Cowboys: No.4 Pick In Draft Comes Down To Three Positions

The Dallas Cowboys own the fourth-overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft, but there’s less than a handful of positions that should be discussed as options.

When you’re holding the fourth-overall pick in any NFL Draft, there’s a reason, barring a previous trade and some good luck, that you’re selecting that high. The reasons you’re at that spot could be numerous, but when you get down to the nuts and bolts, there’s probably just two or three primary weaknesses that are creating the biggest problem.

Historically speaking, you’ll see quarterbacks, offensive tackles and pass-rushers (3-4 outside linebackers and 4-3 defensive ends) being selected right off the bat. This is because these three positions, or strengths, are the most necessary for any successful football team. There’s few exceptions to be made.

So, how does that translate to Dallas Cowboys draft plans come April?

Right know nobody has any clue regarding the draft or any other aspect of the NFL offseason. We’re not even passed Super Bowl 50, yet mock drafts are already beginning to speculate on the blue sky and thin air.

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Nonetheless, we can narrow down, with a small measure of accuracy, what direction the Cowboys should take once they go on the clock in the first round.

An offensive tackle would seem to rank a bit lower than quarterback or defensive end in this case. Left tackle Tyron Smith is a three-time Pro Bowl talent that’s widely regarded as the best in the NFL at his position. Smith signed an eight-year extension in the summer of 2014 that’ll keep him in Dallas through the year 2023. It’s more than safe to say that left tackle is not a concern.

If we go to right tackle, it’s clear that Doug Free has had an up and down career, especially during his brief stint at left tackle, which obviously inspired the drafting of Smith to begin with. Free has been pretty solid at right tackle over the last few seasons, and with two more years remaining on his current contract, it would seem unlikely that the Cowboys would be looking for a replacement at this position with the fourth selection. Free turns 31-years old on Saturday, so it’s not like age is an immediate concern – at least not yet.

If not an offensive lineman, the two remaining options, at least in terms of positional value, are quarterback and defensive end.

Quarterback Tony Romo, even despite multiple collar bone injuries in 2015, doesn’t appear to be going anywhere for the time being. When healthy he’s a top-5 quarterback in the NFL who’s credentials and abilities aren’t questioned at all. But those injuries are really beginning to mount, and regardless of owner Jerry Jones’ stated belief that his franchise quarterback will remain in his current position for at least a few more seasons, Father Time and Mother Nature might have other ideas.

No, drafting a quarterback fourth-overall doesn’t make a lot of sense if he’s only intended to be a backup.