AGGRESSIVE: The Dallas Cowboys MUST Change Draft Philosophy If They Want To Become CONTENDER!

Summary

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Locked On Cowboys Podcast – Aggressive Change: Why the Cowboys’ Draft Philosophy Must Evolve

Hosts: Marcus Mosher & Landon McCool
Date: March 20, 2026
Episode Focus: The Dallas Cowboys’ draft philosophy, the need for greater aggression, and identifying bold prospects who could transform the franchise.

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Episode Overview

This episode of Locked On Cowboys dives deep into the Cowboys’ conservative draft approach, evaluating why a shift toward more aggressive tactics is essential if they want to become serious contenders. Marcus and Landon analyze historical trends, propose actionable strategies for improvement, and highlight high-upside prospects as potential game changers.

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Current Cowboys Draft Philosophy

(00:52 – 05:48)

• Conservative, Methodical Approach

  • The Cowboys routinely let the draft "come to them," opting to select from the best available rather than trade up for premium prospects.
  • Their tendency is to "lean on their heavy investments in the scouting department," drafting “very conservatively,” especially “red meat” offensive linemen and shying away from bold, risky moves. (Landon, 02:31)

• Preference for Trading Back

  • “They do not like to trade up in round one. They have executed one first-round trade up since 2012…But during that time they have had four…round one trade backs.” (Marcus, 04:11)
  • Trading back and accumulating top-100 picks is viewed as the best path for roster depth.

• “Hitting Doubles” (Safe Picks in Round 1)

  • The Cowboys focus on high-floor players, which is how “you end up taking someone like Tyler Booker, a guard from Alabama in round one last year.” (Marcus, 04:52)
  • While this builds a good team, it rarely produces “needle movers” who elevate the squad to Super Bowl-caliber status.

Notable Quote:

“You can't just continue to try to shoot for average and hope that you’re going to get better. You have to take some swings at some points.” (Landon, 05:48)

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The Downside of Reluctance to Swing Big

(07:10 – 10:43)

• Overly Focused on Floor, Not Ceiling

  • Cowboys’ free agency and draft approach both avoid risk, usually filling out the roster with safe, experienced options to avoid glaring holes before the draft.
  • “I think they’re so afraid of striking out that they’re not actually really swinging for the fences, and that’s what hurts them.” (Marcus, 07:10)

• Stuck in Mediocrity

  • Remaining around .500 results in middling draft position (12-22 range) and few chances for blue-chip talent.
  • As the salary cap expands, top free-agent talent becomes more scarce.
  • “If you keep ended up being kind of mediocre…you keep drafting in this 12 to 22 round where you may or may not get a blue chip, right?” (Landon, 08:31)

Historical Example:

• 2016: The decision to draft Ezekiel Elliott (#4) over Jalen Ramsey reflected over-cautiousness; while Zeke was productive, passing on Ramsey for positional safety was emblematic of Dallas’ “double” approach.

Notable Quote:

“They need to fold in some swings, some big swings. …The only way to break free of that and to add top-end talent is to get into an area where you can shop for top-end talent.” (Landon, 05:48 & 08:31)

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Strategies for Becoming More Aggressive

(13:46 – 18:31)

1. Trading Up for Blue-Chip Talent

• The Cowboys must be “willing to give up the capital that's required to get to the areas…that you get these guys.” (Landon, 13:46)
• Trading into the top six or seven could secure access to rare, transformative players—perhaps at the cost of depth at other positions.
• Example: “If you go up to get, again…David Bailey, it probably means that you’re going to miss out on a corner or a linebacker, maybe both. But if you think Bailey can be a Pro Bowl caliber edge rusher…maybe that’s the way.” (Marcus, 14:45)

2. Taking More High-Ceiling, High-Risk Players

• Historically, Dallas targets high-floor prospects from major programs (e.g., Alabama, Oklahoma, Michigan).
• Instead, “maybe you take a guy that either came from a smaller school…or maybe the personality is less than ideal, but he’s really a talented player.” (Marcus, 17:09)
• Past examples compared: Tyler Booker (safe) vs. Walter Nolan (ultra-athletic upside).
• The risk: these players have a lower floor, but if they hit, can “propel the defense” in a way conservative prospects do not.

