Dallas Cowboys: Pre-Combine 7-round 2019 mock draft
By Randy Gurzi
Round 2, No. 58 overall: Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama
After trading for Amari Cooper, the biggest hole on offense in 2018 for the Dallas Cowboys was at tight end. Cooper becoming a legitimate No. 1 threat for them as a wideout opened things up and eliminated the vacancy left after they cut Dez Bryant, but it also highlighted how little they did to replace Jason Witten who retired and started calling Monday Night Football games on ESPN.
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Whether they go for a player in free agency or the draft, Dallas absolutely has to have a better option in 2019. Here, we predict that they decide to use the draft in that endeavor which leads to them selecting Alabama’s Irv Smith, Jr. The son of a former NFL tight end, Smith is the exact type of player Dallas loves at the position.
He’s a well-respected blocker, which is a prerequisite for playing in the Alabama offense which is so heavily run-based — just like the Dallas offense. Smith is also developed into a reliable option in the passing game, catching 44 passes for 710 yards and seven scores as a junior.
Smith isn’t the same caliber tight end as T.J. Hockenson or Noah Fant — both who played at Iowa — but he will be the best option on the board at No. 58 barring a slide for one of those Hawkeyes.