Dallas Cowboys 7-round 2021 mock draft gives defense a major facelift
By Randy Gurzi
123. . OT. Dallas Cowboys. Dillon Radunz. 2. player
Passing on an offensive tackle at No. 4 might have seemed risky, but in the mock, the Dallas Cowboys also had the 36th overall pick. That means they can land a borderline first-round talent as they look to add some depth to their line. They find that in Dillon Radunz, who is the left tackle for Trey Lance at North Dakota State.
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He didn’t get to play much this season and has yet to really face stiff competition, but he has great technique — especially in the passing game says Drae Harris of The Draft Network.
"“In the passing game, he is proficient and wins with good technique, competitiveness and toughness. He is good in his pass set and his lateral agility allows him to redirect on a cross face or counter move by the defender. His technique with regards to hand placement is good. His punch is sufficient and plays with sufficient length on the perimeter. His short set anchor is sufficient but his competitiveness and toughness shine to allow him to successfully handle bull rushers who have gotten under his pads.” — Harris, The Draft Network"
Dallas might have to move on from Tyron Smith in the offseason and while throwing Radunz into the fire as a starter day one might not be ideal, it’s hard to argue that it could be any worse than starting Brandon Knight and Terence Steele, which is something they have had to do a lot with Smith and La’el Collins out injured.
Of course, they could also try and retain Smith (although they would likely need to restructure his contract) while grooming Radunz as the starter down the road. While he’s learning the speed of the NFL game, he could still serve as a great option at swing tackle.