NFL Mock Draft: Cowboys Get Defensive (and Another Tank?)

The only two teams to record more sacks than the Dallas Cowboys last season played in the Super Bowl. Dallas had 54, trailing the Kansas City Chiefs (55) and Philadelphia Eagles (70).

That stat, however, is a tad misleading because the Cowboys' pass rush wilted down the stretch. Micah Parsons, for example, produced 13.5 sacks but only 1.5 the final six games. DeMarcus Lawrence failed to record one in his final seven weeks.

In their two playoff games, the Cowboys did get to quarterbacks Tom Brady and Brock Purdy four times in 95 drop-backs.

But - as the Cowboys' dynasty of the 1990s proved in the NFL in 2023 is reiterating - you can never have enough depth along the defensive line.

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"I think we all recognize that the defensive line play, I know during my time in the league, I think it's at a historical high," coach Mike McCarthy said at the recent NFL owners meetings in Phoenix. "The value that's put into the D-line play, as far as from the draft and free agency, that's a priority position. You've seen the good defensive lines that have the six- or seven-man rotation, they're getting it to eight to 10. Just look at our division alone. You have to pay close attention to that."

With that in mind - and with the luxury of having already checked their top two offseason boxes via trades for cornerback Stephon Gilmore and receiver Brandin Cooks - the Cowboys might be inclined to get defensive in the NFL Draft April 27-29. The latest mock draft by CBS, in fact, has them selecting four defensive linemen in their first five picks.

In the mock, the Cowboys use their first-round pick (26th overall) on Pitt defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and their second-rounder (58th) on defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah from Kansas State.

Though a relatively small at 6-foot-1, 280 pounds, Kancy ran a 4.67 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, fastest ever for a defensive linemen. He broke the record of another pretty decent lineman named Aaron Donald.

While as a rookie Kancey would likely add depth behind the likes of Johnathan Hankins at tackle, Anudike-Uzomah has potential to be a pass-rushing specialist. Last year's Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year sacked TCU quarterback and Heisman Trophy runner-up Max Duggan four times in their meeting.

The full seven rounds of Cowboys picks according to CBS:

Round 1 (26) - Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt

Round 2 (58) - Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State

Round 3 (90) - Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn

Round 4 (129): - Kobie Turner, DT, Wake Forest

Round 5 (169) - Viliami Fehoko, DE, San Jose State

Round 6 (212) - Atonio Mafi, OG, UCLA

Round 7 (244) - Drake Thomas, LB, North Carolina State

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