Dallas Cowboys: Five logical first-round 2021 NFL Draft targets

Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan

Aldon Smith has played well for the Cowboys this season and may have set himself up for a nice payday over the offseason. With Dallas in a less than ideal cap situation, they may choose to let Smith walk and try to replace him in the draft. In this scenario, Kwity Paye would make a ton of sense for the team if they end up picking towards the end of the top 10.

Paye is a big and powerful edge rusher who is quick off of the ball and strong at the point of attack. He shows a ton of natural upside as a power rusher and also sets the edge at an extremely high level. Paye’s game is built on power, but do not sleep on his ability to move. He displays an explosive first step and can win with raw speed around the edge. Paye undoubtedly has exciting upside at the next level and could easily be a great target for Dallas early.

Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech

We talked about a cornerback target for the Cowboys earlier, but Surtain is not the only cornerback worthy of being taken that high. Caleb Farley is not quite as polished as Surtain, but he displays a rare combination of size and athleticism that must be taken seriously.

Farley is listed at 6-foot-2, 207 pounds, has great length and is an explosive athlete. He moves extremely well for a big cornerback prospect and also knows how to use his size to his advantage. Farley can overwhelm opposing receivers with press coverage at the line of scrimmage and also shows the ability to click and close quickly when playing off-man.

Farley is still relatively new to the cornerback position and it does show at times. He is undoubtedly a raw prospect, but Farley’s skill-set is incredibly exciting and worth taking a shot on early in the 2021 NFL Draft. If it all clicks for him at the next level, Farley will quickly become a true shutdown cornerback on the outside. If the Cowboys want to shoot for some upside, Farley stands out as a great choice for the team.