Dallas Cowboys 7-Round Mock Draft: Trading Way Back

Round 4, Pick123

Alton Robinson, DE

Syracuse

The Dallas Cowboys have found their CB1, starting safety, future starting defensive tackle, and their slot receiver/ playmaker extraordinaire. Now they enter Round 4 with a sense of freedom. Tight end would be nice but this is an unusually shallow tight end class and none of them present great value right now.

The Cowboys could also use a big-bodied defensive tackle to man the 1-tech and nose, but this falls into “I’ll believe it when I see it” territory. For years we’ve blamed Rod Marinelli on not drafting run-stopping DTs but it may actually be Will McClay who dislikes drafting that kind of player. That’s why we’re going with a pass-rushing specialist here.

Outside of the first two edges players, this is a weak edge class – everyone this year has major deficiencies. But the 6-foot-3, 259lb Alton Robinson is my pet cat of this underwhelming edge class.

Robinson has quick first step and wins a lot of battles blasting off around the edge. But he’s not a one-trick-pony. Alton has decent hand work and some very clear counter moves he relied on as well. I wouldn’t call him a Gumby edge player, but he definitely has bend and flexibility to take some impressive angles around the corner.

Robinson isn’t an every-down player, by any means. He’s not a good tackler and isn’t quite nasty enough to fight through run blocks. But he has tremendous value as a nickel pass-rusher and appears to be an option at a 3-4 OLB edge when/if Mike Nolan mixes things up.