Dallas Cowboys: How important is linebacker in the draft?

The Dallas Cowboys saw their linebacking corps fall apart last season making linebacker a top priority in this springs draft. How important should it be?

We all saw the graphics. With Sean Lee on the field, the Cowboys were a run-stopping brick wall to opponents. Without Sean Lee the Cowboys were an open door to opposing running backs. It was shocking how much one man could change a defense but it was an unavoidable reality we all had to accept.

The numbers speak to Sean Lee’s brilliance as well as the falloff in talent behind him. That also speaks to the coaching staff’s inability to replace players, but let’s not get into that bag of worms…

We can’t undervalue or overvalue the linebacker position because like offensive tackle, it’s basically a super-important backup position.

Seeing the Cowboys struggle without their aging and injury-prone star on the field leads to the logical conclusion – the Cowboys need to draft a linebacker early in the draft.

It’s hard to argue with that logic. That’s why I placed a priority on drafting an offensive tackle this year.

I think the loss of Tyron Smith (and the collective play of Byron Bell and Chaz Green) was the single biggest factor in Dallas’ downfall in ’17. Everything went wrong from that Atlanta game on. That’s why I promote drafting an offensive tackle as early as Day 2 (rounds 2 or 3).

Related Story: How soon is too soon to draft an offensive linemen?

Day 2 may seem a little high for a backup, but it’s such an important role it needs to be addressed with a competent solution. And that’s the same attitude we must take with linebacker this draft.

We can’t undervalue or overvalue the linebacker position because like offensive tackle, it’s basically a super-important backup position.

As OCC pointed out last month, the Cowboys are only in their base defense 20-22 percent of the time (based on the last two years of data). That means the SAM (the No. 3 LB) plays less than a quarter of the game. That’s far too little to dedicate a first round pick to, wouldn’t you say?

An Important Part-time Player

But considering the importance of the position, it’s something that can’t be ignored either. Chances are Sean Lee is going to miss time next year. The Cowboys can’t afford a defensive collapse like last year if they find themselves sans Lee.

Now, some may point to Jaylon Smith and say he would be the odd man if the Cowboys draft a linebacker early. But anyone short of Roquan Smith wouldn’t force such a move. The Cowboys are excited about Jaylon and have no intention of displacing him.

In my latest mock draft I have Trumaine Edmunds slipping through the cracks and Dallas snatching him up. As a clear outside linebacker who needs grooming, I see him as a player who can start at SAM (playing 20-22 percent of the snaps) in 2018 and be there to fill in for Lee when the inevitable injury occurs.

Next: 7-Round Mock Draft (Reid 2.0) February

Linebacker is extremely important to the Cowboys this coming draft but we have to accept it’s nothing more than a part-time gig right now and falls behind other positions of need that may be full-time roles. If the Cowboys draft a linebacker high, he needs to be capable of playing SAM now, with the ability to back-up at WILL and MIKE.