Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is known to fall in love with the sexy and flashy pick whenever the NFL Draft rolls around. It's why he has traded up for the likes of Morris Claiborne and Mike Jenkins in recent years and why he's selected running backs Felix Jones and Julius Jones early on. Rarely do these types of high profile draft picks pan out. However, in recent years the Cowboys have focused on rebuilding their offensive line and stayed away from disappointing (to this point) names like Johnny Manziel or Melvin Gordon.
That trend could continue in the 2016 NFL Draft. ESPN NFL Insider Todd McShay projects Dallas to select Notre Dame outside linebacker Jaylon Smith with the No. 6 overall pick in his Mock Draft 1.0.
"I won't be surprised if the Cowboys spend an early-round pick in 2016 on a QB to be Tony Romo's heir apparent," McShay wrote. "But with [Paxton] Lynch and [Jared] Goff gone, Smith would be a good way for Dallas to bolster its front seven. He shows excellent range against the run and in coverage, and is a far more disruptive pass rusher than his 4.5 career sacks would lead you to believe."
Projecting draft slots and prospects this far out is rarely an accurate exercise. But getting a sense of a team's needs and where certain players are being valued is worthwhile.
For the Cowboys, Smith does make sense. Linebacker Sean Lee will be 30 next season and has an extensive injury history while 2014 fourth-rounder Anthony Hitchens is good yet unspectacular. It's not as if the Cowboys have been stout against the run this year either, ranking 18th in rush yards allowed per game (113.8) and 29th in rushing touchdowns (13). Smith could come in and make an impact from day one.
On the season, Smith has a whopping 114 total tackles with nine tackles for a loss and one forced fumble. He has good instincts and solid sideline-to-sideline speed. He would be a safe pick for a Cowboys team in need of some defensive upgrades.
