Dallas Cowboys 7-Round Mock Draft: Defensive Rebuild Amidst Big Trade

Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft

Dallas Cowboys trade Pick 178, 225, and 236 to Minnesota for Pick 157

Round 5, Pick 168

Tre’ McKitty, TE

Georgia

I’m aggressively hunting here because we’ve reached the point that I’m after quality – not quantity. The Cowboys don’t know what they have in Blake Jarwin. They think they have dynamic pass-catcher with Pro Bowl ability (hence the 3-year contract extension he was given over a year ago), but since he was injured midway through his first official game as TE1, we don’t “know.”

Dalton Schultz, the man behind him, is in the last year of his rookie deal. His ceiling isn’t nearly as high but he’s well rounded in his ability and will likely cash in next year as someone’s TE1. So with Blake Bell gone this year, Dallas needs a TE3 for 2021 who can elevate to a TE2 within a year. And that’s if Blake Jarwin lives up to the billing – We may be looking for a TE1 in 2022.

Who knows, Dallas may be looking for all new tight ends at this time next year. That’s why I’m placing a priority on late round TEs with high potential. I want to start the grooming process now to set myself up for the future.

This is a path that the Dallas Cowboys traditionally take: They groomed Jarwin for years before he got his first start and they groomed Dalton for years before he got his first start. They don’t like to throw rookie TEs to the fire.

Tre’ McKitty is my favorite Day 3 TE pick who has both high potential and a well-rounded complementary skill set. He’s a strong blocker who can work in-line and he’s also a sure handed pass-catcher who can run routes split, in motion, or on the line.

McKitty tore up the Senior Bowl this January showing his enormous hands can catch just about everything in his vicinity.

Dallas Cowboys Debrief

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

As you can see, we wheeled and dealed our way around the draft to get the guys that fit our needs and desires. The real advantage of those late round picks is how they help you move up and down in more serious rounds. Given the bust rate of 6th and 7th rounders, it makes sense to use them to navigate in the mid rounds to get the guy you really want, right?

We found our starting outside CB and added two safeties to the mix. We added two linebackers who should both be starting by 2022. We drafted our future starting DT and star edge players as well. We even added a web back to stretch the field horizontally and a TE with some star potential.

Who are your favorite picks and who are you trying to target? Let us know in the comments and be sure to share some realistic mock draft results of your own.