Notable Quote:

“If you continue to shoot for mediocre mediocrity and then achieve it, you’re losing opportunity costs to ever get out of mediocrity.” (Landon, 18:31)

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The Risk of the Middle: Why “Doubles” Aren’t Enough

(19:07 – 21:29)

• False Security of “Good,” Not “Great”

  • Even consistently solid picks (e.g., “Dylan Thienam at 12”) may not deliver a true game-changer: “I don't know that CJ Allen’s skillset…projects as a real difference maker at linebacker.” (Marcus, 19:24)
  • Defensive upgrades that raise the unit “from 32 to 21” aren’t enough to compete with conference elites.

• Trapped in Perpetual “Almost”

  • “For at least for my lifetime, they’ve been in the spot you don’t want to be at…right in the middle.” (Marcus, 20:34)
  • Cleaning house or taking major swings might be the only way out of this “trap.”

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Home Run Prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft

(23:19 – 28:28)

• Jermod McCoy (Cornerback)

  • Enormous upside as “an incredible cover corner,” but major red flags due to a lingering knee injury and lack of recent action.
  • “If you get 2024 Jermod McCoy at any point during this rookie contract, that could be a needle mover.” (Landon, 24:12)

• Malachi Lawrence (Edge, Central Florida)

  • “Best combination of length and explosiveness” among the class’s edge defenders.
  • Would be a break from Dallas’ big-school, low-risk tradition.
  • “That is a guy that has all the pass rushing upside in the world, and somebody who I think fits this defense well.” (Marcus, 25:30)

• Keldrick Falk (Edge, Auburn)

  • “20-year-old freak,” enormous physical tools, unpolished, high variance but potential for All-Pro impact.
  • “If you hit on him…he could be a dominant force.” (Landon, 26:10)

• Arvel Reese (Edge) – The Ultimate Swing

  • Trading up inside the Top 5 could net Reese, viewed as a Micah Parsons successor in terms of upside and system fit.
  • “He is the guy that if you’re going to take a big swing…that could really change the outlook of the defense, I think it’s Arvel Reese.” (Marcus, 27:09)
  • “The floor is a lot higher with a guy like Reese because…I think in the Cowboy system he will play some linebacker as well.” (Landon, 27:52)

Memorable Moment (Humor):

“I’m realizing that this whole podcast is just a really underhanded way for you to convince me that Caleb Banks is who the Cowboys should be taking somewhere.” (Landon, 20:15)

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Key Takeaways & Final Thoughts

(Throughout, especially 21:01–21:29 and end)

• The Cowboys’ reliance on cautious, “safe” picks and avoidance of high-risk, high-reward moves has brought them reliable, but not elite, rosters.
• To reach contender status, they must either trade up for blue-chippers or embrace more volatility in their prospect profiles—even at the cost of a few “busts.”
• “They got to find a way to break, break loose from this a little bit.” (Landon, 21:01)
• The hosts make clear: doubling down on the old approach will yield the same familiar results—only big swings provide a reasonable hope of breaking through the mediocre middle.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Draft Philosophy & History: 02:31 – 05:48
• Trading Back vs. Trading Up: 04:11 – 07:10
• The Need for Big Swings: 07:10 – 10:43
• Why the Middle is a Trap: 19:07 – 21:29
• Aggressive Strategies: 13:46 – 18:31
• Home Run Prospects: 23:19 – 28:28

