Dallas Cowboys complete 7-round mock draft 2023: Cowboys trade back!
By Reid Hanson
![Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/faf1d21fc410a7eff14ef2246b1b5b381cca8dd6e771ca0b1b535ae7e8692f8c.jpg)
player. 871. . CB. Cardinal . Kyu Blu Kelly. 90
The Dallas Cowboys round out the top-100 with a smart pick for the future in Kyu Blu Kelly
The Dallas Cowboys have a need at CB simmering below the surface. Yes, they have their top three for 2023 seemingly locked down. But the depth is a concern since many of their young prospects have struggled to develop and the starting ranks will be short-lived since Diggs and Gilmore are free agents in 2024.
Taking a flyer on a project player like Kyu Blu Kelly is right up Dan Quinn’s alley.
Kelly fits the prototype of long lean cornerbacks who can play the sideline and thrive in Cover 1 and Cover 3 looks. Kelly is a smart and mature player who’s improved every season at Stanford.
Stanford cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly showed steady improvement in coverage throughout his career, culminating in a stellar senior season. pic.twitter.com/Q2wVh35PLo
— CFB Film Room (@CFBFilmRoom) March 27, 2023
Kelly comes from NFL bloodlines and even though his speed scores didn’t light up the scouting reports, he’s extremely athletic and has the tools that translate to the NFL well.
Primarily a press corner, Kelly is sticky in coverage and can hang with the more physical assignments without issue. He plays a similar in-phase trail technique that Diggs does and can close on the ball. He maintains speed while tracking the ball, making his 4.52 40 speed a little misleading.
He’s a “draft and develop” player who should only take a year of grooming before he can compete for a starting outside role. The Dallas Cowboys need to attack the CB position inside the top-100 because this draft is deep and they have major needs coming up in the near future.