The 2013 NFL Draft is quickly approaching and there’s already been a few months of preparation for what’s about to come starting next Thursday, April 25. No matter where you look, someone will be giving you information about who the Dallas Cowboys should draft.
While looking at the draft and the Cowboys biggest needs, some fans are beginning to worry about what Dallas’ options might be a pick 18. The biggest need on the Cowboys is on the offensive line and while it doesn’t appear the elite prospects will be available for the Cowboys, there should be plenty of options to choose from. Then again, guards are not as highly thought of in NFL circles when it comes to the draft, so giving up on the possibility of landing either Chance Warmack or Jonathan Cooper is not a foregone conclusion.
Besides, even if they are gone the Cowboys could still be in position to draft the top safety in the class, Kenny Vaccaro. If he doesn’t suit the Cowboys then they could always pick one of the defensive tackles who are ruling the NFL’s draft boards. Someone like Sylvester Williams or Sheldon Richardson would also make a nice addition to the Dallas front four.
Let’s also remember that if most of these players are getting drafted before the Cowboys are on the clock, odds are that someone has slipped and it will allow the Cowboys to get a really good player later than anticipated. Every year a prospect slides in the draft for no apparent reason and some team gets a steal; can you say Aaron Rodgers?
Finally, the master trader Jerry Jones could always trade the pick if he doesn’t like his options when the Cowboys are on the clock. In fact, the biggest rumor going is the Cowboys are looking to trade down and acquire more picks, so this is surely a possibility.
The bottom line is this; the 2013 NFL Draft is an extremely deep one and many of the players are ranked extremely close together. So no matter what the Cowboys do with the 18th pick in the draft, there may not be a bad choice (although I’m quite sure someone will make the case for it). The options for the Cowboys will be plentiful when they are on the clock; the easiest scenario is that either Warmack or Cooper is still available and Dallas runs up to the podium with the pick, or they likely get to pick the top safety in the draft. If that fails then the Cowboys can select one of the many talented defensive tackles in the draft or trade the pick.
I know the conventional wisdom is the Cowboys sit just outside of where they need to be in order to draft someone who can make a difference and it just isn’t true. Dallas sits in a good spot at pick 18 to accomplish their objective in the 2013 NFL Draft, to become a better team.
