Dallas Cowboys: 7-Round 2018 mock draft after Dez Bryant release
Round 1: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
I’ll go ahead and get this out of the way: This mock draft was run using the simulator, and Calvin Ridley out of Alabama fell right into the laps of the Cowboys at No. 19. Do I think that this is something that’s actually going to happen? Not particularly. Most regard the Crimson Tide product as the best player at the position in this draft class. Thus, it’s likely that he’ll be off the board before No. 19 (though guys like D.J. Moore and Courtland Sutton would be fantastic consolation prizes if that were the case).
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With Dez Bryant now out in Dallas though, the need for a No. 1 wide receiver for the Cowboys is quite dire. While Allen Hurns is a nice piece to have added to the offense, he’s far from being the guy that you want as a top receiving threat. And we all know that Terrance Williams is a far-cry from being that guy as well.
Ridley may not have the prototypical body-type of a No. 1 like Bryant did, but he has the game of someone in that mold. None of his athletic measurables like speed really jump off the page, but everything he does on film does. His route-running and footwork are simply lethal in how he creates separation, and then he showcases fantastic hands to make the catch and then make smart plays with the ball in his hands.
Adding Ridley would seemingly fit right in with Prescott and this iteration of the Cowboys offense. If he does indeed fall to them on April 26, they’d be foolish to pass up this opportunity.