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Dallas Cowboys: Seven Round Mock v2.0 Combine Edition

By Daniel Ruppert

Mar 1, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett speaks to the media during the 2017 NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett speaks to the media during the 2017 NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 28, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers tight end Scott Orndoff (83) catches the ball defended by Northwestern Wildcats linebacker Nate Hall (32) during 1st half of The Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers tight end Scott Orndoff (83) catches the ball defended by Northwestern Wildcats linebacker Nate Hall (32) during 1st half of The Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 7 – Scott Orndoff, TE, Pitt

These late draft picks are so hard to project. Orndoff is one of those players that could go anywhere from the 5th round to the 7th round. He tended to be around in the seventh round, and after watching him on tape, he was worth a pick here.

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Orndoff isn’t the best route runner, has mediocre hands, and is quite raw. However, Orndoff can be a run blocker from day one in the league. He runs the seam routes well, and if he catches the ball, he will punish anyone who gets in his way.

He will need a lot of work with running sharp routes and has to work on his hands.

However, both of these seem fixable when watching tape on him. Much of his issues were shaky quarterback play causing contested catches and erratic throws.

He doesn’t have a huge radius which added to the problems, but again some of it looks more like stiffness in his body rather than his style of play.

Orndoff might need a year or two but could find ways to contribute right away in the run blocking part of the game and on special teams. He will be a project, but his work ethic should help him.

Wrap Up

Much of this draft has a lot of unknowns for the Dallas Cowboys. How they fare in free agency and what happens with Tony Romo will dictate what their needs and wants will be. They could look for a tight end earlier in the draft and may not need a backup guard.

With all the questions left to answer, this mock was one of best available without looking too far ahead in the offseason. The Cowboys will need to be smart as the draft approaches, and the defense should be a point to address in both free agency and the draft more than the offense.

Next: Dallas Cowboys: Defensive Back May Be the Most Urgent Position to Address

Where the Dallas Cowboys go from here is a complete mystery. However, they were able to restructure Sean Lee‘s contract to free up some money for free agency, which could show how active they plan to be. A lot of teams are throwing smokescreens at this point and Dallas with Jerry Jones is no different based on history. I will say look at who the Cowboys bring in on their local workout days as well as who they have invited to the other workouts.

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