The Dallas Cowboys have the 17th overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, but that may not be good enough for owner Jerry Jones.
The Cowboys have several players who are scheduled to become free agents next month, and they may have to replace some of that talent in the draft. A source close to the team told Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network that Jones “wants to make a big splash” on draft day, which could mean Dallas is going to explore moving up the board.
According to Pauline, the Cowboys have done a lot of scouting work on Ohio State prospects. The biggest Buckeyes prospect is obviously pass-rusher Chase Young, but he is expected to go as high as No. 2 to the Washington Redskins. It would take a massive haul to move up from No. 17 to No. 2, so that seems unlikely for the Cowboys. However, they could target star cornerback Jeffrey Okudah, who is considered the best defensive back in the draft. Landing him would certainly qualify as a “big splash” for Dallas.
We all know Jones gets excited around draft time. Sometimes Cowboys executives even have to stop him from getting carried away, which was supposedly the case when Jones was giddy about the potential of drafting Johnny Manziel.
While it would not be a surprise if the Cowboys moved up in the draft, the biggest splashes they could make are with their impending free agents. Dak Prescott is still looking for a long-term deal from the team, and Amari Cooper could end up with another team if Dallas is unwilling to shell out big money.
