Cowboys double down on last year's bet in post-Senior Bowl mock draft by picking big riser
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Dallas Cowboys' 2024 offseason will be how they approach building their defense following Dan Quinn's departure. Whoever is picked up as defensive coordinator will likely not be as extreme as Quinn as far as having lighter athletes on the field such as Markquese Bell playing linebacker or asking […]
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Dallas Cowboys' 2024 offseason will be how they approach building their defense following Dan Quinn's departure.
Whoever is picked up as defensive coordinator will likely not be as extreme as Quinn as far as having lighter athletes on the field such as Markquese Bell playing linebacker or asking Mazi Smith to lower his weight for him to be more than a regular nose tackle.
Quinn was very involved with the Cowboys' defensive recruiting during his three years as defensive coordinator and now that he's out of the picture, it's only fair wondering how it will impact the team's decisions draft-wise.
Mazi in particular is an interesting part of this equation. The Cowboys clearly need defensive line help but what does Will McClay – who pushed for the pick last year – and the coaching staff make out of his second-year chances? Can he drastically improve by going back to his original weight to dominate at the nose/1-tech spots?
If for any reason the answer is no, the Cowboys could very well double down come Day 1 of the NFL Draft and target another defensive tackle. That's the route A to Z Sports' Travis May took when making the 24th overall pick in his latest mock draft after spending last week with boots on the ground at the Senior Bowl.
Cowboys pick another first-round nose tackle in latest mock draft
Few people did as much as Texas Longhorns DT T'Vondre Sweat to boost his stock in the Senior Bowl and May has him going to Dallas in the first round.
The Cowboys picked nose tackle Russell Maryland in 1991 and didn't go back to the well in the first round until Mazi in 2023. Them doubling down on the defensive tackle position in back-to-back years would be huge.
Speaking of huge, Sweat is exactly that. Here's May's breakdown of the pick:
T'Vondre Sweat weighs over 365 pounds, but is fast and agile enough to win in both run and pass situations lined up in multiple positions along the defensive line. And of course he can place offensive lineman on their backs like in this video below from the Senior Bowl.
Sweat's humongous presence could go a long way into fixing the Cowboys' size-related problems on defense. While linebacker is clearly a need, so is defensive tackle to boost the linebacker's level of play. I don't think anyone would oppose to adding Sweat.
However, pulling the trigger on such a move will say a lot about how the franchise perceives Mazi following a relatively slow rookie year.
Cowboys pull off big trade in latest two-round mock draft
It would be something.
