jr., where you can plug them anywhere along the secondary. Styles brings Cowboys speed along the middle of the field, which is something they didn't have enough of on the defensive side of the football. Styles, who was a former safety turned linebacker, has elite versatility and rarely ever misses any tackles. Downs and Styles both have all the traits necessary to become elite defensive players in the NFL, and the Cowboys hope they can get either one of them. Their last game together came in a tough loss against the Miami Hurricanes, with the aspirations of repeating in the College Football Playoffs.
Mansoor Delane
With Downs covering the safety position and Styles playing linebacker, the LSU Tigers' Mansoor Delane can assist the Cowboys in what was arguably their weakest area on defense: the cornerback position. The Cowboys had one of the least effective secondaries in the league, and Delane's contributions on the backend could provide significant improvement. Despite his smaller arm length, he is capable of playing at any position within the cornerback role, whether on the boundary or in the slot. His high football IQ is a significant asset. As Delane is on the slower side, he knows how to position and shift his body in the correct direction to make the right play.
