The Dallas Cowboys have plenty of needs to fill this offseason, and owner Jerry Jones doesn't believe quarterback is one of them. Jones has been adamant that quarterback Tony Romo will be the team's starter for the next four to five seasons, but he has been open to succession plan similar to what the Green Bay Packers did with quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
While North Dakota State's Carson Wentz could make a perfect fit behind Romo, the Cowboys won't be using a first round pick on a quarterback. The Cowboys will look to fill other holes on their roster, as they have needs on their defensive line and at the safety and wide receiver positions.
"Jerry told me recently that he will unequivocally not take a quarterback at No. 4, where the Cowboys draft this year. I believe him," wrote former Cowboys general manager Gil Brandt. Some think the Cowboys owner may be just using gamesmanship to land who he wants in the draft, but using the fourth pick on an impact player for next season would make sense.
The Cowboys still could be looking for a quarterback they believe can be a successor to Romo in the future, but it will likely be a second pick if not later. Some names Cowboys fans should pay attention to are Mississippi State's Dak Prescott, Penn State's Christian Hackenberg, Ohio State's Cardale Jones and Stanford's Kevin Hogan. All four of the quarterbacks mentioned above are expected to be drafted and all have upside potential but will need time to develop in the league.
Two other names that could also make sense is Arkansas' Brandon Allen who played at Jones' alma mater, and Louisiana Tech's Jeff Driskel who has only improved his draft stock since the end of the college football season. How high Dallas' front office is willing to draft a quarterback will likely determine the prospect they land, but it wouldn't be a shock if it uses a second round pick on a quarterback it believes can be Romo's successor.
With quarterback out of the question in the first round the Cowboys will look to add an immediate playmaker, and either Ohio State prospects Ezekiel Elliott or Joey Bosa could provide that in Dallas. It's unknown if Bosa will fall to the fourth pick, but some consider him the best talent in the draft, while others have projected him to land in Dallas. Elliott on the other hand may be a reach at four, as running backs tend to not go as high in recent drafts, but Dallas' front office has been known to shock people in the past, which means Elliott could be in play for the Cowboys in the first round.
