If one thing has become clear after the NFL scouting combine this weekend, it is that the Dallas Cowboys are going to draft a WR. They have met with a number of top wide receiver prospects including notable standouts Calvin Ridley (Alabama), D.J Moore (Maryland), Christian Kirk (Texas A&M), Equanimeious St. Brown (Notre Dame), and Deon Cain (Clemson) among others. As David Helman and Brian Broaddus stated on DallasCowboys.com Draft Show, it appears as though they are “hunting” wide receivers.** Also on the show, they alluded to the fact that in 2016 the Cowboys had talked to a lot of quarterbacks leading up to the draft in which they selected Dak Prescott in the 4th round. Wide receiver is clearly a position that could use an upgrade and the rumours that the Cowboys could part ways with Dez Bryant would only increase the need for the position in the upcoming draft.
It seems obvious that the Cowboys will select a WR at some point this year but with some of the names among those they have contacted it would suggest that they are not opposed to using their 1st round pick to get one. While many Cowboys fans would be thrilled if the Cowboys added a young, dynamic wide receiver like Ridley or Moore in the first round, I would be among the group of fans disappointed at such a decision.
Don’t get me wrong, I recognise that the current crop of wide outs is lacking and I am all for the Cowboys making changes here, just not in the first round. First of all, I am firmly on team ‘Don’t cut Dez Bryant ‘so I don’t think the Cowboys need to shop for a new #1 wide receiver. Secondly, even if they do draft a wide out in the 1st round, it is likely that it will take at least a couple of years for that player to really have a significant impact.
A complementary wide receiver with speed would be great to pair opposite of Dez, but the 1st round might not be the best place to find that guy. While I am not opposed with the IDEA of selecting a wide receiver in the 1st round, I feel strongly that at pick 19 the Cowboys would have to pass up a better player at another position of need and who could help improve their team more. If a difference maker like Ruquan Smith (LB), Tremaine Edmunds (LB) or Derwin James (S) is there at 19, I would prefer the Cowboys to select any one of those guys over Calvin Ridley (WR). Assuming Calvin Ridley is not there at 19, I would sooner prefer an elite DT like Vita Vea or Da’Ron Payne over perhaps the next best WR D.J Moore. If the Cowboys do not want to go with a DT, as Stephen Jones has suggested, I would be perfectly fine with the popular notion of selecting a guard (either Isaiah Wynn or Will Hernandez) in lieu of a wide receiver because I believe we can find a better wide receiver than guard in the 2nd round.
In short, I am happy that the Cowboys seem to be set on drafting a wide receiver. I am also glad that they seem to being doing their due diligence. I only hope that just as when they drafted Dak in the 2016, they can find value in the later rounds and get the best player available in the 1st.
*Photo by Kieth Allison https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode
** http://www.dallascowboys.com/content/draft-show
2018 Draft: A mistake for Cowboys to rule out drafting a One Technique DT