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Notable Quotes

• “You can't just continue to try to shoot for average and hope that you’re going to get better. You have to take some swings at some points.” (Landon, 05:48)
• "I think they’re so afraid of striking out that they’re not actually really swinging for the fences, and that’s what hurts them.” (Marcus, 07:10)
• “If you continue to shoot for mediocre mediocrity and then achieve it, you’re losing opportunity costs to ever get out of mediocrity.” (Landon, 18:31)
• “If you get 2024 Jermod McCoy at any point during this rookie contract, that could be a needle mover.” (Landon, 24:12)
• “He is the guy that if you’re going to take a big swing…that could really change the outlook of the defense, I think it’s Arvel Reese.” (Marcus, 27:09)

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In Summary:
McCool and Mosher urge the Cowboys to shed their risk-averse ways, advocating for bold, aggressive moves in the draft—by either trading up for blue-chip talent or gambling on high-variance prospects. Only by swinging for the fences, they argue, will the Cowboys escape persistent mediocrity and become true Super Bowl contenders.

Transcript

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What a moment.

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What a strike. See who makes their case to join the roster. To represent the stars and stripes USA has taken on Belgium on Saturday, March 28th at 2:30pm Eastern. USA versus Portugal Tuesday, March 31st at 6:00pm Eastern live on TNT and HBO. Max it's time for the Dallas Cowboys to be more aggressive in the draft. We'll tell you why next. You are Locked On Cowboys, your daily Dallas Cowboys podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast network. Your team every day. Welcome back. I am your host Marcus Moer. He is Landon McCool and today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. FanDuel is giving you a way to turn that energy into an even bigger potential win with a college basketball parlay profit boost. Head over to FanDuel.com to get started. And on today's show we're talking about Dallas Cowboys being more aggressive in the NFL draft. We're going to talk about some high risk players that they should target, why they need to be more aggressive. But Landon, I want to start with this. We have a pretty good sample size now of how will McClay and Steven Jones and Jerry Jones like to run a war room in a draft. We've gotten some really good videos about how they operate, you know, how they do trades, what they value. How would you describe the Cowboys draft philosophies and strategies as they are currently constructed?

[A]

Yeah, I mean I, I think that they, they like to lean. They, they like the, the idea of leaning on their heavy investments in the scouting department and, and that they have a, a deep bench of, of local and area scouts that all answer up to Will McClay and, and in a lot of ways they, they draft very conservatively. Right? I mean it's, it's, it's a lot of offensive line like red meat kind of drafting. It's, they don't trade up a lot. They're not necessarily super aggressive. They would obviously much rather trade back. And look, obviously there's some mathematic, you know, reasoning, there's some economic reasons behind that, of course, but, but they have shied away from taking big swings with their draft picks at times other than the trades that we've seen at times for veteran players, which I think makes sense. But they've shied away from big trades up. Right. Or going to get a player that they like. They certainly are more in the camp of allowing the draft to kind of come to them. I would say that they have done a pretty decent job at times of balancing need and drafting best player available. Although the times that they've kind of broken from that is when they usually err on the side of at least the first round, first few rounds. I mean, I think they've struggled kind of as the draft has gone on at times, but I, I think, you know, if anything they do kind of air towards the, like I said, the red meat of these drafts. That's why we've seen a lot of offensive linemen, you know, not as many defensive linemen, but. But certainly they like to build the trenches up front of the offensive line.

[B]

