For all the criticism he and his dad take from the fanbase for how they run the franchise, Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones hit it right on the head during the team’s pre-draft press conference earlier this week.
“You really don’t know until it happens,” he said of the draft and specifically what Dallas might do with the 26th overall pick. “You can read all of the mock drafts, you can see all of the things that we’re told quietly by other general managers, but you’ll never know until you’re there.”
That’s the drama of the draft. Every decision, every trade up or down, every card turned in completely reshuffles the deck for every team waiting their turn. And the stakes won’t get any higher than in Thursday’s first round.
What the Cowboys will actually do once they’re on the clock is anybody’s guess. The team may have a preferred prospect in mind, but rest assured they also have a Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, and Plan E (at least) ready to roll out, depending on what happens with the first 25 selections. Any team is capable of tossing a grenade into the mix and blowing up everybody’s boards.
Even without curveballs, the war room will be presented with a new refreshed menu of options every time commissioner Roger Goodell gets another bro-hug in Kansas City. Here are five specific picks that could dramatically alter the way the first round flows before Dallas is up.
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