Editors Note: In the months running up to the Draft the DallasCowboys.com staff will be simulating mock drafts using this “On The Clock” simulator. By nature, this can lead to many improbably selections, but that is just the nature of the draft, isn't it? Submit a picture of your favorite drafts to #CowboysMock for a chance to have your selections analyzed by Bryan Broaddus
We'll start out small, with just four rounds for our first go, but we'll build up as we go along. Ed Cahill
1st Round
- Available: C.J. Mosley (ILB, ALA), Mike Evans (WR, TA&M), Taylor Lewan (OT, MICH), Zack Martin (OT/OG, ND)
- Gone:Aaron Donald (DT, PITT), Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix (S, ALA), Kony Ealy (DE, MIZ)
- Selection: C.J. Mosley
Yes, Mosley will likely have to play middle linebacker, but I've been so impressed with his film (Notably, this LSU game) that I consider moving Sean Lee to weak outside linebacker to make this pick. Although Mosley is impressive in the run game, he really blew me away in coverage. At one point even pulling an assignment on a wide receiver in the red zone.
2nd Round
- Available: Cyrus Kouandjio (OT, ALA), Morgan Moses (OT, UVA), Will Sutton (DT, AZST), Dominique Easley (DT, FLA)
- *Gone: *Scott Chrichton (DE, ORGST), Kelvin Benjamin (WR, FSU), Ra'shede Hageman (DT, MINN)
- Selection: Dominique Easley
A round like this is the reason this simulator is so helpful. I was put in a less than ideal situation, and was forced to make a decision.. The guy I really wanted, Scott Chrichton from Oregon State, went the pick ahead of me. With two ACL injuries during college, Easley comes as a big risk, but with what was left on the board it was a risk I was willing to take.
3rd Round
- Available:Kelcey Quarles (DT, SCAR), Cyril Richardson (G, Baylor), DeMarcus Lawrence (DE, BOISE)
- *Gone: *Jackson Jeffcoat (DE, TX), Bishop Sankey (RB, WASH), Gabe Jackson (G, MSST)
- Selection: Cyril Richardson
I had some great players available here, and having DeMarcus Lawrence available here really made this a difficult choice. Richardson was a consensus first team All-American out of Baylor, and while he has had a difficult run up to the draft, I think it'd be too sweet of a deal to pass on him in the third.
4th Round
- Available:Andre Williams (RB, BC), Aaron Murray (QB, UGA), Caraun Reid (DT, PRINC), Josh Huff (WR, ORG)
- *Gone: *DeMarcus Lawrence, Lache Seastrunk (RB, BAY), A.J. McCarron (QB, ALA)
- Selection: Aaron Murray
Murray, the quarterback out of Georgia, has been a popular 4th round selection for the Cowboys this offseason, and I can't disagree. He started 52 games at Georgia, so there is plenty of tape to watch. I like the value here. He's coming off an ACL injury, so add another injury concern to my draft, but I think that is less of a concern at quarterback.
David Helman
1st Round
- Available: Greg Robinson (OT, AUB), Johnny Manziel (QB, TA&M), Mike Evans, C.J. Mosley
- Gone:Aaron Donald, Calvin Pryor (S, LOU), Timmy Jernigan (DT, FSU)
- Selection: Greg Robinson
I took a long, hard look at Manziel, and Mosley could be a valuable addition to Dallas' linebacker corps. But in the unlikely event that Robinson – a freakish athlete who is widely considered to be a top five pick – falls to No. 16, you've got to go for it. That pick would solidify the Cowboys' offensive line for the next decade.
2nd Round
- Available: Will Sutton, Jarvis Landry (WR, LSU), Jackson Jeffcoat
- Gone:Kony Ealy, Brandin Cooks (WR, ORGST), Scott Crichton
- Selection: Will Sutton
I'm really big on the idea of taking a top-notch wide receiver early in this draft, and everyone knows the pass rush needs improvement. The need at defensive tackle is too big to ignore. Sutton is a bowling ball, and he was the best guy left after Donald and Ra'Shede Hageman went in the first round.
3rd Round
- Available:Jackson**Jeffcoat, Christian Jones (LB, FSU), Marcus Smith (DE, LOU), Zach Mettenberger (QB, LSU)
- *Gone: *Jimmy Garoppolo (QB, EIL), Daquan Jones (DT, PST), Cyril Richardson
- *Selection: Jackson Jeffcoat *
I'm sticking with linemen, because that's how desperately the Cowboys need help rushing the passer. Jeffcoat is big, but still fast, and he should be able to help with that immediately. His ties to the Cowboys as the son of Jim Jeffcoat don't hurt, either.
