Dallas Cowboys 7-Round Mock Draft: No CBs? No Problem!

Round 7, Pick 231

WR, James Proche

SMU

At first glance, James Proche looks like the next great star of the NFL. But it doesn’t take long before film watcher starts questioning how his plays actually translate to the next level. Proche would be a slot receiver/gadget guy in the NFL. But he’s not overly fast, nor is he overly nimble.

He’s built stockier than even his numbers indicate (5-foot-11, 196lb), and actually looks like a running back on film. His routes are loose and lack the natural crispness or consistency you want from a slot man.

He may seem redundant to the Dallas Cowboys since they just grabbed Lynn Bowden, and in a lot of ways he is. Proche lacks the ceiling of Bowden and carries considerably more risk, but he is worth gambling on in the 7th because he’s a natural playmaker. He has extraordinary hands, a flare for the dramatic, and a certain “it” quality where he routinely creates something out of nothing.

Dallas Cowboys Debrief

To re-cap: C.J. Henderson and K’Lavon Chaisson were both gone at Pick 17. Rather than reach on CB3, Dallas opted to trade back and hope to get their CB at a more appropriate spot in the first round. Unfortunately those options went before they were back on the clock.

More from Cowboys Draft

• Dallas Cowboys 2019 Draft: Re-grading the picks 4 year later
• Dallas Cowboys: Re-grading the 2018 draft class (round by round)
• Re-grading the Dallas Cowboys 2016 draft, seven years later
• Dallas Cowboys 2023 UDFA profiles – Who are these guys?
• Dallas Cowboys 2023 draft grades: The science of the grades, pick by pick

The Dallas Cowboys pivoted strategies, and picked the best player on the board in Zack Baun. They knew they had three more top-100 picks and figured they could still get one, if not two, future starters. That plan was put to the test at Pick 51 when the Dallas Cowboys saw all their second round CB targets disappear before their eyes. Falling back on BPA, Dallas went with a pass-rushing DT at pick 51 and rolled into round three knowing they NEEDED a CB.

Luckily for them things finally fell in their favor and they grabbed cornerbacks Troy Pride Jr. and Amik Robertson. Two players who will start at some point THIS season. Round four brought them a potentially elite slot receiver with Lynn Bowden. And round five netted them a strong safety and a linebacker who can both contribute right away. The draft ends on local kid James Proche, adding more firepower and depth to the unproven stable of WRs on the roster.

So as you can see, not getting a cornerback in the top two rounds may not be ideal, but it’s hardly a death sentence. Reaching for a cornerback would be the death sentence. By taking what the board gives them, and not being afraid to move back if the landscape isn’t to their liking, the Dallas Cowboys keep their options alive and maximize their top-100 picks.

Try some simulations for yourself. Try to avoid CB early and see what you can do. Be sure to share results below.