Dallas Cowboys: 2018 NFL Draft prediction
By Carl Daley
The Dallas Cowboys are looking to add another talented rookie to their roster tonight as the 2018 NFL draft will begin. Who will they select?
The Dallas Cowboys will be on the clock tonight finally putting months of speculation to rest as the team looks to add another rookie to their roster. The Cowboys are sitting with the number 19th overall pick which should put them in line for any great players who slide out of the top ten.
The team has 10 picks so there are plenty of moves that could be made between now and the time the Cowboys are on the clock. With that in mind, here are some predictions for how tonight and extensively the draft will go.
First round: D.J. Moore (Maryland): I just do not know how the Dallas Cowboys will pass on a wide receiver with their first pick. When you think about it, Anthony Hitchens was a fourth-round pick, so why do the Cowboys need to spend a first rounder on a shiny, new linebacker?
The whole message of this offseason has been to make this offense more “Dak friendly” how the team manages to do that by getting rid of Dez Bryant and not adding a receiver first is beyond me. Sure is that a little high for Moore? Of course but it does not change the fact that he is one of the best if not the best wide receiver in this draft class.
He is incredibly versatile and can line up in all of the wide receiver spots on offense so he is not just a one-trick pony. His production in college also blows everyone pretty much out of the water.
Second round: Trade for Earl Thomas (Seattle Seahawks): Hey, where there is smoke there is fire. The Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks have been having plenty of discussions over veteran safety Earl Thomas and the Cowboys second-round pick. Apparently, Dallas is only interested in the trade if Thomas agrees to a multi-year extension (which is smart).
Getting a true leader in the secondary, a player who has won a Super Bowl and is relatively still in the prime of his career would be a good get for the Dallas Cowboys. It also makes sense for Seattle as they currently do not have a second-round selection.
For Thomas, it makes sense, as he gets to leave what has become a toxic environment for veterans in Seattle, and he gets to return home to Texas. This trade would be a win/win for everyone involved.
Third round: Select a linebacker, defensive lineman, or offensive lineman: With both safety and wide receiver taken care of, the Dallas Cowboys will either land a solid offensive lineman, defensive lineman, or linebacker.
A player like Darius Leonard or Josey Jewell would make sense out of the linebackers they could target. On the defensive line expect Nathan Shepherd to be heavily talked about if he is still available in the third. There is also an outside chance the team looks at a player like James Daniels, Cole Madison, or some of the other lesser known offensive linemen.
Next: Dallas Cowboys: Who will the Cowboys select on Thursday?
One thing is certain there will be a lot of excitement surrounding the Dallas Cowboys today and where this franchise is headed in the future. Expect plenty of surprises in the 2018 NFL draft and it would not be shocking if the Cowboys were at the center of most of them.