The Dallas Cowboys have the 26th overall selection in the upcoming National Football League Draft that officially kicks off later this month from Kansas City.
And if this report from NFL analyst Mel Kiper is any indication, Cowboys fans had better be preparing themselves to see their team select a tight end with their 1st round pick. According to Kiper, the Cowboys will be taking Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Michael Mayer with the 26th selection in order to provide further insulation for quarterback Dak Prescott.
Take a look at his reasoning in his recently released mock draft:
"Dalton Schultz left in free agency, and the Cowboys never replaced him. Let’s get Dak Prescott a talented safety valve here. Mayer is the best all-around tight end in this class; he’s not afraid to latch on to defenders and block. Don’t discount his receiving upside, either. He had 180 catches for 2,099 yards and 18 scores in three college seasons. He can be an outlet on crossers and hooks, and he’ll pick up first downs after the catch. Dallas also has scouted the class’ best wide receivers, so keep an eye out if one of the top guys drops."
Meanwhile, moving on to the 2nd round, Kiper has predicted that the Cowboys will be taking help at the wide receiver position by selecting Jonathan Mingo of Ole Miss:
"I thought about a replacement for Ezekiel Elliott here, but Mingo would make an impact on the Dallas depth chart. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound receiver has a great mix of size and speed. He averaged 16.9 yards per reception last season, and he was mostly running short routes. He can break tackles once he gets the ball. He has experience playing both outside and in the slot. This makes two pass-catchers for the Cowboys, and you know Dak Prescott would be thrilled."