Yeah. So one thing with trades, they do not like to trade up in round one. They have executed one first round trade up since 2012. That's when they went from 12, coincidentally to six to draft Morris Claiborne. But during that time they have had four, I believe, round one trade backs. They traded back when they selected Tyler Guyton. They traded back when they selected Micah Parsons. They dropped down from 10 to 12. They traded back, I believe it was in 2013, to get Travis Frederick and there was a, another one in there. I believe I'm missing. But they believe in the idea of, hey, we trade back, we accumulate top 100 picks and that's the way to build the draft board. And honestly, it's not a bad strategy. More often than not, I think when you go back and you look at those trades, the teams that's trading back ends up doing well. They end up taking the better player anyways. I think a perfect example that of that is 2021 when they took Micah Parsons at 12 and the Eagles traded up for Devonte Smith. So that's not a bad draft strategy. The other thing, at least for me, I think they like to hit doubles in round one. Like they just want to get guys that they feel good about that have relatively high floors and that's how you end up Taking someone like Tyler Booker, a guard from Alabama in round one last year. Now Booker is a really good player and I've got, I think he can be a Pro bowl caliber guard as soon as next year. But I also don't know how much that necessarily moves the needle from taking you to a good team to a Super bowl caliber team.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, look, I think their, their free agent strategy is very similar in this way. Right? Where and we've complained about it all the time, is it feels like they're not spending enough money and it's not, they're not taking the swings. And, and honestly, like, I think it's how we should look at it is that it's, it's, it's a sound strategy. The problem is, is that they need to fold in some swings, some big swings. And I think it's the similar situation with the draft, right where their draft strategy overall is, is very sound and the, the economics behind it makes sense and if they explain it to you, it lines up. But the problem is, is that you can't just continue to like, try to shoot for average and hope that you're going to get better. Like you have to take some swings at some points. And, and I think especially this year where they needed to improve on defense, they have done some things that have improved the middle class. They have raised the floor of this defense to a large degree. But if they're going to get better, they've got to find a way to take a swing this, some swings this off season. And they haven't done it in free agency or they haven't, you know, made contact with the ball with their swings during free agency. So now I think it means that maybe they should consider at least trying to take some more of these big swings in the draft to try to get the players they need.

[B]

They're such a funny organization because they like in free agency just to cover their holes enough. So if they had to play a game in April, they would, they would have a roster that's ready to go. Right. But you never have to play a game in April. But the reason they do that is because they want to be able to draft somewhat freely by the time they get to the draft. And I understand that, but there's another strategy out there that I think you see some of the more aggressive teams using of like, hey, free agency is when we can go out and get difference makers and we'll pay up for difference makers and we'll use day two and day three of the draft to kind of fill in the gaps, right? But that's when we go up and get our real difference makers is in free agency. I don't know if they're ever going to change that. I just don't know if the Cowboys are ever going to be that aggressive on the open market and that's okay. I think you can build a really good contender that way, but I don't know if then you can go to the draft and try to hit doubles in round one and round two. I think they're so afraid of striking out that they're not actually really swinging for the fences and that's what hurts them. And I think in the times that they have Landon, like with a Micah Parsons, you're drafting an elite athlete who maybe you're not quite sure what position he's going to play, but you're gambling on the upside. It's ended up making a huge difference.

[A]

Well, you get caught in a cycle, right? Like if you keep ended up being kind of mediocre, you keep getting close to eight and eight records. You keep drafting in this 12 to 22 round where you may or may not get a blue chip, right? And free agency is only going to get worse. For shopping for top end players, it's not going to get better. As these salary caps get larger and larger, teams just aren't going to start letting their players go. That's why the pickings have been slim these last few years is because as the salary cap continues to explode, more and more teams have a lot of money. They just aren't letting these guys out of their building. So if you kind of are caught in that loop, the only way to break free of that and to add top end talent is to get into an area where you can shop for top end talent. And in this particular off season, probably the only way to do it is with the first round pick either trading for a veteran or trading into the top seven.

[B]

Probably you and I have been doing this show a long time and I believe when you and I started doing podcasts and not even for the Locked on podcast network was in 2016. That's the last time they've had a top 10 pick. And honestly in the, you know, they kind of went for a double pick there with Ezekiel Elliott. Now Zeke was an awesome, awesome pick, but the reason why they didn't take Jalen Ramsey was they weren't quite sure if he was a corner or a safety so they opted for the safety of a running back instead. That pick worked out really well for them, but it's time for them to start taking some big swings.

