Cowboys to Trade Up? Shocking NFL Draft Prediction for ‘Future Starter’

FRISCO – When CowboysSI.com lately posed the “trade-up” query to Jerry Jones, he could not keep away from his customary word-salad reply.

However the Dallas Cowboys proprietor additionally could not keep away from the reality: He is normally in favor of the concept of sacrificing a number of “darts” for a focused expertise.

And there are some indicators that Northern Iowa offensive lineman Trevor Penning may qualify as such a expertise.

In a mock train by way of NFL.com, the Cowboys deal away a pair of picks (a fourth- and a fifth-rounder, picks Nos. 129 and 178) as a way to bounce up a number of spots from No. 24 to New England’s No. 21, at which level they choose Penning.

It that simply an informed guess on NFL.com’s half? Probably so.

However …

We do know that within the assortment of offensive linemen the Cowboys are keen on, Penning is within the bunch. Moreover, we suspect that he’s ranked forward of two different guys Dallas likes, the bodily Kenyon Inexperienced of Texas A&M and the athletic Zion Johnson of Boston Faculty.

And naturally we additionally know that Dallas has revealingly admitted that offensive line, together with extensive receiver, has been pinpointed right here inside The Star as areas of thinness.

In Dane Brugler’s current mock, he is obtained that trio going at Nos. 17 (Penning to the Chargers), 17 (Johnson to Dallas) and 26 (Inexperienced to Tennessee). So there may be the “bunch.”

Penning

O-Line

Kenyon Inexperienced

Does Dallas view the distinction between Penning and the opposite two to be nice sufficient to surrender these further darts? Brugler means that Penning is a “foundational piece” who can even play guard and who would “compete for the beginning job from Day 1.” 

Tempting. However would not Johnson and Inexperienced do the identical at left guard, the place Dallas – sporting Tyron Smith and Terence Steele on the tackles – want the fast assist?

Penning may be a mix of the most effective of Inexperienced and Johnson, in that he’s each nasty and athletic. For now, anyway, the most effective match for the concept is a philosophical one: Dallas – historical past be damned – will commerce up for a man seen as particular. Penning may simply qualify.