Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft: 3 Potential First-Round Picks At No.17 Overall

The Dallas Cowboys have the No.17 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. After leading the league with the top-ranked offense in the 2019 season, the organization might go with defense in the first round.

Dallas missed the playoffs by one game last season, going 8-8 for a second-place finish in the NFC East. The Cowboys have re-signed Amari Cooper and used the franchise tag to prevent Dak Prescott from hitting free agency. Defensive tackles Dontari Poe and Gerald McCoy are among the team’s top free-agent acquisitions.

Here are three players the Cowboys could take with their first pick in the NFL Draft.

K'Lavon Chaisson, LSU

Several mock drafts have the Cowboys going with the edge rusher from LSU. Dallas ranked 19th in 2019 with 39 sacks. Robert Quinn led the team with 11.5 sacks and signed with the Chicago Bears in free agency. No other Cowboy had more than five sacks, including DeMarcus Lawrence and his $105 million contract. Chaisson had 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for a loss in his last college football season.

C.J. Henderson, Florida

With Byron Jones leaving Dallas for a big payday in Miami, the Cowboys have a hole at cornerback. Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah is the top cornerback in the 2020 draft class and could be off the board within the first few picks. Henderson is viewed by many as the second-best prospect at his position, and there’s a chance he’ll be available for Dallas at No.17. The 21-year-old had 11 passes defensed in nine games as a junior.

Xavier McKinney, Alabama

McKinney is considered to be the best safety in the draft. He was a star for the Crimson Tide, totaling 95 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions and four forced fumbles to become a 2019 First Team All-SEC selection. Safety Jeff Heath left Dallas for the Las Vegas Raiders after starting 13 games last season. The Cowboys signed safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.