Complete Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft: Final Prediction

K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU

Dallas Cowboys general manager Stephen Jones gave Cowboys fans an initial sigh of relief when he said the Cowboys were coveting a SAM linebacker/pass rush specialist player and not an off-ball linebacker. Unfortunately, that comes with the realization that a week before the draft is peak lying season and Bobby Belt follows up with this tweet.

Of these four, let’s pick the best player on the list. His name is K’Lavon Chaisson and he is an athletic freak with below-average production in his lone full season of college football. Great start!

Is this pick a bit of a reach? However, what first-round pick hasn’t felt like a reach in the last five drafts? (Same holds for 2019 when the team didn’t have a first) The Cowboys would be continuing the time-honored tradition, but could a new coaching staff be exactly what Chaisson needs?

The 6-foot-3, 254-pound linebacker/edge rusher has ideal bend, explosiveness, and speed at the position. When drafting edge rushers, athletic traits are the most important aspect when projecting a prospect’s success and Chaisson might have the best athletic profile of anyone on the tweet above and of any other EDGE/LB that was available.

So how good is his game? Chaisson is a really good run stopper. He displays excellent instincts when reading and reacting to zone reads and read options. When he needs to contain the edge, he squares his hips in the direction of the ball carrier and is a very sure tackler. The 13.5 tackles for loss speak for themselves.

As a pass rusher, Chaisson is raw. You probably know this already. He has a good pass-rushing arsenal that needs to improve. He has a deadly inside spin move that could be more effective if he lined up a bit more outside. For someone with smaller 32 3/4 inch arms, he shows an uncanny ability to bull rush tackles. When speed rushing around the tackle, he has the necessary bend to make plays on the quarterback. On tackle-edge stunts, he is excellent at moving and finding the openings.

Chaisson was good against elite college competition. He will need to become more consistent at the next level and as a result, he will probably deal with a larger learning curve. However, compared to some previous edge players the Cowboys have drafted, Chaisson’s potential as an edge is through the roof.

This is disregarding his ability to cover a large area of the field and make plays on tight ends and running backs. Right now, Chaisson is far from a complete prospect, but if the Cowboys coaching staff is as good as we think it is, the Cowboys could be reaping the rewards of this selection for years to come.