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Cowboys grab star TE; add depth to OL, DL, LB corps in NFL.com's latest mock

Thanks to a handful a savvy free agency additions and timely re-signings, the Cowboys find themselves with no panic-time holes to fill on draft weekend in Kansas City. That should allow them the relative luxury of working their big board and selecting the best players available rather than reaching for a dicey prospect because he fills a desperate positional need.

That said, there are always areas on the roster that could use reinforcement, and the Dallas front office addresses a quartet of those in the latest four-round mock exercise from NFL.com‘s draft analyst Chad Reuter.

Round 1, Pick 26: TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah

The 6-foot-4-inch tight end did not work out during Utah’s Pro day on Thursday. He told reporters that he had been fully medically cleared on Monday (from a late-November back injury that held him out of the Rose Bowl) but will be ready for physical contact at the rookie minicamp of whichever team drafts him.

Dallas had a formal meeting with Kincaid at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, and is understandably intrigued by his size, athleticism, and catch ability. With Dalton Schultz now gone and two rookies holding down the fort, the Cowboys may want to be deeper at the position. A consensus top-two or -three tight end might just be too good to ignore with the 26th pick.

Says Reuter of the Kincaid pick:

“The Cowboys have been waiting until the middle rounds to draft tight ends in recent years, but I’m not sure they can pass up this value. Kincaid’s body control and open-field agility will be a welcome sight for Dak Prescott’s eyes; he should be a nice complement to second-year players Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot.”

Round 2, Pick 58: OT, Dawand Jones, Ohio State

Dawand Jones is a mountain of a man. Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing almost 360 pounds, he is Matt Waletzko’s height with Quinton Bohanna’s mass. He boasts an absurd wingspan of nearly 88 inches. And he has a reputation as an absolute mauler.

The Cowboys have top-tier talent along the offensive line. But Tyron Smith is always an injury risk, Tyler Smith is still developing, and Terence Steele is rehabbing from December’s ACL tear. Dallas is never afraid of stockpiling offensive linemen, and Jones’s sheer size and strength make him worth a close look if he’s available.

Round 3, Pick 90: LB Daiyan Henley, Washington State

Henley started his collegiate career as a wide receiver and kick returner before transitioning to linebacker as a junior. So, yes, he’s fast… but still somewhat raw in his defensive skills. He progressed enough, though, to be named first-team All-Pac 12 as a senior for the Cougars.

Linebacker is once again on the radar for the Cowboys. Micah Parsons figures to be more of an edge rusher these days, and the team doesn’t really know what it has quite yet with Damone Clark, Jabril Cox, and Devin Harper. Leighton Vander Esch could definitely use more around him. Reuter likes the linebacker depth in this class, especially in Round 3 or later.

Round 4, Pick 129: DT Nesta Jade Silvera, Arizona State

Silvera played four years as a Miami Hurricane before finishing his college career at Arizona State. He has impressed all along the way with overwhelming upper-body strength and a quick get-off. Slightly undersized, he’s probably better suited to early-down run situations than pass rushing, but he’s considered a quality target in the middle rounds of the draft.

Neville Gallimore, Osa Odighizuwa, and the aforementioned Bohanna represent the current defensive tackles in Dallas (Johnathan Hankins is currently a free agent). It’s an area the Cowboys could still improve in, with coordinator Dan Quinn and DL coach Aden Durde waiting for someone to break out of the interior pack as a true star.

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