The 2016 regular season in the NFL is coming to an end, but despite the fact there are still a few games and the playoffs left to play, we are already starting to see 2017 mock drafts.
A few weeks ago I wrote an article about the recently released Pro Football Focus mock draft and who they selected for the Dallas Cowboys to take. They believed that the Cowboys would draft a defensive end with the 32nd overall pick in the first round.
This week Dane Brugler’s mock draft was published by CBSSports.com and he went an entirely different direction for the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the upcoming 2017 NFL Draft.
For those of you that are not familiar with Dane Brugler, he is a draft analyst for CBS, and someone whose work I highly respect.
I not only like who he thought the Dallas Cowboys would draft, but where he has them slotted to pick in the first round.
32. Dallas Cowboys: Desmond King, CB, Iowa
“Rookie Anthony Brown looks like a future starter, but Mo Claiborne is a free agent after the season, Brandon Carr hasn’t lived up to his contract and Orlando Scandrick has struggled to stay healthy. King isn’t the biggest or fastest, but his cover savvy and physical demeanor will be in high demand.”
First off, it may have slipped your attention, but Brugler has the Dallas Cowboys selecting 32nd overall in the first round, which means he has them winning the Super Bowl.
I don’t know about you, but I would be over the moon if that is indeed the way the Cowboys 2016 season plays out.
Secondly, Brugler thinks that the Dallas Cowboys can land a fantastic cornerback with the last pick in the first round, Desmond King.
Desmond King isn’t going to blow anybody away with his speed or athleticism, but he is a football player in every sense of the word.
King would have likely been an early round draft pick in the 2016 draft if he would have entered, but he decided to return to Iowa for his senior season instead.
As a four-year starter at Iowa, King has registered 258 tackles, 8 1/2 tackles for a loss, 33 passes defensed, 13 interceptions, and one forced fumble.
Personally, Desmond King is one of my favorite cornerbacks that will be available in the 2017 NFL Draft, and I would love to see him with the Dallas Cowboys next season.
There is just something about his game that reminds me of Darrelle Revis.
King is rarely out of position and seems to know the exact route the wide receiver is running before they do. He has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and knows how to make a play on the ball when it is in the air. He also isn’t afraid to come up and help in run support.
With Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne in the last year of their contracts with the Cowboys, it certainly makes sense that drafting a cornerback should be a top priority for the organization.
Desmond King would be a tremendous addition to the secondary if he is indeed available once the Cowboys are on the clock. But, that’s just my opinion.
What do you think?
Take advantage of the comment section below to share your thoughts and opinions about the likelihood of the Cowboys drafting Desmond King.
I would love for us to take King. I remember watching alot of his play last draft time hoping he would decide to come out last year. Now I haven’t really seen how he has done this season but I will definitely be updating my watch list with his new highlights
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment Jeff. I kind of doubt King will still be around when the Cowboys are finally on the clock, but I really think he would be a good addition to the secondary.
I guess it depends on how Dallas treats free agency at the position and whether they re-sign Mo Claiborne. He finally showed us this season that he can be who we thought we drafted only to succumb again to injury. We can’t expect to strike lightning in the bottle again with a late round Anthony Brown selection so looking at a CB in the first round could be avprudent choice. Personally I think King will be gone before they pick at #32 and most mocks I’ve looked at have him going before #20. So if they truly cover that pick they would likely have to move up to snag him. I think there is a greater need at DE. Gregory has been a liability and while Lawrence is showing signs of coming around the sacks are yet to show up. There are some great prospects at the position with many off the board by the time they pick but 3 guys I think they have a realistic shot at are Solomon Thomas, DeMarcus Walker, and Takkarist McKinley. Depending on how all of them look in bowl games, all-star opportunities, and the combine, they, and the other 7 guys on my list could move up or down. Thomas plays at Stanford and has a pristine character and with past misses we could use a guy like that. He also grew up in Texas and graduated from Coppell HS which makes him a free invite. McKinley ran a 10.58 100 yard dash in high school but he was 30 pounds lighter at the time. He has been clicked at 4.56 in the 40 so definitely a burner for a big guy. We have a season of football to go but early draft talk is always fun and welcome!
Randy, I agree that DE is probably the more pressing need, but like you said it all depends on who is still on the board when the Cowboys are on the clock. I’m kind of torn as to whether or not the Cowboys should re-sign Morris Claiborne. He was really good this season when he was on the field, but you simply can’t rely on him to stay healthy. I personally enjoy the entire draft process, but I don’t want to rush things along with the way the Cowboys are playing now. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Lots can happen between now and then.
Randy, I completely agree. It’s just fun to see who all of these draft analysts are already linking to the Cowboys.
He looks like an awesome CB (better than what we have now) and would really be great with a “healthy” Mo Claiborne. I doubt that he will be around when Dallas gets to pick – too many other teams will likely take him out of play long before the Cowboys are on the clock – but he is EXACTLY what we need at the CB position!
eusdart, it’s nearly impossible to predict if he will still be available when the Cowboys are on the clock. That’s what makes looking at these mock draft so much fun.