Dallas Cowboys: 2018 NFL Draft key to taking back the NFC East
Get some insurance at linebacker
In 2016, the Cowboys took a flyer on the immensely talented linebacker out of Notre Dame, Jaylon Smith, with their No. 34th overall pick. Smith suffered a gruesome knee injury in his final college game, which forced him to rehab for all of 2016. Due to other injuries at linebacker last season, Smith was forced to step in after being a part-time player early on. While he performed admirably considering where how far he came from his injury, he’s not quite the player they thought he would be — at least yet.
Sean Lee is arguably one of the best inside linebackers in all of football, if not the best. The problem is, Lee hasn’t started all 16 games ever, as the closest he came was in 2016 with 15. That year, he finished with First Team All-Pro honors as the heart and soul of the Cowboys defense. Of course, last season he only started 11-games, and therein lies the problem. The Cowboys have to get a guy who can do similar things to Lee. Although Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds are expected to be gone by the time the Cowboys pick at No. 19, there are other linebackers worthy of the pick and some guys who can be steals for them later.
Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch is a 6-4, 256-pounder who is reminiscent of the best parts of Rolando McClain, who excelled in Marinelli’s scheme. Vander Esch has really good athletic ability and it shows when he’s asked to drop into coverage. He’s an aggressive downhill attacker who doesn’t fear taking on guards as he pursues the ball carrier. If asked, he’s a great rusher off the edge and does a great job as an on or off ball backer. If he’s there at No. 19, the Cowboys could end up with the best linebacking corps in all of football and a pretty great insurance policy for Lee.
Darius Leonard out of South Carolina State excels at playing off the ball and does a fantastic job in pursuit because of his blazing speed. Leonard is only 213 pounds, but he also has plenty of room to grow and enough talent to warrant a Day 2 pick. Another second-day possibility is Georgia’s Lorenzo Carter. He plays just as good as measurables (6-6, 250 pounds, 4.50-second 40) as a rusher. Carter does a great job bending and getting to the quarterback. He has great speed to play catch up and drop into coverage.
South Carolina’s Skai Moore is another possibility who could be a steal in the third round or on Day 3, the major concerns about him are size (6-2, 226 pounds) and injuries.