Dallas Cowboys Rumors: First-Round Draft Pick Expected To Be Defensive Player

There appears to be an increasing consensus regarding what the Dallas Cowboys will do on the first night of the 2021 NFL Draft. America’s Team is expected to target a defensive player with its first-round pick.

The Cowboys own the No. 10 overall pick. Whether or not Dallas trades that selection, the team has -500 odds at BetOnline to take a defensive player with its first selection. The sportsbook gives the Cowboys +300 odds to pick an offensive player, suggesting it's unlikely that Dallas will choose a top quarterback, playmaker or offensive lineman.

Exactly which defensive player the Cowboys might grab is up for debate. It’s difficult to predict who might still be on the board, though Dallas expects a top talent to be available.

“We think we’re going to get great opportunities because of the depth, not only because of the run on quarterbacks, but offense in general,” Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said, via The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “We made no bones about it barring some very opportunistic — we certainly want to improve our defensive football team. So, certainly the top end of that draft helps us in terms of what we might see there defensively.”

There’s a good chance Dallas will try to improve its secondary. Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II is the most popular pick for the Cowboys in mock drafts. South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn is another potential option at No. 10 overall.

Picking a defensive lineman in the first round is also a possibility.

Dallas had the NFL’s No. 1 ranked offense in 2019, and the unit was one of the league’s best in 2020 when Dak Prescott was healthy. Only four teams gave up more points last season than the Cowboys, who missed the playoffs with a 6-10 record.

Opposing quarterbacks had a 100.4 passer rating against Dallas. Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and safety Xavier Woods left the team in free agency.

The Cowboys drafted wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with their first-round pick in last year’s draft. Dallas picked cornerback Trevon Diggs in the second round.