Dallas Cowboys Final 7-Round Mock Draft: Prediction and Dream Scenario

The 2021 NFL Draft is upon us Dallas Cowboys fans. In less than a week the Cowboys will be ushering in the next generation of talent and the decisions they make will have long-lasting effects on the trajectory of the franchise.

For fans like us who have followed prospects intently over the past nine months (or more), this is the payoff for all the hard work. Despite all the time and attention paid to the draft, it’s all but guaranteed NO ONE WILL SUCCESFULLY PREDICT THE DRAFT. Hundreds of thousands have tried and all have failed. That’s the nature of the NFL Draft.

But that doesn’t make 7-Round Mock Drafts like this pointless. Quite the contrary. Mock drafts are useful for multiple reasons: It lets Dallas Cowboys fans understand the logic behind certain decisions. It estimates the consensus value of certain players. It shows the cause and effect in certain scenarios. And who are we kidding? It’s kind of fun.

In this Dallas Cowboys 7-round mock draft we’ll make predictions and add a dream scenario to the mix

At the end of the day it educates and entertains so when the draft rolls around, fans have a good idea what’s going to happen even when the whole thing goes off script.

we’ll be making a predictive pick (something we see them likely to do) and a dream pick (a realistic pick we want to happen).

Like all the past Dallas Cowboys 7-Round Mock drafts, we’ll be using a mix of player evaluations from The Draft Network and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. But in this special “Final Edition” version, we’ll be making a predictive pick (something we see the Dallas Cowboys likely to do) and a dream pick (a realistic pick we want to happen).

Adding the second layer is a fun exercise that’s sure to spark debate and ruffle some feathers, especially since my ideal scenario is guaranteed to be different from others (which may be a little on purpose). Now that the pumps are primed and the situation is explained, let’s get rolling, shall we?

Dallas Cowboys Round 1, Pick 10

Prediction: Patrick Surtain II, CB

Here’s the pick we believe will happen. While many Dallas Cowboys fans are aggressively lobbying for Jaycee Horn, the smart money is on the safe pick, Patrick Surtain II. Surtain is one of the most tried and tested cornerbacks we’ve seen in years.

Surtain doesn’t have that All-Pro elite athleticism of Caleb Farley or the junkyard alpha dog domineer of Horn, but he’s wowed scouts with his testing and showed that for as polished as he is, he still has room to grow.

Surtain has the lowest bust rating in his position group this year and has the skill set and film to be a perennial Pro Bowler. He’s seen as the top defensive prospect in the class and there’s a good chance he’ll be on the board when Dallas goes on the clock

The Dallas Cowboys seem to also like Jaycee Horn and if Surtain is gone, they won’t hesitate to pick him. Horn is man coverage savant who brings fire and talent to the position. He’ll struggle with smaller and quicker receivers (like he did when Devonta Smith abused him a year ago), but he’s a true CB1 who Kyle Pitts named as the best CB he’s ever faced (granted, they are friends so of course he said that).

It’s been said the Cowboys coaches like Horn while the scouts prefer Surtain.

Either way, it’s a great move for the Dallas Cowboys and both players are Day 1 starters opposite Trevon Diggs. But the most likely pick for Dallas is going to be Surtain.