Cowboys 7-Rd Mock Draft v2.0: Finding the X-Factor (2/7)
By Reid Hanson
Round 5, Pick 176
B.J. Hill, DT, North Carolina State
Look around the internet and you’ll see fan sites everywhere mocking B.J. in the later rounds of the draft. Because of this, I feel as though national draft websites maybe undervaluing him and he could end up going much higher.
Even still, many are projecting him in the 5-7 round range so when he was available in my mock draft I went for the pick without thinking twice.
The Cowboys need is quote obvious. The Cowboys appear to be looking into a long-term deal for David Irving (God-willing) and still like the potential of Maliek Collins inside at the 3-technique. I didn’t grab a single DT this draft hoping to find a cheap 1-tech in one of the final stanzas.
And here he is.
B.J. Hill has a fourth round grade for me because he’s always involved in the mess. As a prototypical NT, Hill is asked to take on double teams, play two-gap, and be a general menace. He’s not going to fill up the stat sheet but he’s going to do the dirty work needed for others to make those highlight plays.
I value 1-technique DT higher than most, so it bothered me to wait this long to make the pick. But if Vita Vea really is gone by the 19th pick, I think the Cowboys will wait until the end of the draft to address the position.