Dallas Cowboys 2020 NFL Draft first-round targets: Prioritizing defense
Who are the most logical first-round targets for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2020 NFL Draft?
It is officially draft season, which means fans will start looking more into what prospects their teams may be targeting in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Dallas Cowboys have a ton of holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball and hold the 17th overall pick in the first round.
Dallas needs to put all of their offseason focus on their secondary. Top cornerback Byron Jones is headed for free agency, but they are unlikely to re-sign him. They have contracts to finalize with quarterback Dak Prescott and number one receiver Amari Cooper.
Jones will be getting a big-time contract and he will earn every penny. In 2019, he was targeted 69 times and only let up 33 completions for a rate of 47.8%. If I was in charge in Dallas, I would prioritize our own free agents. The Dallas Cowboys do have over $77 million in cap space to work with, but almost half of that will be spent on a new contract for Prescott.
They could make some cuts to the roster to fit deals for both Cooper and Jones, but I feel like Jones’ days are numbered in Arlington. So the Cowboys must turn to the draft to fix their secondary woes. I expect their first couple picks of the 2020 NFL Draft to be defensive backs then they can address other needs as the draft moves along.
Scouting Report. LSU. player. 817. Pick Analysis. Cornerback. Kristian Fulton. 1
The Dallas Cowboys could find their replacement for Byron Jones in the first round by selecting LSU cornerback Kristian Fulton. He may not have the athletic ability that Jones possesses (not many do) but he may be a more technically sound cover corner.
Fulton has great body control which allows him to come back and play his man rather than the football. He does a good job of maintaining his coverage while also looking back for the football avoiding any penalties.
In my latest mock draft, I actually had the Dallas Cowboys selecting Fulton at 17 and I think that this is one of the best-case scenarios for them. Many people would have them taking one of the safeties in the first but to me, cornerback is the more vital position of need.