Dallas Cowboys 7-Round Mock Draft: Trading up for a Quarterback
By Reid Hanson
Dallas Cowboys Round 3, Pick 74
Jabril Cox, LB
LSU
Jabril Cox, 6-foot-3, 233 lbs. is a modern day NFL linebacker and my favorite LB to target in the draft. He’s a keen pursuer who can travel from sideline to sideline with speed and quickness. But his clear bread and butter are his abilities in coverage.
Cox is one of the best and most versatile coverage linebackers in the draft. He can man up or play traditional drop zone with equal effectiveness making him a valuable piece in any system.
Where he falls short is ability to shed blockers and battle through to make plays. After last season, Dallas Cowboys know how frustrating that can be to watch. Jaylon and LVE were frequently washed by offensive linemen and the Dallas run defense was a liability at nearly every level. Cox isn’t going to offer anything more in this area than Dallas’ top two LBs did last year.
But if Dallas can fix the defensive tackle situation in front (they really have to) then Cox is someone who can absolutely thrive. Initially he’d play more on passing downs since that’s where he’s sure to make an instant impact, but by 2022 he should be a clear starter, when LVE and Jaylon depart in free agency.