Cowboys Draft 1st-Round O-Lineman In New ESPN NFL Mock
The latest mock draft from ESPN has the Dallas Cowboys landing one guy who can harass the opposing quarterback and another who can protect their own.
Prognostications from Matt Miller place Florida guard O'Cyrus Torrence in the 26th slot while the Cowboys' second-round choice at 58th overall lands ballhawk Clark Phillips III, a cornerback out of Utah. These selections come after the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl all-star workout and just under a week before the early draft order will be finalized upon the completion of Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday (5:30 p.m. CT, Fox).
With their debut hypothetical pick, the Cowboys land Torrence, who spent last season in Gainesville after three seasons in Louisiana. Joining former Rajin' Cajuns boss Billy Napier, Torrence burst onto the mainstream football scene with consensus All-American honors. Miller went as far as to name Torrence his "top-ranked player" in the Senior Bowl showing in Mobile, being particularly impressed with the way his pass blocking improved during the week.
"The 6-5, 337-pound right guard was dominant in one-on-one drills throughout the week, showing an aggressive ability in the run game," Miller remarks. "But what was most impressive during the week was his ability in pass protection, where his length showed up as pass-rushers were unable to consistently get around him."
Choosing Torrence would likely stand as a "best player available" type of deal for Dallas: the team was able to buy quarterback Dak Prescott plenty of time during the 2022-23 campaign, allowing 27 sacks, the fourth-best rate in the league this season. The move, Miller explains, would afford the Cowboys some relative stabilization, one where Tyler Smith, fresh off a strong freshman season, could move to left tackle full-time (which could be big considering the uncertainty around Tyron Smith).
In the next round, Dallas lands Phillips out of Salt Lake City. While Miller notes that the 5-10, 183 lb. Phillips doesn't have an "ideal NFL size," his plays on the ball make him an essential NFL contributor.
"Phillips had six interceptions in 2022, and he has the toughness and instincts to excel playing inside or outside cornerback," Miller says of Phillips, the 2022 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. "His on-the-ball production over the past two seasons proves he can make an impact."
Dallas is currently slated to choose nine times in the upcoming NFL Draft, which will be held in Kansas City on Apr. 27-29.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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