Dallas Cowboys 7-round mock draft (Dan’s free agency fallout)

Dallas Cowboys Round Four – Brandon Smith – Linebacker – Penn State

Smith is another versatile linebacker from Penn State who has the ability to play the newer safety/linebacker hybrid role. His ability to play in space and cut to the football would be outstanding in this hybrid role.

The Dallas Cowboys need a linebacker or two, and while I might see them going bigger like my second most picked player Jesse Luketa, the versatility felt like something this team would rather have.

Smith has the length and speed the Cowboys love and really wanted Damontae Kazee to have. While Smith could be seen a little like Jabril Cox, the versatility to put Smith in a cover three safety role could help him to play to his strengths of using his length and speed to get into passing lanes. He also flashes some react and go ability when in space to find the ball carrier and while he needs some work in tackling, does make plays in space well enough.

Smith will not be a three-down linebacker in 2021, but he can help carve out a role for Dann Quinn to use on obvious passing downs and in the red zone. While Smith isn’t the biggest linebacker he does hit hard but can struggle to disengage a block to make the hit. He will need to add some size to do more, but he helps the Cowboys in terms of flexibility and size.