[A]

Yeah, you know, ultimately it worked out for them but like, it wasn't, you know, the needle mover that we expected with the fourth overall pick. Right. And so like, I think for the Cowboys, they are, they aren't getting a ton of opportunities to get up there and, and if you need to the talent to kind of be added at the top end, you have to find a way by hook or by crook to get up there to, to, to be able to get these kind of guys. So yeah, it's, I'm not necessarily saying that that's the only way the Cowboys are going to have to do this, but like, if they want to get top end talent in this off season, that's likely the only way that they're going to be able to go get it.

[B]

Yeah. And there are again, there are teams that believe more in stars than depth and they're gonna, they can find depth. It's easier to find that. Cowboys have actually kind of been in that situation the last couple years where their roster's been so top heavy and it's the middle class that's actually hurt them. But now that you look at the defense and I mean honestly is there, I think Quinn and Williams is the only player that you would say is comfortably a top 10 player at his position. They need some guys on defense that can really move the needle. We'll tell you how they might do that next. This episode is brought to you by FanDuel. College basketball is non stop. Big games, tight spreads, momentum swings every single night. From early tip offs to late night west coast shootouts to there's always action on the board. And now FanDuel is giving you a way to turn that energy into an even bigger potential win. With a college basketball parlay profit boost. You can build any college hoops parlay that you want. Rivalry games, ranked matchups, whatever fits your read. And you can mix spreads, totals, player props to match how you see the slate playing out. Then you can apply the profit boost and instantly bump up the payout. So go safe, go bold. Ride with the team that you've been following all season long. It's your parlay your style now with more upside behind it. Head over to FanDuel.com to get started. That is FanDuel.com FanDuel play your game. This episode is brought to you by Five Hour Energy. Welcome to the Five Hour Energy flavor draft. With 18 different flavors to choose from including new options like Confetti Craze, Fruity Rainbow or Cotton candy. There's something for everyone. The board is set, the flavors are ready, and I've got my pick for the five Hour Energy flavor draft. It's an easy one. It is the cherry flavor, it's honestly, it's unbelievable. It's got a bold cherry candy style flavor. It's sweet with a little bit of a tart edge. But the best part, it's got a tangy finish that I absolutely love. And five Hour Energy shots give you a boost with zero sugar. And five Hour Energy has a lot of upcoming flavor innovations planned. So go check them out and find your new favorite flavor of five hour energy shots available online at 5hourenergy.com or on Amazon. Welcome back to the Locked on Cowboys podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. Don't forget to check out the everyday club for ad free episodes and, and access to a group chat with Landon and I and other listeners of the show. Tap the link in the show notes or go to lockdown cowboys supercast.com all right, Landon, let's talk about how the Cowboys could be more aggressive because they've been pretty safe. They've just tried to get good players and again, that's not a bad strategy. They have a lot of really good players on their team, but how do they go and get the great ones that truly make a difference?

[A]

Yeah, I mean, they're just gonna have to be willing to give up the capital that's required to go up and get to the areas that, like we said, the places that you get these guys. I don't know that it takes you getting into the top five. I think that, you know, just because of positional value that you potentially could get somewhere in like 6 or, or maybe even 7 if you can get there. And, and I think that that could, you know, get you to within striking distance of a blue player that again, maybe it's falling because not only the positional value of other players, but that positional value of that player. Right. Because if you talk about Sonny Styles or, or even a Caleb Downs, like, you know, those are guys that they're, they're not outside corners, they're not pass rushers. It's a, it's an off ball linebacker and a safety slash nickel guy. So maybe there's a chance that you could get into a spot where you're able to pick a guy that, like I said, because of the value of that position is, is able to be picked up outside of the top five in a draft that is really, really short on kind of blue chip players.

[B]

Yeah. And we'll talk about some of those names, but that's the easiest way to just go up and grab one of these guys and yeah, it's going to hurt your depth and you're not going to be able to fill every need. And if you go up to get again, let's. I'm just making up a name. Let's say it's David Bailey. You trade up to six to get David Bailey, it probably means that you're going to miss out on a corner or a linebacker, maybe both. But if you think Bailey can be a Pro bowl caliber edge rusher who makes everybody on your defense better, maybe that's the way that this team should go about trying to rebuild their defense.

