Dallas Cowboys: The perfect 3-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft 1.0
By Reid Hanson
Dallas Cowboys Round 3, Pick 88
Bernhard Raimann, OT
Central Michigan
I wanted to go interior defensive line here but my favorite DT picks seem to be disappearing every time I go on the clock. But a pet cat of mine that seems to be inexplicably falling to me on draft boards is OT Bernhard Raimann.
Raimann is a player I admit I’m infatuated with. The Austrian born scholar, soccer player turned tight end turned offensive tackle, has had quite the storied college career and his developmental arch is something that drops jaws. I was a fan before I even watched the tape. The scouting reports alone sold me on his future (I know, possibly a bit of confirmation bias in play).
The player I’m looking forward to seeing most down at the @seniorbowl this week is Central Michigan LT Bernhard Raimann
— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) January 31, 2022
In awe of what he’s capable of on tape in only 2nd season at OT. Lot of parallels to Lane Johnson as a prospect pic.twitter.com/pAHmaxSAhW
Seeing him go up against some of the top players in the country this week at the Senior Bowl, I’m sticking with my previous assessment but I’m also convinced he’s not an obvious first rounder like he was once projected (although much hinges on how he finishes this week).
His development cannot be understated. Raimann has transformed his body and his game in a very short period of time, so it’s understandable he struggled at times in practice on Monday. He’s still seen as a developmental LT in the NFL and someone who can step in now or in Dallas’ case, work behind Tyron Smith.
The Dallas Cowboys have marginal use for a OT prospect right now. They have Smith and La’el Collins entrenched as starters but also have Terence Steele waiting in the wings. Josh Ball is potentially in the picture but he missed all of 2021 and Raimann projects as a better LT prospect than both of them.
Bernhard Raimann taking reps at LG sealing the frontside for a big run pic.twitter.com/4iLXTTREOs
— Luke Carr (@LukeCarrFB) February 2, 2022
With news of Reimann taking snaps at LG on Wednesday, it’s easy to see him starting as a LG with Dallas and moving to LT at a date down the road. That would fill an immediate need now and a bigger need later. The same argument I made for drafting Rashawn Slater last draft cycle.
This is a prospect who is currently a 3rd rounder on TDN big board but I could see being a first rounder with a solid week of work at the Senior Bowl. For now, I’m taking the opportunity to cash in and I’ll likely have to readjust next week when all the big boards update.
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That’s it. The Senior Bowl is going on as we speak and things are changing before our very eyes but this was a good chance to kick out our first 3-Round mock and build off it. On Monday we’ll roll out a complete 7-round mock draft based on all that happened this week to our draft boards. Stay plugged in to Sport DFW for all your draft and DFW sports news.