Dallas Cowboys Complete 7-Round Mock Draft – Drafting Mismatches

Round Five – Pick number 169: Guard, Chandler Zavala, North Carolina State

Now, with the second of their fifth-round compensatory picks at number 175, Dallas is adding to their offensive line depth with interior offensive lineman Chandler Zavala from North Carolina State.  He started his college career at Fairmont State College where he wreaked havoc over the lesser competition. Similar to O’Cyrus Torrence, he wanted more competition and he decided to move to a major program and going against better competition didn’t slow him down.

At NC State, he played exclusively at the left guard position. While he doesn’t provide the position flexibility that the Dallas Cowboys covet, he would provide some badly needed depth. The expectation for him is to learn the nuances of the position at the NFL level. Unfortunately, he’s not going to be able to beat up on NFL defenders with just strength and pancaking them. These players are cunning and well trained at their craft. He’s going to need to do the same to make it in the NFL.

What will he help the Dallas Cowboys with? He is a big, bodied guy at 6’5″ 325 pounds which would make you believe he could kick out to a tackle position but that’s not his bread and butter. He is a phone booth type of guard that has enough power to keep the person in front of him at pay. Dallas just lost Connor McGovern to the Buffalo Bills. With Tyron Smith’s injury history, there will be offensive line reshuffling and there will always be a need for a healthy body.

Maybe he pans out like a McGovern, maybe he doesn’t. It’s a crapshoot but it’s definitely one you throw your compensatory picks at.