The NFL draft is just around the corner for all franchises. The Cowboys have a total of nine picks, so it will be a very important moment for the construction of the roster. Although each one will have value, what happens on April 28 may be the most relevant. On that day 1 Dallas owns the 24th overall pick.
In this part of the calendar you can see the so-called mock drafts everywhere. It is essential to clarify that it is about the visualization of different scenarios to know how everything could be triggered. The intention of this exercise does not refer then to a prediction about what each team will do.
The methodology used in our case serves to collate the thoughts of experts on college football. That’s why we selected publications from The Athletic, NFL.com, Pro Football Focus and CBS Sports to determine a kind of consensus. The position that each prospect occupies is precisely an average of those mentioned editions.
Mock draft 1.0
1 Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
2 Detroit Lions: EDGE Travon Walker, Georgia
3 Houston Texans OT Ikem Ekwonu, NC State
4 New York Jets: OT Evan Neal, Alabama
5 New York Giants: EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
6 Carolina Panthers: QB Malik Willis, Liberty
7 New York Giants – vía Chicago Bears: CB Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati
8 Atlanta Falcons: S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
9 Seattle Seahawks – vía Denver Broncos: OT Charles Cross, Mississippi State
10 New York Jets – vía Seattle Seahawks: WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State
11 Washington Commanders: WR Drake London, USC
12 Minnesota Vikings: EDGE Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State
13 Houston Texans – vía Cleveland Browns: CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
14 Baltimore Ravens: EDGE George Karlaftis, Purdue
15 Philadelphia Eagles – Miami Dolphins: CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
16 Philadelphia Eagles – vía Indianapolis Colts: DL Jordan Davis, Georgia
17 Los Angeles Chargers: LB Devin Lloyd, Utah
18 New Orleans Saints: QB Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
19 Philadelphia Eagles: WR Chris Olave, Ohio State
20 Pittsburgh Steelers: OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
21 New England Patriots: WR Jameson Williams, Alabama
22 Green Bay Packers – vía Las Vegas Raiders: WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas
23 Arizona Cardinals: DL Devonte Wyatt, Georgia
24 Dallas Cowboys: IOL Zion Johnson, Boston College
The Mock Draft 1.0 Scenario
Many consider the Boston College graduate to be the first interior offensive lineman to be drafted. Going for a guard in the first round might not be as flashy as there are other more impactful positions in the game. However, choosing in the last third makes it an acceptable zone to strengthen such an important sector.
In this situation, there would be the possibility of getting great value with the 24th pick. The reason is that it would add to the Cowboys’ need to reinforce the interior of the offensive line with good available talent. An interesting tidbit is that aside from the prospect in question there were still options like guard Kenyon Green or center Tyler Linderbaum.
The lack of quarterbacks with potential hurts Dallas a bit by not pushing good players down. However, the reality is that they could find a young man who meets their requirements without the obligation to move up in the order. With the exception of notable pass rushers, the current position is something that management should take advantage of.
What could Zion Johnson contribute?
One characteristic that stands out in this young man is his strength. The power that he possesses allows him to be a reliable blocker inside the offensive line. In turn, he has a very solid base that allows him to compete with a good balance in the face of defensive pressure. While he still needs to improve his pass protection technique, the essential fundamentals of the job make him a great alternative.
A decisive element that the staff will be looking for is versatility. Investing a first-round pick makes a lot more sense when a prospect can hold multiple positions. Johnson’s strength will undoubtedly be on guard. However, his experience as a tackle could come in handy in an emergency during a game. Another valuable fact is that in the Senior Bowl he had quite a few reps at center.
About a minute of combo blocks with Zion Johnson (77) and Alec Lindstrom (72) of Boston College pic.twitter.com/ii3YAVkFdN
– Nick Falato (@nickfalato) March 13, 2022
