Cowboys Draft: No Jalen Ramsey, No Problem

If you’re anything like me and have been paying close attention to different prospects that have been mocked to the Dallas Cowboys, you probably would’ve noticed that one name in particular seems to come up the most, Jalen Ramsey.

Jalen Ramsey has become the hands-down favorite for the Cowboys to draft in the first round with their fourth overall draft pick and if you watch any of his game film you can understand why.

Ramsey is one of the most physically gifted athletes to play the defensive back position in recent memory and the fact that many consider him to be the best at both safety and corner makes him that much more appealing as a prospect.

Unfortunately, because he is such an appealing prospect with the versatility to play several positions in the secondary, he is unlikely to be there when the Cowboys are finally on the clock at #4

Now, I could be wrong but it is going to be an excruciating waiting period to watch the first who the first three teams decide to draft and I find it difficult to imagine Ramsey not being one of the selections.

The Tennessee Titans are rumored to be trying to trade out of the #1 draft pick and are less likely then the Cleveland Browns and San Diego Chargers to draft Ramsey if they do stay put, but I wouldn’t put money on it.

The Browns and Chargers however would find it really difficult to pass on a talent like Ramsey, especially since they have a huge void to fill in their secondaries.

The Browns recently released Donte Whitner and could look to filling the empty void by drafting Ramsey.

Like the Browns, the Chargers have an empty void to fill at the safety position left by Eric Weddle.

Both destinations make really good sense to become the final landing spot for Jalen Ramsey. That could be a huge disappointment for a lot of Cowboys fans wanting to add Ramsey to the secondary that is full of questions and that have yet to be answered thus far in the off-season.

Fortunately though, I think there is a player that the Cowboys could add to the secondary that could end up making fans forget all about Jalen Ramsey.

Kendall Fuller out of Virginia Tech is one of my favorite defensive backs the entire 2016 draft class, and I think he would be a tremendous prospect to add to the Cowboys secondary that is lacking in playmakers.

If not for a torn meniscus that cut his 2015 season short, Fuller would no doubt be a first-round prospect. But because of his knee injury he is likely to be available in the second round when the Cowboys on the clock  at #34.

The Cowboys have shown in the past that they are willing to take a chance on talented players coming off of injuries they suffered in college (Sean Lee & Bruce Carter) and I think Fuller is one of those players.

Fuller is 5’11” and 187 pounds. He may not be the tallest CB, but he more than makes up for it by being able to high point contested catches with his long arms and leaping ability.

In 28 career starts at Virginia Tech, Fuller was able to accumulate 35 pass deflections and bring down eight interceptions. By the way, that’s nearly triple the interceptions that Ramsey ever accumulated in college (3).

Fuller stays low in his foot pedal and can mirror receivers down the field. He has smooth athleticism and loose hips, which helps them bracket receivers and pinch them off with the help of the sideline.

He has natural ball skills and shows a receiver like skill set that allows him to high point passes thrown his direction. He is also effective either in man-to-man coverage or off man coverages, which would allow defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli to disguise his coverages and hopefully confuse opposing quarterbacks.

What is interesting though is what former scout and current staff writer for the Dallas Cowboys had to say about selecting Kendall Fuller at #34.

Have as a S. See him more in 3rd. Probably should have him higher to be honest. https://t.co/bjrHOlPpeV

— BryanBroaddus (@BryanBroaddus) March 29, 2016

The fact that Bryan Broaddus sees Fuller as a safety is something that I find really interesting. Broaddus also admittedly says he should have them rated higher than the 3rd round, which is why I have come slotted somewhere in the 2nd.

I kind of like the idea of Fuller being able to play either CB or safety for the Cowboys, and adding another versatile defensive back like Byron Jones can hopefully solidify the position for years to come.

In fact, the idea of pairing him with Jones kind of makes me like him even more.

The added versatility to play anywhere in the Cowboys secondary makes him an intriguing prospect and someone I hope ends up wearing a star on his helmet in 2016.

Let me hear your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below so that we can further discuss the topic of adding Kendall Fuller to the Cowboys secondary.