Dallas Cowboys 2021 mock draft: Fixing the defense at every level

The secondary is a good place to start when thinking about revitalizing the Dallas Cowboys defense. Outside of Diggs, the unit is struggling to start the season. Injuries aren’t helping, as Chidobe Awuzie has missed the last two games, and he had a good start to the season.

While Awuzie has played well in spurts, and Diggs has competed well early in his career, there is work to be done at the corner position. Versatility could be huge for this secondary, and that’s why Shaun Wade is the selection here in the first round.

Wade has a lot of experience manning the slot for the Ohio State Buckeyes and even has gotten some reps at safety. Since the Big Ten’s announcement to return to football, Wade gets a great opportunity to go back and solidify his status as a first-round talent.

So what makes Wade worth a first-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft? It starts with his patience and quickness when lined up in man coverage, where he can recover quickly and stay in receivers’ hip pockets. Wade is sticky in man coverage and displays very good ball skills. If Wade comes out and succeeds more on the boundary in 2020, his stock will be at its highest and he’ll make a great addition for Dallas.