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Dallas Cowboys: 7-Round 2018 mock draft after free agency first wave

By Stephen Forsha

PISCATAWAY, NJ - SEPTEMBER 24: Chris Laviano
PISCATAWAY, NJ - SEPTEMBER 24: Chris Laviano /
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PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 01: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to avoid a sack by linebacker Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs in the second half in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 01: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to avoid a sack by linebacker Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs in the second half in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Round 1: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

The Dallas Cowboys are in need at the linebacker position with the departure of strong side linebacker Anthony Hitchens and the prospects of weak side linebacker Sean Lee not playing an entire season, as the 31-year old is coming off a season where he played in 11 games. 

That allows the Cowboys to potentially welcome linebacker Roquan Smith with the 19th overall pick and gives the team another player to add to the defensive rebuild. Gaining the services of a linebacker in the 2018 NFL Draft needs to be a big priority for the Cowboys, and if they are lucky enough to add a player with the skill set of Smith, then a serious look should be taken here. 

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had one sentence that jumped off the page about Smith: 

"“Smith is an ascending linebacker prospect with elite athletic ability.”"

The final three words of that sentence, “elite athletic ability,” makes anyone wonder the prospects of a player like Roquan Smith getting to play on the field at the same time as current Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith, who’ll most likely replace Hitchens. Imagine a defense where those two could learn the NFL game at the same time and become the worst nightmare of the NFC East. 

Smith’s final season at Georgia consisted of 137 tackles (85 solo) with 14 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks, two passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.

It is no secret the Cowboys do need more depth and improvement at linebacker. If Roquan Smith is on the board when they Cowboys select at 19th overall, they should add him to the roster as linebacker is obviously a team need. But Smith could also be the best player available at that spot, and the Cowboys could ill afford to pass on a defensive talent like him. 

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