The Dallas Cowboys may be coming off a 12-4 season, but that doesn't mean they don't have areas of weakness. The secondary is an absolute mess and the defense as a whole could use some more talent. Plus, replacing the departed DeMarco Murray isn't going to be a picnic.
The NFC East may not be the most fearsome division, but the Cowboys have to address these needs if they hope to stay on top of it. Luckily, the upcoming NFL Draft offers them the perfect opportunity to plug some of these holes. ESPN NFL Draft Insider Mel Kiper Jr. projects Dallas to select UConn cornerback Byron Jones, Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Bennett and Michigan State running back Jeremy Langford in his recent three round mock draft.
"There's already a need at cornerback - you can't have enough if you expect to play with some leads - and that's before we have a resolution on Brandon Carr's contract situation," Kiper wrote. "Jones is one of the biggest sleepers in the draft, a cornerback with the ability to handle safety, an extraordinary athlete with very good instincts. He's also a great kid. While I want to address the defensive line, I just don't want to pass on Jones at this point. In Round 2, we get Bennett, a player with the ability to beat blockers inside and be a disruptor, and I really like the value at that point. I think Bennett has been surpassed by high-upside defensive tackles, but few players have as much quality tape as he has going back through his sophomore and junior seasons. The Cowboys have a need at running back, but what they don't need to do is spend early on a running back because it's going to be hard for a competent runner not to succeed behind the Dallas offensive line. Langford is sneaky-explosive (he's played WR and CB) and has sub-4.4 speed. While he's not a bruiser, you do need to square him up, and I think in Dallas he'll see creases and be able to break off some big runs."
The Cowboys finished 2014 with the eighth worst pass defense in the league. Jones would be a great addition - especially given the uncertainty around Carr and Morris Claiborne - though Jerry Jones may have to compete with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots for his services.
The NFL Draft will kick off on April 30.
