Dallas Cowboys 7-Round Mock Draft: Defensive Makeover Time
By Reid Hanson
The Dallas Cowboys select…
Pick 136
Josh Ball, OT
Marshall
To the pleasure of many, this is the first time we’ve turned our attention to the offense. As the title of this mock draft indicates, this draft is about defense. But that doesn’t mean we can completely ignore needs on the other side of the ball, and when a decent player slides, we have to be willing to pounce.
Normally at this point in the draft options are limited and ceilings are fairly low. But off-the-field concerns cause some players to fall and gambles could turn into steals. Josh Ball could be a steal this year.
The 6-foot-8, 350lb left tackle is an enormous human being who plays with a nasty streak. He’s not the awkward lumbering mess most OTs with his size tend to be. He’s fluid, and has good quickness and bend that make him a force in pass protection.
If there’s a weakness it’s in ability to move forward and run-block. But his play in pass protection and in his ability in RPOs make him a strong candidate here.
When healthy, the Dallas Cowboys are set on their starting O-line. In that situation, Ball can come in and compete with Brandon Knight for swing tackle in Year 1. But Ball has potential for more and could eventually be a serviceable starting OT at some point – odd for an OT pick at this point in the draft.