Dallas Cowboys 2019 Draft Wishlist

Cowboysfan1993 is back once again with his wishlist for the Cowboys’ 2019 offseason. These things may not happen 100%, but it’s possible we may see some version of these events.

Check out what Cowboysfan thinks Jerry should do this spring:

Dallas goes out and signs Earl Thomas as a FA to help shore up the S position, and the Cowboys make several trades including trading Jourdan Lewis to move up in round 2. And then they trade their 7th round pick this year and their 5th rounder next year to move back into round 5 to get Anthony Nelson.

1. Cowboys: TJ Hockenson TE Iowa

Round 2 TJ Hockenson Iowa 6’5″ 250 lbs. The Cowboys trade Jourdan Lewis to the Bills to move up in round two to take TJ Hockenson. The Bills simply need talent, and Lewis is proven. Lewis isn’t a bad player, just underutilized due to Kris Richard’s preference to bigger CB. There is a full season worth of tape, and he played very well. TJ Hockenson is exactly what Dallas wants in a TE. Hockenson is well built, with good athleticism to match. He’s very compareable to George Kittle with better route running, but slightly less athletic ability. Hockenson is unfairly known as the other Iowa TE. Hockenson isn’t a get in the way blocker, he’s a very physical guy who relishes embarrasing would be defender, by locking them out of the play and driving them upfield. We haven’t seen the blocking physicality from TEs since Martellus Bennett. Hockenson though isn’t a one trick TE. Has very strong hands to make contested catches, with athletic ability to separate once the ball is caught. Knows angles, and how to take the appropriate one to extend his YAC. Despite good size he does have room to get even bigger. Doesn’t always high point the ball well, but it isn’t a consistent issue.

2. Cowboys: Trayveon Williams RB Texas A&M

Round 3 5’9″ 200 lbs. I know some people are like Dallas only uses Zeke which is a problem. Zeke is a great RB, but you wonder can Dallas keep leaning on him as heavily as they have without some sort of backup plan. I like Rod Smith, but if the Cowboys are reluctant to use him then it may be due to his skillset. I would love for Dallas to return to the system they had with Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice if possible. They proved they can do it, and getting a back like Williams could benefit the team and Zeke in the long term. Williams despite being a little small, does not really lack for power. Has excellent footwork and vision to find the open hole and then get through. Does not need a large hole to work with, and is very good as a pass catcher. Despite being smaller, he is not a bad pass protector either, which adds further value. He is not just a scat back, he can be a bell cow if needed, but within the Cowboys system he is a perfect compliment to Elliott. You do wonder about his size though and wonder how much punishement he can take. He is not super elusive, he tends to go down on first contact, however he has greatly improved on that this year. Doesn’t really make defenders miss in the open, field, but once again has improved on that this year. I think he’s a good option and offers another weapon for Dallas who desperately needs it.

3. Cowboys: Chauncy Gardner Johnson CB Florida

Round 4 Chauncy Gardner Johnson Florida 6’0″ 205 lbs. Johnson is the guy that Kris Richard will love. He is big for the position, and is a mid round draft pick that Richard can mold into his style. Johnson was actually pretty bad in 2017 all things considered. Didn’t use his size well, and despite being a good tackler, was terrible in 2017. But if you watch the difference between 2017 and 2018 it’s night and day. In 2018, he was excellent in man coverage, and tackled extremely well. His best successes came from playing in the slot as opposed to the outside. He was so talented, he was able to take the opposing team’s best slot weapon out of the game most of the time, whether it was a TE or a slot WR. He is a phyiscal tackler, which is important in the Cowboys scheme. He played both CB and S, so the option to move him is there. The issues he has though is, what type of player are you getting? Are you going to get the 2017 version or the 2018 version. That questions is why he will likely be a mid round draft pick come April. Then you wonder is he going to be a slot only option, or can he play on the outside. Despite the last question, slot CB have become so important to the NFL, that I don’t think it really matters. Dallas has to replace Lewis, but at the same time, they may want to move on from Brown. Brown has not been bad by any means, but with having to pay so many players, they may need to move on sooner rather than later.

4. Cowboys: Kingsley Keke DT Texas A&M

Round 4 (Comp) Kingsley Keke Texas A&M 6’3″ 305 lbs. Expect Keke to go higher than this selection, and honestly I hope Dallas can find a way to trade up into the 3rd round to make this pick happen. Most people are familiar with Daylon Mack, but Kingsley is the better player. He can play the 1 tech, but I think he is best as a 3 tech in the NFL. He is a very powerful player, who has a pass rush as well. He has an advanced reprotoire of pass rush moves for the DT position. He is excellent at closing gaps and penetrating zone runs. The main issue is that he is not the most impressive athlete, so he won’t be making plays outside of his box. He’s also not the quickest guy off the line, so he will need to win matchups mentally to cause disruption. I don’t think Dallas should sign Irving, and they will need a replacement.

5. Cowboys: Andy Isabella WR UMass

Round 5 Andy Isabella UMass 5’10” 190 lbs.

6. Cowboys: Anthony Nelson DT Iowa

Round 5 (Trade) Anthony Nelson Iowa 6’7″ 270 lbs. This is a flyer pick that will remind some of Irving. While he is not as gifted athletically, he could very well be a smarter more consistent player. He carries his weight well, and has very good strength. He is not just a run defender, he has a plan of attack when rushing the QB. Can play inside and outside on some situations. Despite this strengths, he is not very athletic. Like Keke, he will need to win reps mentally, as his first step quickness is a bit disappointing. This is a pretty safe prospect given how far he falls in the draft. He will make some plays, but the question is can he be an effective starter or not given his lack of atheltic ability.