Second Round No. 51 and Third Round No. 82: Trade to San Francisco 49ers
Receive: No. 31
Select: DE/LB Zack Baun
This strategy worked in the 2014 draft when Dallas moved their second and third-round selections to select DE DeMarcus Lawrence (pick 34 overall), and that worked out perfectly. The Cowboys make out slightly better on the trade value chart (173-150), but the 49ers are devoid of picks, so adding the second and third round selections are a huge help.
The hope is that Baun would make it to pick 31, which is debatable, but if he does, they should pounce. The recent news of a diluted sample at the NFL Combine might be the things that causes a fall for Baun. It would the the Cowboys’ gain.
Here’s an interesting twist regarding Zach Baun testing positive for a diluted sample at combine: Under the NFL’s new CBA, it will not count as a strike against him whereas it would have under the NFL’s old CBA. Therefore, teams don’t believe it will impact his draft status much. https://t.co/Xw8Q7dTqqb
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 14, 2020
Baun would give the team a young edge rusher to develop and cover themselves if currently suspended pass rushers Aldon Smith and Randy Gregory aren’t reinstated. Even with the expected returns of Smith and Gregory, the team needs a future beyond 2020 and Baun would give them someone to bookend with Lawrence for the next few seasons.