Dallas Cowboys: Will They Draft Talent Over Need?

The Dallas Cowboys are in need of a dominant pass rusher, the achilles heel of its defense. With the the 28th pick in the draft, will the Cowboys take talent over need?

It’s well documented that the Dallas Cowboys are in need of a dominant pass rusher. It’s the one position that haunts this team like the plague. Because the Cowboys haven’t had a reliable pass rusher since DeMarcus Ware, they’ve lost two crucial playoff games to the Green Bay Packers.

With the 28th pick in the 2017 draft, there is a strong possibility that an elite pass rusher won’t even be available.

What happens if a talented player , who happens to play a different position, is sitting there for the taking?

If this situation occurs, the question becomes, will the Cowboys draft talent over need?

I know everyone in Cowboys Nation is screaming “no way” because Dallas needs an edge rusher. But a lot of times the draft doesn’t fall as you planned, especially when you’re drafting as late in the first round as Dallas.

Things happen, injuries, poor combine, failed drug test, poor reputations, and the list goes on. Things happen that allow elite talent to slip in the late round. Will the Cowboys be smart enough to take advantage?

In last year’s draft, it was much easier for the Cowboys to select current running back Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick. Dallas had the luxury of picking the cream of the crop. The question was more about what side of the ball did Dallas want to address with their premium pick.

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To some extent, Dallas drafted talent over need when they selected Zeke, considering they already had signed running back Alfred Morris in free agency. And Darren McFadden was already the starting back from last season.

At the time, NFL analysts predicted Dallas selecting defensive end Joey Bosa out of Ohio State University or corner Jalen Ramsey from Florida State University, primarily because they needed defensive help.

How it played out was Dallas made the right decision as Zeke led the league in rushing and is a cornerstone of this franchise moving forward.

I could see a scenario where Dallas goes with talent or “best player available” over need. This time, it’ll be on the defensive side of the ball.

Here is why. Safeties Barry Church and J. J. Wilcox are both free agents and if they don’t re-sign with the team, Dallas could potentially draft Heisman Trophy finalist Jabrill Peppers out of Michigan if he slips that far in the first round.

The dynamic and versatile safety is a natural-born playmaker. Peppers is an instant upgrade, a day one starter. He’s the type of player that if he gets his hands on the ball, he’s taking it to pay dirt.

Now I know you all are wondering why would Peppers fall so low in the first place if he’s so good. Well, Peppers isn’t even projected as the best safety in the draft. (which is ridiculous)

In fact, some draft experts have safeties Jamal Adams from LSU and Malik Hooker out of Ohio State going in the top-10 of the draft, fourth and seventh respectively.

According to the same draft experts, Peppers is expected to go 9th to the Tampa Buccaneers. That’s just one of many rumors circulating about Peppers’ landing spots.

Some draft analysts don’t even have Peppers going in the first round. Basically, the dynamic playmaker can fall anywhere between the the 19th pick and early into the second round. If that happens, Dallas should pluck him up as if they found a $100 dollar bill on the sidewalk.

I know this team needs a pass rusher badly, but how do you pass on a talent like Peppers if he’s there for the taking? The Cowboys have been linked to other players like cornerback Adoree’ Jackson from Southern Cal and Peppers’ teammate Taco Charlton, a defensive end/outside linebacker.

Charlton is a really good player, athletic, fast, smart, and has good football instincts, everything a coach wants in a defensive player. But my choice is Peppers because of his playmaking abilities. As much as Dallas needs an edge rusher, it needs a defensive back who can create turnovers and score touchdowns.

Dallas ranked low in forcing turnovers, and that’s a crucial piece needed for any defense to be successful. Even though Dallas’ secondary played well throughout the season, their defensive backfield lacks a ball hawking player.

I’m not saying Anthony Brown, Orlando Scandrick, Morris Claiborne, Brandon Carr, and Church aren’t good defensive backs, because they played solid. Those guys aren’t ball-hawking, interception-taking- it- to- the-house defensive backs (remember Church dropped 2 ints against the Giants).

With a ultra-talented player like Peppers on the field, he changes the mind-set of opposing quarterbacks and is a nightmare for offensive coordinators. Quarterbacks will be afraid to throw his way or they’ll hold onto the ball too long and get sacked.

Choosing Peppers can only help the secondary, as he plays along side Church (if re-signed) and gives defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli more flexibility in his schemes.

Combine Peppers’ punt return skills to his arsenal, and you’re looking at the carbon copy of former Michigan Wolverine, Heisman Trophy winner, and future Hall of Famer Charles Woodson.

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He might not be the next coming of Woodson, but Peppers has the “it factor”, and that’s what matters the most. When the Cowboys pick 28th, do they draft talent over need?

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