The 2023 draft is fast approaching and various NFL draft experts are starting to hone in on specific targets. Smoke doesn’t always equal fire but a pair of specific experts have been pretty locked in on the Cowboys’ picks over the years, and probably deserves an extra bit of attention in 2023. Especially when they both identify the same target for the Dallas.
Dane Brugler from the Athletic is someone Cowboys fans look to frequently. Not only is he a prominent figure in the draft community but he’s well acclimated to the tendencies, needs, and decision makers in Dallas. His scouting reports are some of the best in the business and his predictions are almost disturbingly accurate.
Mel Kiper Jr, another draft expert with skins on the wall, is also a valuable resource for Cowboys fans. He’s been in the industry longer than almost anyone else and he has insider information others only dream of. He happens to be one of the few experts who predicted the Tyler Smith pick in 2022, and because of that he deserves extra attention in 2023 as well.
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What do these two experts predict the Cowboys will do with their first pick in the 2023 draft? Pick a tight end. Both of their recent mock drafts have Dallas selecting Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer.
Mayer, generally regarded as the top TE in an extremely stacked class, is a do-it-all prospect. Built in the image of Cowboys legend, Jason Witten, Mayer is a able blocker as well as an extremely reliable pass catcher.
He would be a plug-and-play starter for Dallas, replacing Dalton Schutz cleanly and safely slotting in Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot on the depth chart behind him. The pick makes sense and it finds a consensus between two of the most prominent prognosticators.
Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer has incredible hands, blocks well, and is a nightmare to bring down…so why is he slipping on boards?
Both @QBKlass and I think people might be overthinking him–we discussed the TEs on today's pod: https://t.co/25po4Tj9rF pic.twitter.com/SAJJFXFLwf
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) April 13, 2023
Such a prediction isn’t coming out of nowhere. As discussed on March 9, both experts predicted the Cowboys picking a TE then as well. That time they had Dalton Kincaid going to Dallas. But with Kincaid off the board before 26, which many expect, they’ve pivoted to Mayer.
Kincaid jumping Mayer in the first round isn’t shocking. For as good as Mayer is as a receiving weapon, Kincaid has the ability to be special. Teams often value pass-catchers far more than blockers so the most complete prospect could slip.
At least that’s what two of the most prominent draft minds think.
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