Dream scenario for the Dallas Cowboys 2020 NFL Draft.

The Dallas Cowboys currently hold the 17th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. They have major needs at cornerback, safety, the defensive line, and wide receiver among other positions that could use additional depth such as tight end, offensive line, and linebacker. The recent track record for Dallas Cowboys draft picks has been above average but they will need to hit on a few picks this year to try to replace some of the players they lost in free agency such as Byron Jones, Robert Quinn, and Randall Cobb. In addition, the recent signings of Gerald McCoy, Dontari Poe, and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix were short term fixes and the Cowboys need to build for the future as well. It is unlikely that the 2020 NFL draft will solve all of the Dallas Cowboys problems, but in this fictional “dream” scenario, the team could potentially address multiple positions with talented players.

In order for this scenario that I have envisioned to conceivably play out, a number of things would have to happen. First of all, the Los Angeles Chargers trade up to #3 to select….QB Justin Herbert! That’s right, they pass on Tua Tagovailoa, perhaps due to durability concerns. In any case, this gives the Miami Dolphin’s pause as they were hoping to draft Herbert for the same reasons and when they are on the clock they pass on Tua and draft the next best player available instead…LB Isaiah Simmons. Tua continues to fall and so too do the pair of best defensive tackles in the class Derrick Brown and Javon Kinlaw. Brown due his positional value and poor combine performance and Kinlaw due to concerns over his knees. There is a run on wide receivers and offensive tackles. Tampa Bay selects CB C.J Henderson out of Florida and in a very surprising move the Jacksonville Jaguars trade up to draft another QB not named Tua as they pull the trigger on Utah State’s Jordan Love! The Atlanta Falcons select Javon Kinlaw with the 16th pick and the Dallas Cowboys are on the clock at 17 with Tua Tagovailoa still available!!!

At this point the Dallas Cowboys have several options. Derrick Brown has fallen into their lap similarly to 2013 when Sharrif Floyd fell to them at pick #18. They also have their pick of safeties, Grant Delpit, Xavier McKinney, Kyle Dugger, or Antoine Winfield. Kristian Fulton, Trevon Diggs, and Jeff Gladney at corner back are also on their radar, and they could potentially add a pass rusher as well. With K’Lavon Chaisson off the board A.J Epenesa, Yetur Gross Matos, Curtis Weaver, and Zack Baun are all in play. So to is linebacker Kenneth Murray, Center Cesar Ruiz, and several wide receivers. With all of these options available, the Dallas Cowboys decide to shop the 17th pick to try to accumulate some more picks.

With Tua Tagovailoa still available teams are beginning to show interest despite the durability concerns. The Patriots start off the bidding by offering picks 23.87, and 125 to move up to pick 17. Then the Raiders, who passed on Tua to select WR Jerry Jeudy previously, decide to make use of their additional 1st round pick by offering picks #19 and 81. New England then increases their offer by throwing in pick 98 to go with 23, 87, and 125. At this point, Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins still have 2 more 1st round picks and Flores is anxious to avoid having his mentor Bill Belichick and the division rival Patriots secure another franchise QB to succeed Tom Brady. Miami decides to throw their hat into the ring and offer picks 26 and 56. The Raiders up the ante and offer 19, 81 and 121 so Miami counters with pick 18 and pick 56. The Raiders then add pick 80 to 19, 81, 121 before the Patriots make a strong offer of pick 23, 87, 98, AND a 2021 1st round pick! Out of desperation now to win the bidding war, The Dolphins make a final offer of pick 18, 39, and 70 to move up one spot for a player they already passed up at pick #5 with the Cowboys throwing in pick #164 back to Miami. The Cowboys accept the offer and fleece the Dolphins much like the 49ers fleeced the Bears back in 2017 when they drafted Mitch Trubisky. The Dallas Cowboys now have 5 picks in the top 100 with #18, 39, 51, 70 and 82!