[A]

Yeah. And, and to me, I think if you're asking, I kind of feel like just based on the way that the, the situation is lined up right now, it's probably going to be cornerback that you would be like if, for instance, you went up and got Bailey right, it kind of feels like it would be cornerback would be the position that you would miss out on because really, I mean, you know, the choices at 92, unless you make another trade to correspond to, kind of get someplace in that striking range, the choices at 92 aren't going to be nearly as nice as your linebacker choices at 92. So I feel like if you're doing this trade to get, you know, especially if you're using the other first round pick this year to get up there, it's probably cornerback, that this is the position that you're sacrificing at just simply because of the way the board falls

[B]

and you could talk yourself into being okay at corner right. You signed Kobe Durant, Bland's gonna come back healthy, no worries there. Again, I'm trying to be optimistic.

[A]

You're being optimistic.

[B]

Savannah Rebel gonna take up a big step in year two. They have ready Stewart as a slot guy and maybe you just won't use as many traditional cornerbacks because you're going to use Marquis Bell as your slot defenders. You really only need two or two and a half. Right. And that's, that's how you, you sell yourself on this position.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, you still got Josh Butler, you still got some other guys in there from Carson, Caleb Carson that you know can come in and give you some solid snaps. So yeah, maybe you can convince yourself that that's the way to go. And again, like, if you feel like you're going up to get a guy that's a real needle mover as a pass rusher. Maybe that's another good way of just saying, hey, a little bit more at the pass rush makes the back end a little bit easier. We brought Christian Parker in here for a reason. Maybe he can help us cover some things up with coverage. I think it, it's, it's, it's certainly something you can convince yourself of.

[B]

So that's one way to go about it. The other way that you could do is you could just take more shots on high ceiling players that maybe have lower floors. This is something that will McClay and Jerry Jones have really never wanted to do. They' always taken the guys from big schools. That's why you see guys like Alabama, Oklahoma, Michigan littered in their first round draft history, right? But maybe you take a guy that either came from a smaller school or doesn't have the, the production that you want, or maybe the personality is less than ideal, but he's really a talented player. And like, I'll give you a couple of examples from last year, right? Again, prefacing this all by saying that Tyler Booker is a good player. But what if you would have drafted someone like Walter Nolan at 12 instead who has a supreme athlete? Maybe you don't feel like you have to go out and make a trade for Quinn and Williams. Or what if you drafted Shamar Stewart from Texas A M? And again, I know the rookie year was whatever, but you're betting on guys with elite, elite traits with the hope that, hey, if they hit, that's what's going to propel our defense to being an actually good unit. I think that's way riskier than actually just going up and getting the player that you want to get. But it's another, it's another philosophy.

[A]

It's another way to go, right? Like you know, picking these guys that have that kind of high ceiling capability, like I think that's the issue, right, is that if you continue, it's, it's, if you continue to shoot for mediocre mediocrity and then achieve it, you're losing opportunity costs to ever get out of mediocrity, right? Because you're, you're not, you're not failing enough to get the, the ammunition you need to go get the good players and you're not getting a guy that could surprise you with upside athleticism like, like some of these other.

[B]

Well, look, can I give you an example? Like I think there's a world where they draft like Dylan thienam in at 12, who we both really like.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Who could be, you know, your slot corner could be a starting safety and then CJ Allen at 20, which we're not quite as high on CJ Allen,

[A]

but I think those would be good picks. You would be happy about it.

[B]

Yeah. And I think both players have incredibly high floors because they're multi year players that played on really smart defenses. I think the issue is even if they both hit right away as rookies and they are performing like, you know, top three rookies at their positions, I don't know that CJ Allen's skill set in his athleticism projects as a real difference maker at linebacker. And even for Dylan Thiemen like Dinnerman I think can be a really good coverage player that makes a bunch of tackles. I, I don't know that you're getting a Nick Iman Warri or Derwin James or Kyle Hamilton that can make a bunch of high value plays and I think it improves your defense from 32 to 21. But is the 21st defense going to be enough to compete against the Rams and the seahawks and the 49ers? I don't know.

