Dallas Cowboys 7-Round Mock Draft: Taking a Surprise Direction
By Reid Hanson
Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft
Round 5, Pick 177
LB Justin Hilliard
Ohio State
The Dallas Cowboys still haven’t picked a true LB as of yet and that realistically can’t go on much further (no matter how much it pleases me). The Cowboys grossly overvalue the LB position and may even blow another top-50 pick on the position once again.
Related Story. What positional value means and why some positions should be downgraded in the draft. light
But in this script, we’re following a different path and that involves waiting until Round 5. Jaylon and LVE are locked in as starters (I suspect they’ll both be given another season to turn their careers around) and finding a handful of role-players now makes sense as they try to soft-transfer the position for 2022.
Justin Hilliard is a player who may be a better professional than he was a college player. Playing alongside three other strong linebackers at Ohio State, Hilliard had to fight just to get on the field. But when he did get on, he shined, and over Senior Bowl week he stood out in all the right ways. Hilliard can attack the backfield and drop into coverage with the best of them.
He’s not that run-stopping thumper of the olden days but more fluid and versatile that fits today’s NFL game.
Two tackles for Justin Hilliard on the National Team's second defensive series, and also helped force an incomplete pass.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) January 30, 2021
Hilliard was at Ohio State for six years, but he's been playing the best football of his career over the past two months.
Hilliard is trending up and playing the best football of his career. He could easily be an NFL starter within a year and he’s the perfect bargain pick for the Dallas Cowboys here on Day 3.