Advertisement

sportsCowboys

2020 NFL mock draft roundup: See who experts have the Dallas Cowboys selecting at No. 17

Will Dallas finally address the safety position? Or will they bolster another level of the defense?

Editor’s note: This has been updated since it was first published.

After not having a first-round pick in last year’s draft because of the Amari Cooper trade, the Cowboys are back in the first round in 2020 with the 17th overall pick.

After an 8-8 season and some key names departing in free agency, the Cowboys have several positions they could address in the first round.

With Jeff Heath hitting free agency, could the Cowboys finally make a move at safety? Will Byron Jones’ departure cause them to look for a new corner? Or will Dallas look to the other side of the ball and try to shore up its receiving corps?

Cowboys

Be the smartest Cowboys fan. Get the latest news.

Or with:

With the NFL draft closing in, here’s what some mock drafts have the Cowboys doing in the first round:

John Owning, The Dallas Morning News (April 20)

Advertisement

The pick: DE K’Lavon Chaisson — LSU

Notable: “While I would personally prefer Wisconsin’s Zack Baun, it’s tough to argue with the Cowboys liking Chaisson here. He’s a twitched-up pass rusher with a jetpack attached to his back when exploding upfield. Listed at 6-3, 253 pounds with 32 1/4-inch arms, he combines that upfield juice with rare lower-body pliability, body control and balance to bend around the corner while maintaining momentum to flatten his rush and close on the quarterback."

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report (April 23)

Advertisement

The pick: DE K’Lavon Chaisson — LSU

Notable: “The Cowboys can’t rely on Randy Gregory and Aldon Smith, both of whom have uncertain futures, to be their primary pass-rushers. With his pass-rushing moves and experience in coverage, Chaisson would give the Cowboys versatility at right defensive end and a potential chess piece on defense in third-down situations.”

Todd McShay, ESPN (March 30)

Round 1, Pick No. 17: CB C.J. Henderson — Florida

Notable: “Byron Jones is officially headed elsewhere, and that Dallas secondary managed just seven interceptions in 2019 (tied with Arizona and Detroit for fewest in the NFL). Enter Henderson, who is an athletic playmaker in coverage with smooth, 4.39 speed.”

Round 2, Pick No. 51: DE Josh Uche — Michigan

Notable: “Robert Quinn’s absence leaves a hole opposite DeMarcus Lawrence. Uche had 8.5 sacks last season at Michigan.”

Mel Kiper, ESPN (April 23)

Advertisement

The pick: S Xavier McKinney — Alabama

Notable: “The Cowboys’ secondary has been depleted this offseason, and McKinney is the best pure safety in this draft. If one of the top wide receivers falls to No. 17, could Dallas pass?"

Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network (April 22)

The pick: CB C.J. Henderson — Florida

Advertisement

Notable: “Henderson could end up going in the top 10 on Thursday night. He is an outstanding cover man, but his tackling is a concern."

Bucky Brooks, NFL Network (April 9)

The pick: DE K’Lavon Chaisson — LSU

Notable: “The explosive pass rusher could become DeMarcus Lawrence’s perfect tag-team partner in Mike Nolan’s aggressive scheme."

Advertisement

Lance Zierlein, NFL Network (April 23)

The pick: DE K’Lavon Chaisson — LSU

Notable: “If Chaisson makes it here, he will be able to inject more life into the Cowboys’ pass rush, but he may not be much help against the run early in his career.”

Dane Brugler, The Athletic (April 23)

Advertisement

The pick: DE K’Lavon Chaisson — LSU

Notable: “To be honest, I will be surprised if Chaisson makes it this far, but the Cowboys won’t be disappointed if it happens. If Chaisson is gone, look for cornerback (A.J. Terrell or Trevon Diggs) to be the pick."

Dan Kadar, SB Nation (April 22)

The pick: DE K’Lavon Chaisson — LSU

Advertisement

Notable: “It seems like this pick will either be Chaisson, Henderson, or one of the defensive backs from Alabama. Which means it probably won’t be any of those four. Chaisson is the type of pass rusher the Cowboys have needed for years."

WalterFootball.com (April 23)

The pick: DE K’Lavon Chaisson — LSU

Notable: “The Cowboys lost Robert Quinn to free agency, so they’ll need to find some help to bolster their edge rush in the 2020 NFL Draft.K’Lavon Chaisson is a long, athletic edge player with big-time potential.”

Advertisement

Final tally

7: LSU DE K’Lavon Chaisson

2: Florida CB C.J. Henderson

1: Alabama S Xavier McKinney

Advertisement

Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.