2016 NFL Mock Draft: Should Cowboys Take a Quarterback?

A recent 2016 NFL Mock Draft has the Dallas Cowboys selecting QB Paxton Lynch with the fourth overall pick. With Tony Romo on the roster, is that the right call?

Matt Miller, NFL Draft Lead Writer over at Bleacher Report released his latest 2016 NFL Mock Draft on Monday morning. There are many interesting picks throughout the mock that are worth checking out, but the fourth overall pick stood out as interesting to me.

Miller had the Dallas Cowboys selecting Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch with the fourth overall pick. First, let’s look at what Miller had to say about the selection:

"The Dallas Cowboys may not be in this position again for a while, which makes the decision to draft a young quarterback even easier for Jerry and Stephen Jones in the team’s draft room. The Cowboys, when healthy, have a roster good enough to make a playoff run. This is more like drafting Tim Duncan after an older David Robinson goes down with an injury than anything else. Smart teams use the advantages given to them, and the Cowboys can draft a clear quarterback of the future here and not be rushed into playing him. It’s really a no-brainer.Lynch is not my top-ranked quarterback—that’s Jared Goff—but his bigger body (6’7″, 245 lbs), mobile running style and big arm better fit what I think the Cowboys would want at the position over a smaller guy like Jared Goff. And Lynch arguably has better upside, and given that whomever they draft at quarterback will be able to sit and learn behind Tony Romo for a good while, Lynch’s physical upside is a big plus."

On the surface, the selection of Lynch seems odd to me. Sure, Tony Romo is not getting any younger, and the team fell apart without him in 2015, but doesn’t a 4-12 team have too many significant holes to be selecting a quarterback for the future? In this situation maybe not.

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The Cowboys had a very similar team in 2015 that went 12-4 to win the NFC East in 2014. Sure, letting DeMarco Murray go didn’t help, but Darren McFadden filled in admirably. Also, they were much more talented on the defensive side of the ball, and adding La’el Collins to an already loaded offensive line made them even stronger up front.

The biggest problem with the 2015 Dallas Cowboys were injuries. Losing Tony Romo and Dez Bryant for significant periods of time absolutely killed this team. Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel and Kellen Moore were all awful in relief of Romo, and it killed their team. Drafting Romo’s eventual replacement would not only give the Cowboys a quarterback to groom for the future, but a strong safety net in case Romo goes down again.

I agree with Miller in that Jared Goff is the best quarterback prospect in this class, but I would not blame the Cowboys or any other team for selecting Lynch over him. That dude can sling it, and would be a perfect player for this situation.

Lynch has all of the physical tools you want in a quarterback. Size, athleticism, arm strength. You name it Lynch has it. On top of that, he shows great touch on his passes most of the time, and appears to be a strong leader on and off of the field. Lynch has a strong future as an NFL quarterback.

The biggest knock on Lynch at the next level is his lack of readiness. Memphis’ offense allowed quick and easy decisions for Lynch, and these were mostly being made against less than stellar competition. Lynch has all of the ability to be a star, but he needs some coaching up at the next level. Learning to read defenses and improving his footwork are a must for Lynch.

With a stable force like Romo on the roster, the Cowboys can draft Lynch and give him a couple of years to learn under their veteran. Linebacker, cornerback or wide receiver could also be under consideration, but as we saw with the Cowboys in 2015, quarterback is far and away the most important position on the field. The Cowboys need to strike on their guy while they can.

More nfl spin zone: Who Do Cowboys Take in 7-Round Mock Draft?

If Romo and Bryant stay healthy the next couple of years, the Cowboys are unlikely to be in this position again. This is a roster set up to win right now, and getting their franchise QB of the future while they can would be a strong move by the Cowboys.

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2016 NFL Mock Draft: Should Cowboys Take a Quarterback in First?

By Dan Schmelzer | Jan 4, 2016

A recent 2016 NFL Mock Draft has the Dallas Cowboys selecting QB Paxton Lynch with the fourth overall pick. With Tony Romo on the roster, is that the right call?