[A]

I'm smiling because I'm realizing that this whole podcast is just a really underhanded way for you to convince me that Caleb Banks is who the Cowboys should be taking somewhere. Well,

[B]

yes, no, but I mean, but that is like the type of player.

[A]

No, totally it is. Yeah.

[B]

You're going to have to grit your teeth a little bit drafting these guys. But. But hey, if it works out, it works out. Here's my problem with the Cowboys. For at least for my lifetime, they've been in the spot that you don't want to be at. That's that 9 and 8, 10 and 7 range, 12 and 12 and 5 where you lose in round one, you it you're better off being a bottom six team and missing out on your picks than being right in the middle, which is where they've been.

[A]

Listen, you and I have been calling it, this team needs to take swings. I don't know, was it two years ago I told that this team needed just to wipe the clean start over. Not tank, but certainly kind of clean house. And this is ultimately the kind of thing I was concerned about is that you get caught in a trap, you can't get out. Right. Like you got to find a way to break free. And the only way you keep doing the same thing over and over again, you're gonna get the same results over and over again. So they got to find a way to break, break loose from this A little bit.

[B]

All right, so let's talk about some players that might be the home run swings that the Cowboys should be looking at. We'll. We'll take a look at that next. This episode is brought to you by Robin Hood. What if sports were traded like markets? Now you can put your sports IQ to work in real time with Robin Hood Prediction markets. It's not you against the house. It's you participating in a live market. You can buy or sell your positions live all game long. Use your sports knowledge in the moments that matter. Robinhood Prediction Markets changes the game. It's people moving the action so when the momentum shifts, you can move with it. I've always known the game, but never had a dynamic way to apply that knowledge. Now I can actually take part live in a market powered by the people. You're no longer just a spectator. Play by play, you decide. Trade every play with Robinhood. Now available across the U.S. download the Robinhood app now. To begin. Futures and cleared swap trading involve significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives llc, a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm.

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[B]

Welcome back to the Locked On Cowboys podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. All right, Lena, let's get into the. To the players here, who are some of the home run swings that the Cowboys should be looking at this year in the draft.

[A]

Well, I. I think we mentioned one of them, right, Your guy from Florida, who I think you know. Again, even the broken foot kind of makes this even more, like, murky, right?

[B]

Yeah, I think he's just gonna fall in between where their picks are going to be, so I.

[A]

That's probably fair. I think that the guy that kind of, like, immediately comes to mind is Jermod McCoy. And I know that the Cowboys, like, have kind of ruled out the red shirt. And I know that you and I have spoken about very frighteningly of the fact that he didn't play last year when he was supposed to play, didn't show up at the Senior bowl, didn't do anything at the combine, is supposed to Work out as pro day. But we'll see. We'll see. Man, I think that that's really scary and that's like huge downside there, right? Like this is he's way past the normal recovery time for this knee injury at this point. And maybe it's because he's just getting ready for his pro career, maybe it's because there's a complication, I don't know. But to me that presents a real downside there. However, if you get 20, 24 Jamal McCoy at any point during this rookie contract, that could be a needle mover. Like he is an incredible cover corner and his tape is, is, I think it's just sophomore year. Yes, incredible. It was really, really great. So I, you know, buyer caveat on board. Like buyer beware for sure, like with this guy because of the knee stuff. But again, like if you hit on him, you've definitely, you've definitely in the conversation for getting the best cornerback in the draft. And maybe, you know, in the last couple.

[B]

Honestly, I got another option for you at 20. What about somebody like Malachi Lawrence? So Lawrence played at Central Florida.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

He's not super big, 6 foot 4, 250 pounds, so about average size for an edge. But he's explosive and he was productive. And there's going to be guys from bigger schools like Cassius how from Texas A M or Akeem Mezador from Miami or Caldrick Falk from Auburn, all these guys that played at big schools. But he's probably the, he's probably got the best combination of length and explosiveness and they don't typically like to drop small school guys in round one. But that is a guy that has all of the pass rushing upside in the world and somebody who I think fits this defense well.

