Dallas Cowboys: Pre-Combine 7-round 2019 mock draft

Round 4, No. 122 overall: Mike Bell, S, Fresno State

Tight end and defensive tackle are two of the biggest needs on the Dallas Cowboys roster, but safety could be argued as an even bigger need than both those positions. With that being the case, there could be an argument made that Dallas goes for a player to patrol the back end of their defense much earlier than this.

Whether or not that happens hinges on what happens in free agency. For years, the Cowboys have tried to slap a bandage on the position and it led to them starting Xavier Woods and Jeff Heath this past season. Woods is a young player still learning the game and may develop into a good free safety. Heath is a trusted veteran who can do a lot of things well, but doesn’t stand out in any area and has started to become a liability in run support.

Knowing they need an impact player to push their defense over the top, the Cowboys could very well go with a safety in free agency. Some big names such as Earl Thomas and Landon Collins will be available, with Thomas already being connected to Dallas as an option. In this mock, we predict they make a move which allows them to wait to add depth with their fourth-round pick.

That selection is Fresno State’s Mike Bell, who is a sure tackler that can immediately play strong run defense — while also being a good option on special teams. He will need to shore up some deficiencies in coverage but there’s a lot to like here.