Dallas Cowboys 7-Round Mock Draft: Getting Defensive (version 1.0)
By Reid Hanson
Round 1
C.J. Henderson
CB, Florida
C.J. Henderson’s stock places him between 16-24 but it’s expected go up once he tests at the Combine. The 6-foot-1 burner out of Florida is expected to put up elite numbers in the underwear Olympics and the only thing that can stop his rise is his tackling. But we’ll get back to that…
The Dallas Cowboys are in desperate need at CB. With Byron Jones expected to leave and Chidobe Awuzie’s struggles, Dallas is in the market for a true CB1 this offseason and with Kristian Fulton already off the board, Henderson could be that guy.
Henderson posted 11 deflections in nine games for the Gators last season. As the unquestioned top corner, he matched up against the opposition’s best receiver. Pro Football Focus rated him the class’s second best man corner but most of Henderson’s interceptions have come from zone – so really he can do both.
About the only thing he can’t do is tackle. Henderson is not a very willing tackler and has some embarrassing efforts on film. He’d need an attitude change at the next level. Even in coverage Henderson took a step back in 2019. He gave up too many deep shots and seemed to take more gambles than he could handle.
At the end of the day, PFF says he has top-10 talent that translates great to the NFL game. Henderson could be a Pro Bowler is he just fixes his tackling. Given the high work-ethic and character of Jourdan Lewis and Chido, he’d be put on the right path to greatness in Dallas.