As we close in on the end of the NFL season, it’s time to realize the draft is just around the corner. Teams who’ve been eliminated are already preparing for the new group of college players coming to the league. The Dallas Cowboys finished the season 9-7 and struggled at times this season. What are the top 5 Cowboys 2018 draft needs?
#1: Wide Receiver
Alabama’s Calvin Ridley is the top wide receiver prospect in this draft, and he may be the only receiver with true first round talent. If Ridley is available at 19th overall, don’t be surprised if the Cowboys select him. If Ridley is gone, the Cowboys should wait until later rounds to explore the receiver position. Whether they draft one in the first round or wait until later rounds, Dallas needs an offensive play-maker, and they’ll look to draft one in the spring. Possible receivers the Cowboys may be interested include: Calvin Ridley, Courtland Sutton, Christian Kirk, and Deon Cain.
#2: Linebacker
Although the Cowboys have a strong line-backing corps already, there are still some questions regarding it. Anthony Hitchens is a free agent, and Sean Lee can’t seem to stay healthy. Jaylon Smith has improved throughout this season, however, there are still questions about his speed, which was affected by a brutal knee injury in his final college game. Possible linebackers the Cowboys may be interested in include: Tremaine Edmunds, Roquan Smith, Rashaan Evans, and Malik Jefferson.
#3: Safety
The Cowboys must target a secondary player in this draft, and more specifically, a safety. This draft has two solid safety prospects, Florida State’s Derwin James and Alabama’s Ronnie Harrison. Both players have a mid-first-round grade, and Dallas may select one if they’re around at 19. Minkah Fitzpatrick is far-and-away the best safety in the draft, but he won’t reach the bottom half of the first-round.
#4: Defensive Lineman
Pass-rush is always important in the NFL, and this draft is loaded with defensive linemen. The Cowboys had a solid duo with David Irving and Demarcus Lawrence, but this off-season could change that. Lawrence is an unrestricted free agent that will get tons of offers after having by the best season of his young career. Irving is a restricted free agent that could see an offer sheet from another team, as he recorded seven sacks in only eight games. Possible DL the Cowboys could draft include: Christian Wilkins, Maurice Hurst, Vita Vea, Da’ron Payne, and Da’Shawn Hand.
#5: Tight End
Jason Witten is in the waning stages of his Hall of Fame career. This should be the year the Cowboys should draft his successor. Rico Gathers could be an athletic pass catching tight end later in his career, but the question marks are just too blatant to ignore, so Dallas should look for another option in the draft. Three potential tight ends for Dallas to target are Dallas Goedert, Hayden Hurst, and Mike Gesicki.
Follow my twitter @NatePerSources for more draft info and other sports content!