The Miami Dolphins now scoop up Tua at pick #17 and the Cowboys are on the clock once again with a ton of options. This time the Dallas Cowboys don’t mess around and they pick the best player available. With the 18th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Dallas Cowboys select……DT DERRICK BROWN, AUBURN. The Dallas Cowboys draft the stud DT out of Auburn and the best player available ignoring their position of greatest need while Cowboys fans rejoice!

The first round comes to a conclusion and still on the board are edge rushers Zack Baun, Curtis Weaver, Yetor Gross Matos. At cornerback Trevon Diggs, A.J Terrell, and Damon Arnette. There are still several wide receivers available along with center Cesar Ruiz. Also, similar to 2019, only one safety is drafted and surprisingly it is the athletic small school standout Kyle Dugger so Delpit, McKinney, and Winfield are all options for the Cowboys now at pick 39. Within the first 6 picks of the second round, Baun, Terrel, Ruiz, and McKinney are taken. The Cowboys have big needs at safety and cornerback but since pass rushers are valued more and there are limited options….With the 39th pick in 2020 NFL Draft the Dallas Cowboys select….DE, CURTIS WEAVER, BOISE STATE. The Cowboys add another Boise State alumnus whose stock is rising and has entered into first round consideration after showing better than expected athleticism at the NFL combine. As the second round progresses, the Dallas Cowboys are targeting Alabama CB Trevon Diggs and LSU Safety Grant Delpit who they did not anticipate being available at this point in the draft. The Cowboys are concerned with losing an opportunity at both players as pick #51 approaches but luckily for them the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, who both only have a single pick in the top 100 are desperate to accumulate more picks. As a result, they both approach the Dallas Cowboys and with the demand high, the Cowboys once again secure a trade for optimal value. They are able to move up to pick #43 after dealing picks #70 and #82 to the Chicago Bears. With the 43rd pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Dallas Cowboys select….CB, TREVON DIGGS, ALABAMA. The Dallas Cowboys have made 2 selections thus far in the second round and will get to pick again at #51 but they chose to draft Trevon Diggs over Grant Delpit and address their need at cornerback. The Dallas Cowboys expect Grant Delpit to be selected before they get to pick again but last year 3 top tier safeties made it to them at pick #58 and they instead drafted DT Trysten Hill. This year they vow not to make the same mistake if the opportunity presents itself. And it does, perhaps due to concerns over tackling or the devaluing of the safety position, their man is still on the board at pick #51. Therefore…With the 51st pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Dallas Cowboys select….SAFETY, GRANT DELPIT, LSU. Dallas Cowboy fans are thrilled! The team won’t make another selection on day 2 but they secured DT Derrick Brown, DE Curtis Weaver, CB Trevon Diggs, and S Grant Delpit. All of these players are arguably 1st round talent.

On Day three the Cowboys make a few more selections and address the departure of C Travis Frederick by drafting Matt Hennessey out of Temple. They are also able to draft a slot receiver deep into the fifth round Devin Duvernay out of Texas and in the 7th round they add another corner and return man Grayland Arnold from Baylor and the final draft haul is as follows:

Pick #18 DT, DERRICK BROWN, AUBURN

Pick #39 DE CURTIS WEAVER, BOISE STATE

Pick #43 CB TREVON DIGGS, ALABAMA

Pick #51 S GRANT DELPIT, LSU

Pick #123 C MATT HENNESSEY, TEMPLE

Pick #180 WR DEVIN DUVERNAY, TEXAS

Pick #232 CB GRAYLAND ARNOLD, BAYLOR

This is all just a pipe dream scenario but when it comes to the NFL Draft one can always expect the unexpected. Players rise and fall, teams are unpredictable, and trades never exactly work on any trade value charts which is especially true when demand is high. This year, with no pre-draft visits or pro-days, there could be even more unpredictability. Who knows, maybe at least part of this dream can come true!

*Photo by Tammy Anthony Baker https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/