If they had drafted him at #3, I’d have been all for taking the chance. But this trade....I don’t know.
Who’s to say San Fran wasn’t feigning interest in him?
Jerry says trade is bogus.
From ESPN Todd Archer breaks down the Dallas Cowboys' 2017 draft class.
Round 1, No. 28 overall: Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan:
The Cowboys have made no secret about their desire to improve their pass rush. That was their hope in 2016, 2015 and 2014. It will be their hope in 2018 as well even with the selection of Charlton on Thursday. They have not had a player reach double digits in sacks since Jason Hatcher in 2013. Last year, Benson Mayowa led the Cowboys in sacks with just six. In 2015, DeMarcus Lawrence led the Cowboys in sacks with eight. Charlton had 9.5 sacks last year at Michigan in his lone season as a full-time starter. He is not DeMarcus Ware, whom the Cowboys signed to a ceremonial deal at the start of the week. Ware was an athletic freak who became the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks. Charlton joins a defensive end rotation that includes Benson Mayowa, DeMarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford and David Irving with Charles Tapper, a draft pick last year who did not play a snap because of a back injury. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the Cowboys generated pressure just 23 percent of the time on opponent dropbacks last season, which was third worst in the NFL. Charlton will raise that percentage this year."
Round 2, No. 60: Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado
My take: The Cowboys’ plan came together. They were criticized by some for taking Charlton, who carried a second-round grade on their draft board, but they felt they had to take a defensive end at No. 28 because of the drop-off at the position. They knew they would have a chance to select a cornerback in the second round. They had a choice of Awuzie, Cordrea Tankersley and Fabian Moreau when they were on the clock. Since the Cowboys did not move down, Awuzie, who was a pre-draft visitor to The Star, was their target from the start of the round. Awuzie had only three interceptions in college, compared to nine from Tankersley, but he was a productive player in terms of tackles for loss (26), sacks (nine) and pass deflections (35). In a division that has Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, Terrelle Pryor, Jamison Crowder, Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, the Cowboys need competitive, tough-minded players. Awuzie fits that role. How he fits: The Cowboys lost cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne and safeties Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox in free agency. They needed to infuse talent into the secondary, and Awuzie has cornerback and safety experience. He said the Cowboys have talked about him playing outside corner, slot corner and safety. The position flexibility is something the Cowboys like. They drafted Byron Jones in the first round two years ago as a corner but moved him to safety last season. Awuzie is a physical player, which could make him an option at safety. With Orlando Scandrick, Nolan Carroll and Anthony Brown, the Cowboys don’t have much depth at corner.
Round 3, No. 92: Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
For the first time since 1983, the Cowboys have used their first-, second- and third-round picks on defensive players by taking Lewis with the 92nd overall pick. The Cowboys doubled down on cornerbacks on Day 2 of the draft, taking Jourdan Lewis a round after adding Chidobe Awuzie.
The Cowboys lost four defensive backs to free agency this offseason in Barry Church, J.J. Wilcox, Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne. They needed quality and numbers and added two players with second-round grades in Awuzie and Lewis. The biggest question about Lewis isn’t his football ability. It’s a misdemeanor domestic violence charge from an incident in March. Lewis said he is “completely innocent,” and believes the charges will be dropped. Jerry Jones said the team investigated the claim fully and felt comfortable picking Lewis. If there turns out to be no penalties legally or from the NFL, then the Cowboys have a two-time Big Ten defensive back of the year who went up against No. 1 receivers each week.
How he fits: The Cowboys believe he has position flexibility but they want to use him, as well as Awuzie, as an outside cornerback first. The Cowboys don’t yet know if they are better from the losses of Carr and Claiborne but they got younger and faster. “I’m scrappy,” Lewis said. “I’m a competitor. I feel like I’m physical. I have a chip on my shoulder. I play with some fight in me. I’m a technician. I love to be perfect. I want to be as good at my craft as possible.”
What's next: The Cowboys have addressed their defense with their first three picks. They will continue to have a defensive bent in Day 3, but they could look at offensive line, wide receiver and running back help in the final four rounds. The Cowboys have four picks: No. 133 in the fourth round, No. 211 in the sixth round and Nos. 228 and 246 in the seventh round.
As for me, here are the picks I hope Jerry & Company make in the final four rounds:
Zach Banner, OT, USC
Danny Isidora, OG, Miami
Anthony Walker, LB, Northwestern
Mack Hollins, WR, North Carolina
So, Gitty Up-- High Ho Silver! Lets ride this sucker out.
Film at 11