4th Round
- Available:Lache Seastrunk, A.J. McCarron, Michael Sam (DE, MIZZ), Josh Huff (WR, ORG)
- Gone:Seantrel Henderson (OT, Miami), Demarcus Lawrence, Telvin Smith (LB, FSU)
- Selection: Josh Huff
Again, McCarron is an intriguing prospect if the Cowboys want a quarterback. I've been high on Huff since the Senior Bowl, though, and he seems like a great talent for such a bargain. This wide receiver class is so deep, it seems like a guarantee that an impressive talent will still be available at this point in the draft.
Bryan Broaddus
1st Round
- Available: Derek Carr (QB, FRES), Taylor Lewan, Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix, Mike Evans, Odell (WR, LSU) Beckham
- *Gone: *Aaron Donald, Calvin Pryor, CJ Mosely
- Selection: Zack Martin
Was looking at Donald for 1-16 but the Bears grabbed him at 1-14. I can't begin to tell you how hard it was not to select Derek Carr with this pick. Of all the quarterbacks that I have studied in this draft, he seems like he is the most ready to play. Would have loved to have had a shot at Calvin Pryor but he went to Rams at 1-13, so no Clinton-Dix. I have a plan for Zack Martin in his first season in the league playing him at Guard with a possible switch to tackle in 2015. This is the type of guy that you just plug in and play for many seasons to come.
2nd Round
- Available: Xavier Su'A-Filo (G, UCLA), Will Sutton, Dominique Easley, David Yankey (G, STAN), Jackson Jeffcoat
- *Gone: *Jason Verrett (CB, TCU), Lamarcus Joyner (S, UF), Kelvin Benjamin, Kelcy Quarles
- Selection: Scott Crichton
I was honestly okay with what happened in front of me. The draft actually set up nicely with both Sutton and Easley on the board. I had my guard already so Su'A-Filo and Yankey were out of the question. Verrett is a good player but the opportunity to grab a player with size and athletic ability as a rusher off the edge in Crichton was too great which can help me with Tyrone Crawford and DeMarcus Ware.
3rd Round
- Available:Jackson Jeffcoat, Marcus Smith, Demarcus Lawrence, Carlos Hyde (RB, OHST)**
- *Gone: *Cyril Richardson, Telvin Smith, Carl Bradford (LB, AZST), Trevor Reilly (DE, UTA), Paul Richardson (WR, CO)
- Selection: Jimmy Garoppolo QB Eastern Illinois
Once again, I thought my board was holding up nicely here. Could have added more rushers with Smith, Lawrence and Jeffcoat but went in another direction. Not really sure where I would have played Reilly. I thought that the 49ers got great value with Richardson at 3-77. Going into this draft I was feeling that you could have grabbed a quarterback in the 3rd or 4th round that could be that future guy. Selecting Garoppolo seemed like the best option at that point because I am going to let him learn from a man that he went to the same college in Tony Romo. Just appeared to be a very comfortable fit at that spot.
4th Round
- Available:Yawin Smallwood (LB, UCONN), Anthony Johnson (DT, LSU), Bishop Sankey**
- *Gone: *Seantrel Henderson, Lache Seastrunk, Dakota Dozier (OT, FUR), James Gayle (DE, VT)
- Selection: Keith McGill (CB, Utah)
I first saw this player at the Senior Bowl and I came away very impressed with not only physically how he looks at 6-3, 211 4.51 but for that size how well he moves. This player is a fluid moving man down the field. He can play in press or off and looks completely comfortable [embedded_ad]
doing it. All you needed to do is watch the Combine and see how many tall receivers there will be coming into this league in 2014 plus the players that are currently in it. I am also going to try and convince my defensive coaches to give him a look at free safety too.
Fan Draft – Clark Bosslet (**@ThoughtBomb**)
1st Round: Aaron Donald
2nd Round: Xavier Su'a-Filo
3rd Round – Donte Moncrief (WR, MSST)
4th Round- DeMarcus Lawerence
Bryan's Analysis: I am a huge fan of three of his four picks. Right out of the blocks, he hits Donald and Su'A-Filo which gets the draft going in the right direction. There is nice toughness in those two guys on both sides of the ball. I feel like Chris reached for Moncrief here and probably because he was looking at his 4.40 speed. There are games and plays where you don't see him play this fast and he can be a little inconsistent catching the ball. I like the thought of receiver but I would have gone in a different direction. The Lawrence pick in the 4th was a nice get on his part. He will give you something off the edge.