[A]

All right, here we go. We mentioned your guy, so we're gonna, we're gonna mention my war eagle guy. Keldrick Falk falls into this category. You know, he's a guy that if you hit on him and you've got a 20 year old freak who's six' six, 285 pounds with 34 and a half inch arms who suddenly the, the light has clicked on for rushing the passer. He's a really good run defender who probably will only get better, that could be a dominant force. And again like those are the kind of like the balls of clay that you're just not sure of that. Oh man, he hit. Like those are the guys who become the truly dangerous players in this league. Right. Like the guys you aren't quite sure if it's gonna work, but man, he's got a lot of tools. Suddenly, oh, no, he put it all together and he's a monster. That's what teams are thinking about when they see Keldrick Falk. I know there's a lot of questions about him, but that's why teams are interested. Because if you can find a way to project him into that, you really, really got something.

[B]

And the guy that you would be trading up for inside the top five, I don't think it's Reuben Bain because I think he's maybe a little bit limited, like in terms of the ceiling. It's probably. Maybe it's David Bailey. I doubt it's Sonny Styles just because he's an off ball linebacker backer. The guy for me is Arvel Reese. Right. You're betting on the tools, you're betting on the traits that he could become your next Michael Parsons. And I know everybody's saying, well, why give up two first round picks for an unproven Arval Reese when you could have just kept Micah Parsons? The idea is that you're getting significantly cheaper, you're getting younger, and you're kind of resetting this clock a little bit. He is the guy that if you're going to take a big swing on, a guy that could really change the outlook of the defense, I think it's Arvel Reese.

[A]

Yeah. And obviously you get also Quinn and Williams and Kenny Clark too. But also on top of that, I think for the Cowboys, the floor is a lot higher with a guy like Reese because I think in the Cowboy system he will play some linebacker as well. So I don't think he'll stop the run. Oh, yeah, and he'll stop the run. So. Plus being, you know, probably the most upside pass rusher in this draft. So, yeah, definitely a guy that if you were able to get him somehow.

[B]

And it's going to cost a lot, like it's going to cost your two first round picks and you're not, you're not going to get anything back and you might have to give up some more, but it's a swing.

[A]

Absolutely, it would be.

[B]

All right. That is it for today's show. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. If you never miss an episode, the everydayer club is built for you. Get locked on Cowboys ad free members only, discord access and so much more. Head over to lockdown Cowboys Supercast to join the club. And for those of you on video, we can send you the first ever 24.7national NBA YouTube channel and on audio. Make your second listen the locked on NFL Draft podcast. Follow Landon on Twitter @mccoolbcb. I'm @Marcus Underscore Moser and we'll see you right back here on Monday. USAA knows dynamic duos can save the day like superheroes and sidekicks or auto and home insurance. With us you can bundle your auto and home and save up to 10%. Tap the banner to learn more and get a'@usaa.com bundle restrictions apply. Not to brag or anything, But Arby's new $7.99 meat in three box is kind of a big deal. The other guys give you just one side. We give you three sides. Not to brag. You get a meaty sandwich, curly fries, Mott sticks, a sweet treat and a drink. All for just $7.99. It's more meal for your money. More meal for your money. More meal for your money. Where'd that come from? Arby's. We have the meats at participating Arby's

[A]

for a limited time.

[C]

Not every sale happens at the register before AT&T business Wireless checking out customers on our mobile POS systems took too long. Basically a staring contest where everyone loses. It's crazy what people say during an awkward silence. Now transactions are done before the silence takes hold. That means I can focus on the task at hand and make an extra sail or two. Sometimes I do miss the bonding time. Sometimes.

[A]

AT&T business Wireless connecting changes everything.