The 2019 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 25th, but the Dallas Cowboys won’t get to work until the next day. Thanks to a midseason trade for wide receiver Amari Cooper, the Cowboys’ won’t make a selection until the second round. Dallas would obviously do this trade 10 times out of 10, as Cooper brought a new life to the passing attack. However, due to the lack of draft capital, it’s more important than ever that Dallas hit on their second-round pick. With needs at multiple positions, the Cowboys have a wide variety of options in the second round.
Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft: Options at Pick 58
Christian Miller
Defensive end Randy Gregory won’t play in 2019, so the Cowboys need to find young talent on the edge. Dallas’ defense, by and large, is stocked with young talent, but they need to find a better option than Robert Quinn to start opposite DeMarcus Lawrence. Alabama’s Christian Miller could immediately step in and make an instant impact as a pass rushing specialist. Miller has a breakout season in 2018, recording eight sacks and 11 tackles-for-loss in 14 games played. He constantly disrupted the pocket and has the speed and athleticism to translate his game to the next level.
Of course, Miller doesn’t come without some red flags. The defensive lineman saw a lot of one-on-one matchups as teams tried to stop defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Additionally, Miller is a one-year wonder who didn’t do much before his Senior season. Lastly, Miller is undersized for the position and needs time to develop into a strong run defender.
Struggling against the run in a division where Saquon Barkley exists is obviously a problem, but stopping the pass is more important than stopping the run. The sure-fire starters will be long gone by the time Dallas is on the board, and Miller offers the highest pass-rushing upside of players likely available at pick 58.
Andy Isabella
Cole Beasley is gone, so why not replace him with a better slot receiver? Andy Isabella was literally the entire UMass offense, compiling 102 receptions for 1,698 yards and 13 touchdowns over 12 games. The next closest player on the Minuteman offense was Sadiq Palmer, who recorded 28 receptions for 419 yards and two touchdowns.
Opposing defenses knew Isabella was going to get the ball early and often and employed ridiculous coverages to try to take him out of the game. That didn’t stop Isabella, who consistently overcame these double teams to get open and make plays. Isabella showed that he could produce against the best of the best, as he recorded 15 receptions for 219 yards and two touchdowns against the fifth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs.
Isabella is a decent short-yardage route runner, but he’ll make his money beating defenses over the top. The UMass product finished the season with the second-most deep passing yards in the nation (705) and his 4.31-second 40-yard dash shows that his speed can translate to the next level. The Cowboys have more pressing needs than a wide receiver, but the value for Isabella is simply too good to turn down. If he’s still on the board at pick 58, it would be hard for the Cowboys to go anywhere else.
Jace Sternberger
Jason Witten is back, but that shouldn’t stop Dallas from trying to find their tight end of the future. 2019’s tight end class is very top-heavy, as T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, Irv Smith Jr., and Jace Sternberger could be immediate starters. Of these four, Sternberger has the best odds of being around at pick 58.
Texas A&M’s Jace Sternberger is one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the entire class. During his Senior season, Sternberger recorded 48 receptions for 832 yards. He showed a knack for getting open in the red zone, recording 10 touchdowns over 13 games. Dallas ranked 26th in red zone efficiency last season, and Sternberger would immediately improve the red zone offense. Sternberger has the ability to line up as an in-line tight end of break out wide as a big slot. He doesn’t have nearly the same ceiling, but he’s essentially a poor mans’ Travis Kelce.
The reason Sternberger could be available in the late second is that he’s not a good run blocker. While he doesn’t shy from contact, Sternberger simply doesn’t have the size or strength to consistently win his blocking assignments. While Sternberger will never be an elite run blocker, that doesn’t really matter when you have Ezekiel Elliott. The running game will be one of the best as long as Elliott’s in the backfield, and the Cowboys need another good weapon in the passing game.
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