Dallas Cowboys 7-Round Mock Draft: Massive Defensive Reload
By Reid Hanson
Round 7, Pick 231
DT, Garrett Marino
UAB
The Dallas Cowboys covered some major needs inside when they added Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe in free agency, but with only Antwaun Woods and Trysten Hill behind them, more investment is needed. Garrett Marino is a guy who could squeak onto this roster if he can tap that situational playmaking ability.
At 6-foot-2, 285lbs, Marino isn’t the big body you usually look for in a DT. Marino is going to get bullied off the snap and is a liability against the run. But he has good explosion in a penetrating 1-gap attack and has a motor that absolutely never stops.
Highest graded C-USA defenders:
— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 22, 2020
1. Jordan Smith, UAB - 92.2
2. Garrett Marino, UAB - 91.1 pic.twitter.com/tDObT5omiJ
On the Dallas Cowboys he projects as a nickel pass-rush specialist from the inside. I wouldn’t even want them to try to make him into something more. If he bulks up too much he could lose his best trait and that just isn’t worth it.
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Debrief
In this mock draft we scored a potential steal in K’Lavon Chaisson. Matching him with DeMarcus Lawrence and maybe even Randy Gregory makes Dallas a pass-rushing beast. We didn’t do much inside at DT but free agency helped alleviate the dire need. Tyrone Crawford could also be utilized inside now that Chaisson is here for the edge.
Clearly, cornerback was a major need that didn’t really get filled. Sure, we brought in two promising players, but no one who can really challenge for the top three CB spots in 2020. That said, we followed the value offered, and snagged a great safety in Antoine Winfield. We also found a way to upgrade the offense with Lynn Bowden. His presence adds an extra dimension to the attack and his potential is something to get excited about.
We rounded it all out with a pretty fantastic linebacker and a situational inside pass-rusher. If things work out as planned, Dallas will head into the 2021 offseason with just CB1 on their need list. This draft puts them in position to win this season, and sets them up for an easy offseason in 2021.
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What do you think? Should the Dallas Cowboys focus this much on defense? Would you rather they reach for CBs or are you taking what the board gives you? Head over to Draft Network and run through some scenarios. If you get a realistic one, be sure to share your results below