Cowboys Eying 'The Next Zack Martin' In NFL Draft?

FRISCO - At the risk of gushing, Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Zack Martin is pretty much everything a team dreams about in a football player. He's huge. Smart. Strong. Athletic. Versatile. Tough.

He's going to the Hall of Fame someday.

Is Rashawn Slater "The Next Zack Martin''?

Various experts, mocking their way toward the coming NFL Draft, have two top-rated offensive line prospects going somewhere in the top 10 or 12 picks. Oregon tackle Penei Sewell is one of those. Many doubt he will still be available when the Cowboys are on the clock in the first round at No. 10.

But Northwestern’s Slater could be.

Yes, the Cowboys need defensive help, especially at cornerback. And yes, both Alabama's Patrick Surtain and South Carolina's Jaycee Horn make sense in that regard.

But here is the core reasoning for why Dallas should seriously consider taking yet another offensive lineman with the top pick:

“I had a scout tell me he thought Slater might be the next Zack Martin,'' 105.3 The Fan’s Bryan Broaddus says. "Give that some thought.”

Broaddus' thoughts on Slater’s potential come with gravitas, as he is both a former NFL scout and a very plugged-in media member now, with extensive connections in the scouting and front-office worlds. And he is not alone in thinking the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Slater, who played left tackle at Northwestern but has position flex (which the Cowboys love) might be a premium fit.

Our buddy from The Athletic, Dane Brugler sees Slater thriving as a left tackle on the NFL level, but with that versatility? If he ends up in Dallas, he's a guard until Tyron Smith moves on.

We don't yet know where Will McClay has Sewell, Slater, Surtain and Horn on his Cowboys board. (That right there may very well be the order). Nor do we know what the nine teams ahead of Dallas might do with those four possibilities, and others.

But we're committed to our "B.A.A.'' belief. (Best Available Athlete; don't draft positions, draft great players.) And if Rashawn Slater can truly be pegged as "The Next Zack Martin''? The Cowboys cannot go wrong there.

READ MORE: Cowboys NFL Draft Tracker