Cowboys: Latest mock draft fuels rumors about prospect's meteoric rise
In Mel Kiper's latest mock draft for ESPN, the big story for the Dallas Cowboys isn't the pick they make in the first round but rather in the second. Kiper has Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer mocked to the Cowboys in the first, which isn't surprising. For over a month now, many experts and […]
In Mel Kiper's latest mock draft for ESPN, the big story for the Dallas Cowboys isn't the pick they make in the first round but rather in the second.
Kiper has Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer mocked to the Cowboys in the first, which isn't surprising. For over a month now, many experts and insiders pretty much have mocked every first-round tight end to Dallas.
Following Dalton Schultz's departure, it just makes a lot of sense for Dallas. Mike McCarthy's offense needs top-tier play at tight end and while Jake Ferguson impressed in his rookie season, it would be smart to add a talent of the magnitude of Mayer at the position. The first-round prospect has even drawn comparisons to Cowboys legend Jason Witten.
But while Kiper's first-round "mock pick" for the Cowboys won't raise any eyebrows, the second-round one is evidence of the team's interest in one particular prospect: WR Jonathan Mingo from Ole Miss.
Here's Kipers' breakdown of the Cowboys' 58th overall pick:
I thought about a replacement for Ezekiel Elliott here, but Mingo would make an impact on the Dallas depth chart. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound receiver has a great mix of size and speed. He averaged 16.9 yards per reception last season, and he was mostly running short routes. He can break tackles once he gets the ball. He has experience playing both outside and in the slot. This makes two pass-catchers for the Cowboys, and you know Dak Prescott would be thrilled.
According to ESPN's Todd Archer, that would mean a little bit of history for Dallas. The Cowboys haven't taken two skill position players in the first and second rounds since 1995.
What's particularly surprising about Kiper's mock is that the Cowboys pass on North Carolina's Josh Downs in order to make this pick. For many weeks and months, most in the media had Downs as a higher-graded player than Mingo.
But that appears to be changing. A Top-30 visit for the team, he's one clear riser heading into the 2023 NFL Draft. And he checks several boxes the Cowboys usually look for, especially from a measurables point of view.
Mingo even scored a 9.86 RAS score, which measures athleticism with a maximum score of 10. The Ole Miss product had one of the highest scores of the year and the tape is pretty good, too.
Scouting report from A to Z Sports' Tyler Browning:
Mingo doesn't go down easy with the ball in his hands, and he has the frame to win at the catch point. Has shown deep-threat ability, despite his mid 4.4 forty-yard dash. He shows willingness and tenacity as a run blocker. His release package will need refinement as he has some struggles gaining separation at the line of scrimmage. He suffers from some concentration drops and he is just middle of the road in his route running ability. Has the ability to consistently find open windows for the QB to throw to, especially when facing zone coverage.
