Dallas Cowboys Complete Mock Draft: Taking unusual risks
With the 176th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft the Dallas Cowboys select:
. Kicker. Dallas Cowboys. Chandler Staton. 176. player. 123
The Dallas Cowboys claim they wanted to bring Kicker Greg Zuerlein back but they were beat to the punch by the New York Jets. So they use draft capital on one of the best kept secrets on special teams.
Appalachian State Kicker Chandler Staton was perfect in 2021. He hit 20 out 20 attempts and has a 99.3% extra point conversion rate. Something that was a kick to the gut all too often last season for the Cowboys.
He’s not a bombs away kicker. His range is limited and that could be a great thing or it could potentially put a team in a bad situation.
From inside of 50 yards you couldn’t want anyone else in this draft. Outside of 50 yards in this day and age of the NFL, you may want your team to go for it anyway. So that actually makes it OK until…
Three seconds on the clock in the 4th quarter and down by two. A 53 yard FG wins it. suddenly it’s a little bit of a stickier situation. And that’s a pretty significant knock.
Having the ultra consistency, however, is too good to pass up for the Dallas Cowboys. Perhaps a little time with the strength and conditioning program could help with Staton’s range, but the team is getting a guy who will hit the ones he’s expected to.