Dallas Cowboys Complete Mock Draft 2023: Upgrade Season

The Dallas Cowboys select Tyrique Stevenson, cornerback from the University of Miami.

This pick will help Dallas on a few different fronts. First, the way NFL offenses are played today, having four cornerbacks that you are comfortable inserting in the game is borderline mandatory.  Dallas will boast one of the best trios of defensive backs next season, but this team is still one rolled ankle away from having to trot out Kelvin Joseph or Nahshon Wright and no one wants that.

Stephon Gilmore, while still effective, is an aging veteran on a 1-year deal. Diggs is entering a contract year and it’s a crapshoot how those situations turn out. Dallas needs to start preparing a year early for the possibility that both of those players could be gone prior to the 2024 season. More than likely Diggs isn’t leaving but the front office needs to plan as if he may.

This is where Mr. Stevenson will help the Cowboys. He was a highly recruited player coming out of Miami. While his tenure at Georgia wasn’t long, he built up enough of a resume at Miami to solidify his top-100 status. According to PFF, his snap distribution supports his versatility. From 2021-2022, he gained 1011 snaps on the outside. For good measure, he threw in 258 snaps in the slot in 2020. That shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Stevenson provides the requisite size and athleticism at the position to be an effective boundary corner. Standing at 6’0″ 198lbs he was able to run a sub-4.5 in the forty-yard dash, jumped a 38.5″ vertical and a 1.51 10-yard split.

In his rookie season, the team doesn’t have to force him into a position. The early part of his career could mirror Byron Jones from years ago. That worked out pretty well for Byron if my memory serves me correct. He can play some outside corner, safety and maybe cover those mismatch tight ends to spell Jayron Kearse.