Brought to you by: Big Shucks
By Zach Walker
The draft is my favorite activity. It’s nerve racking when the Cowboys are on the clock because of what they’ve done in the past. They made draft selections of small school standouts and currently injured potential steals, and that way that they have drafted in the past steered my Cowboys focused mock. That wasn’t how this draft shook out. They drafted players that essentially “came with their batteries” with the package, and are ready to play today. I actually didn’t think that the draft could have shaken out so well for the Cowboys. This is a fantastic draft haul, and could be the defensive side of the coin to last year’s offensive selections.
1st Pick 28th Overall: Taco Charlton DE Michigan: This pick is going to work for the Cowboys. Taco is an “out of the box” player, meaning at the NFL level, he doesn’t have to have a bulking up period in the league, he played and weighed at NFL weight. Taco has a great frame, lengthy reach, and consistent power to his game. Two of the most important aspects of the Cowboys first round pick, he can get to the quarterback with the moves that got him here. And secondly, his name. Taco. It is impossible to not get behind a player named Taco. This, of course, means free taco vouchers for Taco sacks at home games. Pretty much any taco-related clothing from a local drop-ship t-shirt company, sway, or food stuffs are now acceptable Cowboys’ gear.
2nd Pick 60th Overall: Chidobe Awuzie CB Colorado: Two things that are apparent with watching Awuzie. He sticks to his assignments well, if its man coverage he’s heel to heel, and he creates a strong bubble in zone. The thing that shines is his tackling skills. He really knows what he’s doing in taking the ball carrier to the ground, he racked up 255 tackles in his four year career at Colorado. Everything I’ve read is just gripes about his “long speed.” The burners in the NFL are burners because no one can cover them deep, so if the rub with Awuzie is that he could get burnt, I’ll take his skills.
3rd Pick 92nd Overall: Jourdan Lewis CB Michigan: I’m all for believing that the Cowboys weren’t shopping Orlando Scandrick, but team that speculation with the selection of Jourdan Lewis, and there’s some base to the notion of a move from Scandrick. Lewis is a slot corner, and maybe the best that this deep corner draft had to offer. All of my words can get thrown around about Lewis and the way he plays, so I’ll say that he plays corner Steve Smith plays receiver. Or locals can remember Jason Verrett from TCU, current Charger. Really solid pick.
4th Pick 133rd Overall: Ryan Switzer WR North Carolina: I wanted a different guy on the board, but after the dust settled in my head, I started to see solid land mass. Switzer is an undersized white guy, so he gets the comparison to Edelman, Amendola, or the Cowboys’ own Cole Beasley. The possibility of third down and distant and being able to roll seemingly two Beasleys and have potentially Witten and Dez and Zeke, that sounds like a first down. Switzer is also a capable return man, so more usefulness out of the Tar Heel.
5th Pick 191st Overall: Xavier Woods S Louisiana Tech: It’s kind of funny who the buzzworthy pick for a team becomes after the draft is over and done with. Lots of love being felt for this pick of Woods. This player has great instincts for the ball, can cover tight ends and backs, and had consistent production across his 46 starts. Woods’ is going to generate a ton of chatter during training camp and likely have people thinking the Cowboys have another Anthony Brown sixth round steal situation.
6th Pick 216th Overall: Marquez White CB Florida State: Another corner, and this deep in the draft, to have a guy with some high quality tape is nice. He moonlighted as a basketball player a bit, so he’s got the quick feet and change of direction stuff going for him. He’s solid in college, but isn’t too aggressive in getting a good jam on players. White could be a really solid depth player for camp and preseason.
7th Pick 228th Overall: Joey Ivie DT Florida: From the things I’ve read Ivie sounds like a Marinelli guy. Motor and effort through to the core. Maybe not a shiny penny, but one that’ll be fun to watch spin.
8th Pick 239th Overall: Noah Brown WR Ohio State: I’ve got all of the draft magazines and read a ton of stuff on draft prospects, Noah Brown is high on people’s lists. As in “should not be around in the seventh” kind of stuff. A ton of “really should have stayed at school” to just get more seasoned. However, everyone is saying that Brown has ‘Elite’ within him. That he’ll need coaching and mentorship but he could develop into a jewel of the draft.
9th Pick 246th Overall: Jordan Carrell DT Colorado: Carrell logged a ship load of snaps at CU last season, playing in over eighty percent of the defensive sided snaps. He’s probably a player that the Cowboys weren’t wanting to get into a bidding war for, so they just preempted the process with this selection.
The Cowboys now have a fantastically full defensive backs room, a jam of young defensive tackles, and a pair of potential game changers at wide receivers. I don’t think the Cowboys could have done better in this draft.
