Dallas Cowboys: The case for drafting Eric Rowe

Unless the Dallas Cowboys are able to draft one the top running backs Thursday – those being Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon – the team needs to stay pat at 27th overall in 2015 NFL Draft and select the best available cornerback for their struggling defensive backfield.

That cornerback could be Utah’s Eric Rowe, who enters the draft as the fifth best prospect at the position and 38th overall rated player according to the rankings of CBSSports.com.

Rowe makes sense for the Cowboys, and even though we all know about the last time the Cowboys took a cornerback in the first round (see: Morris Claiborne), but it is time to turn the page on that selection, because Rowe isn’t Claiborne.

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Claiborne, though still on the roster, has been a disappointment on the field during his short Cowboys career due in part to injuries. There is still a chance he can become a solid player for the Cowboys, but the odds are more and more against him with each season that passes.

That brings a player like Rowe into the conversation, and how his talent can help resurrect a Cowboys defensive backfield that saw the backs of too many wide receivers on their way to the end zone in 2014.

Yes, 2014 was a great season for the Cowboys as they were the NFC East champions, but they were led by a stout offense and a defensive line who had a nice ability to stop the run.

Imagine if the Cowboys could have had a pass rush or cornerbacks who could have stopped the big plays in the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Green Bay Packers? If the Cowboys would have had players at the cornerback or pass rush spots, who knows how far the Cowboys could have went in the playoffs last season?

Gaining a player of Rowe’s ability to play the cornerback position would be one step in the right direction of seeing that scenario come to life for the upcoming 2015 season. At the combine Rowe ran a time of 4.45 in the 40-yard dash and had a vertical jump height of 39 inches. His broad jump was 10-5, and his shuttle run came in with a time of 3.97.

We all know those are just “workout numbers” but those numbers can go a long way in looking at a potential prospect, and for Rowe his numbers are solid.

Rowe will most likely be drafted between Pick 25-40 of this draft, though Rob Rang of CBS Sports has Rowe being drafted as early as the 18th selection of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.

I’m not sure Rowe goes off the board that early, but he could leapfrog Marcus Peters of the University of Washington because of the perceived battles with coaches Peters had this past season.

If Rowe is still on the board when the Cowboys are on the clock at 27th overall here is what they can look forward to if they do, in fact, draft him as these were his stats this past season with the Utes:

• 12 games
• 42 solo tackles
• 59 total tackles
• 3 tackles for loss
• 1 interception
• 1 touchdown
• 13 passes defended

His four-year career numbers include 261 total tackles (158 solo), seven tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three interceptions, one touchdown and 36 passes defensed.

Aug 28, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes defensive back Eric Rowe (18) stops Idaho State Bengals wide receiver Broc Malcom (2) from running up the field during the second quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Rob Rang of CBS Sports wrote this about Rowe in his CBS Draft Profile:

"“Possesses a legitimate NFL frame with good height, broad shoulders and a tapered, well-defined musculature. Uses his length and physicality to harass receivers at the line of scrimmage and throughout the route … May project better to the NFL back at safety than at cornerback. Like many taller corners, Rowe has a slight hitch in his transition, leaving him vulnerable to double-moves.”"

Rowe would provide an immediate improvement to the Cowboys’ defense (even if moves to safety), though it will be very interesting to see what the Cowboys do with this selection. Smart money would be for this team to add a player who could provide an impact immediately in their defensive backfield, and Rowe, if available, is that player.

If Rowe is the best available cornerback on the board when it is the Cowboys’ turn to make a selection on Thursday night, and they pass for someone else at another position, it could be a decision that haunts the franchise for years to come, and might have them seeing more of the same when it comes to their postseason cornerback play.

Next: Ronald Darby could be an option for Cowboys

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