Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones Lost Big At 2016 NFL Draft

The Dallas Cowboys swung for the fences during the 2016 NFL Draft and while that could pay off big time, it’s hard to picture that actually happening. Once again it appears Jerry Jones’ strategy was to try and make a big splash as opposed to the smart football move.

With the fourth pick in the first round, the Cowboys opted for Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott, which was a ridiculous waste of draft resources. Elliott was by far the best running back in the draft and one of the better backs to enter the NFL in the past decade. But the NFL is a passing league and wasting a top five pick on a running back is a horrible idea. With Dallas’ outstanding offensive line, Elliott could make a great impact early, but the Cowboys passed on much more valuable assets to select him. In addition to that, with Darren McFadden as the lead back in 2015, the Cowboys ranked ninth in the NFL in rushing (118.1 yards per game). They didn’t need to add a ball-carrier.

Dallas’ secondary and defensive lines are both a mess and Jones could have taken a stud like Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey at No. 4. Oregon’s DeForest Buckner was also on the board. Again, it’s a passing league and the Cowboys are thin at key areas on their defense. Elliott could wind up paying a big dividend, but unless he’s an immediate pro bowler, that pick feels like a huge reach.

In the second round, Jones made his most puzzling pick, selecting Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith at No. 34. We all know Smith is a stud when fully healthy, but the problem is, he may never be fully healthy again. He suffered devastating tears of the ACL and LCL in his left knee, and also has extensive nerve damage in the leg as a result. Smith definitely won’t play in 2016 and there is an outside chance he never plays again. Taking him near the top of the second round was an asinine move.

This is the second year in a row the Cowboys have taken a huge risk with their second-round pick. They grabbed Randy Gregory in the second last year despite some huge red flags. While the Nebraska product is an immense talent, he only played in 12 games as a rookie, made just 11 tackles and has been suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. So the Cowboys will open 2016 without either of the last two second-round picks.

In the third round, the Cowboys took Maliek Collins, a solid defensive tackle out of Nebraska. That was a decent pick, Collins won’t blow anyone’s skirt up but he’ll be valuable depth along the defensive line. Charles Tapper will fill a similar role as a fourth-round pick at defensive end from Oklahoma.

With their second selection in the fourth round the Cowboys made yet another puzzling decision, grabbing Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott. Prescott is such a huge project that I can’t see him ever being anything more than a backup who occasionally shows flashes. Dallas isn’t a franchise that likes to rebuild and develop and I think the Cowboys could have gotten someone who will actually contribute sometime soon at that spot. Even if they were set on grabbing a quarterback at that pick, Brandon Allen and Cardale Jones (another project, but a better one) were both still on the board.

The later rounds for the Cowboys were the usual mishmash of players who will wind up being fringe roster guys, but I did love their final pick of the draft. They snagged Baylor basketball player Rico Gathers as a developmental project at tight end. Gathers is a 6-foot-6, 273-pound athletic stud who could wind up turning into a steal. He could also end up washing out if Dallas doesn’t develop him correctly. They’ll have to have patience with him as he re-learns how to play football.

The Cowboys failed to address their immediate needs at cornerback (no, sixth-round pick Anthony Brown doesn’t count) or wide receiver, while getting a fringe quarterback prospect and a running back far too early. Tony Romo is 36 and while Elliott will help take some of the pressure off him, the roster as a whole didn’t improve much.

Dallas had a chance to turn elements of its team around after an atrocious 2015 season. Jones and his front office didn’t address those needs adequately and could end up paying the price in 2016.