The Dallas Cowboys have the fourth overall pick in the draft this year and players like Ezekiel Elliott, Paxton Lynch, Laquon Treadwell, Derrick Henry, Kenneth Dixon, DeForest Buckner and Jared Goff could be potential targets for the team over the first two rounds.
The Cowboys have a number of needs on both sides of the ball and at number four the team is almost guaranteed to get their hands on one of the best prospects in the draft. The injuries to Tony Romo and Dez Bryant last season may push the Cowboys to draft a player from one of those positions, but Jerry Jones also could consider a defensive player with the pick. Many have speculated that the Cowboys will draft a quarterback at some point in the draft, but it may not end up being at the number four spot.
Jared Goff is considered to be the top quarterback prospect in the draft, but many are projecting him to go at number two to the Cleveland Browns. If Goff does slip past Cleveland and no one trades up ahead of the Cowboys, Dallas likely will strongly consider making the pick. The Cowboys felt they were still talented enough to make the playoffs last season with Tony Romo injured, but the play from the backup quarterback position was not good enough and that basically sealed things for Dallas.
Jerry Jones has spoken to the media about addressing the quarterback situation and Jones also said that the team needs to take advantage of having a high draft pick. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported earlier in the month that Jones was asked on a radio spot if the team would be interested in "young backup quarterbacks available this off-season who come with some risk" and Jones basically said the team would be open to that.
While Jones did not mention anyone by name, Pro Football Talk speculated that Johnny Manziel or Robert Griffin could fit that bill. That is one avenue the team could go down for a new backup quarterback, but the draft also has options. The QB class is considered a deep one and players like Paxton Lynch, Carson Wentz, Connor Cook and Kevin Hogan could be potential targets.
Mel Kiper at ESPN has the Cowboys taking DeForest Buckner at the number four spot in his first mock draft, while CBS has the team looking at Laquon Treadwell. Treadwell had a big season for Ole Miss and with Dez Bryant coming off of major surgery, there is a chance the team could consider the WR with the pick. The RB position is also an area of need and while four might be too high for Ezekiel Elliott or Derrick Henry, the team could consider trading back in the first round and taking one of those players.
Jon Machota at the Dallas Morning News writes that the Cowboys could look at moving back in the first round to draft Elliott and then jump back into the first round using one of the picks they get in that deal. Machota writes that the team could then go after Lynch with their second first round pick.