With the NFL draft less than two months away, fans and experts are rigorously trying to narrow down who their favorite team will and should select.
One of the most informed Cowboys reporters, Jane Slater, sat down with NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano on Friday, and she revealed two defensive back prospects Dallas is doing their homework on. Alabama corner Patrick Surtain II and TCU safety Trevon Moehrig seem to have caught the Cowboys’ attention.
The Cowboys may have possibly found their strong safety of the future with the emergence of Donovan Wilson last season, but free safety Xavier Woods is an unrestricted free agent who is coming off a disappointing year.
Slater noted Dallas’ aversion to spending any real draft capital on the safety position since Darren Woodson was selected in the second round way back in 1992. That would likely have to change if the club wants to land Moehrig, as he is widely regarded as one of the top safeties in the class.
Cowboys new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn understands the importance of the position, however. Quinn’s most successful defensive coaching job was aided by star Seattle safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, and in just his second draft as the Falcons head coach Quinn used the No. 17 overall pick to snag Florida safety, Keanu Neal.
For those unfamiliar with Moehrig’s game, a full breakdown of his skillset from Blogging the Boys’ Connor Livesay explains what he’d add.
“The Cowboys haven’t had a true great cover safety since Darren Woodson, and Trevon Moehrig would be an instant upgrade to the free safety position over Xavier Woods. Before the hiring of defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Moehrig was a solid target for the Cowboys, but he makes even more sense now with his ability to excel in the heavy Cover 1-3 scheme that Quinn is famous for. Moehrig’s coverage skills, ball skills, and range make him a perfect fit for the Dallas Cowboys to pair with Donovan Wilson on the back-end for the foreseeable future. Moehrig is currently projected to be drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and there’s a good chance he could rise to the top of the second round, and possibly even the end of the first round by April.”
Moehrig is currently projected as a late-first to mid-second round prospect, and should he fall to the Cowboys at pick No. 44, many would advise Dallas to strongly consider the former Horned Frog.
The second name Slater mentions is one that won’t need an introduction.
The son of former NFL corner Patrick Surtain Sr., Surtain II is arguably the top cornerback in this year’s draft, in the running along with Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley or South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn.
His long frame and physicality make him the perfect cornerback prototype for a Dan Quinn-led defense. Some scouts note Surtain lacks elite speed or quickness, but he makes up for that with razor-sharp technique and excellent anticipation skills.
Surtain is one of the most tested cornerback prospect in recent history, as he started nearly game for Alabama over the past three seasons (playing alongside Dallas CB Trevon Diggs for the majority of those games), and was consistently asked to match up with many of the nation’s best receiving threats.
Of course the plethora of wide receivers Suratin saw everyday in practice during his three years in Tuscaloosa included Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith.
Surtain’s skills, combined with Dallas dire need for cornerbacks make this pairing a natural fit in many ways. As previously mentioned, there are plenty of experts that have projected this marriage, including Todd McShay, Mel Kiper, and Dane Brugler.
Even if the preference is Farley or Horn for Dallas, there is no denying Surtain could easily be an upgrade to the Cowboys extremely needy secondary.
A full scouting report on Surtain by Cowboys Wire’s own Ben Glassmire at the this link.
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