Dallas Cowboys Draft Predictions: 2021 First And Second-Round Picks

With 10 selections in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys have some big decisions to make. While it’s hard to predict what the team might do in the later rounds, there’s very little mystery regarding the team’s first-round intentions.

Dallas is widely expected to grab a defensive player with the No. 10 overall pick Thursday night. More specifically, the Cowboys will probably take the best cornerback on the board.

The majority of mock drafts appear to project Dallas taking Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II. The son of a former Pro-Bowl defensive back, Surtain would provide a poor Cowboys’ secondary with immediate help. Surtain was the 2020 SEC Defensive Player of the Year while leading the national champion Crimson Tide on defense.

South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn is an option at No. 10 overall, as well. Surtain could be off the board by the time the Cowboys are ready to make their pick, and Horn is considered by some to be the best cornerback prospect in this year’s class.

Don’t be surprised if Dallas sticks with defense for its second-round pick. The Cowboys could find an impactful defensive player at No. 44 overall. Assuming the team goes with a cornerback in the first round, it would make sense to target a pass rusher in the second round.

Washington’s Joe Tryon and Wake Forest’s Carlos Basham Jr. are a couple of edge rushers that have been speculated as potential targets for the Cowboys. Prior to opting out of the 2020 season, Tryon had 12.5 sacks and 41 tackles as a sophomore in 2019. Some mock drafts project Basham to be a first-round pick after he recorded 35.5 sacks in his collegiate career.

Long-time Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee announced his retirement this week.

When Dak Prescott has been healthy, the Cowboys have had one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses over the last two years. The defense has been Dallas’ Achilles heel, and the team has lost key players in free agency.

Only four teams gave up more points than the Cowboys in 2020.

First-Round Prediction: CB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama

Second-Round Prediction: LB Joe Tryon, Washington