Considering the kicking issues Dallas has encountered, would you possibly draft a late-round kicker? – Fred Lombardo/Kingston, PA
Nick: Typically, I'd say no to this. But if you look at last year, the Cowboys had a few kickers they liked that were drafted but were also pretty high on Jonathan Garibay, out of Texas Tech, and signed him after the draft. Obviously, that didn't work as he didn't make it out of camp. That's not to say there won't be some undrafted kickers that make it on rosters, and most of the ones the Cowboys have had over the years, were not drafted. But if they like a kicker and he's there in the fifth or sixth round, I don't know why you wouldn't. Games are just too close not to invest a little more resources in a kicker. As long as he's made kicks in pressure situations and would be a regular-touchback guy on kickoffs, I wouldn't have an issue with that.
Kurt: I hate the idea of spending a draft pick on a kicker, but the thing is, I'm not sure why. I mean, kicker has to be one of the most important positions on the team, right? Games are literally won and lost by kickers. And given that the last time a non-kicker led the league in points was 17 years ago when running back LaDainian Tomlinson totaled 186 (the NFL record), why not spend a little late-round draft capital here? Well, because history shows that signing an undrafted kicker is just as, if not more, productive. Look at last year's statistical leaders. Of the top-10 kickers in points, seven were undrafted, and of the three who were, two are no longer with the team that first selected them. In field goals made, six were undrafted and none of the other four are with their original clubs. For field goal percentage, eight went undrafted and the remaining two who were are now elsewhere as well. So even though kickers can make or break a season, given the Cowboys' other areas of need, spending a pick on one may not be the best use of Dallas' draft assets.
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