Dallas Cowboys: First Round 2012 NFL Draft Projections from Every Expert

Just like anything in the world, it's hard to get draft gurus to come to a unanimous decision. Many of the great NFL Draft minds have the Dallas Cowboys going defense in the first round, but results are all over the board as to what position Big D will address.

Dallas is a team on the cusp of making noise in the playoffs, but there are several positions that need to be dramatically improved while others need a little more depth on the roster. Here's a look at what some of the very best in the NFL Draft business think the 'Boys will do with their pick No. 14.

Brian Baldinger and Chad Reuter: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

Two of the NFL Network's top draft analysts recently updated their respective mock drafts, with both believing the Cowboys will take safety Mark Barron in the middle of the first round.

Barron is easily one of the top players at his position heading into the spectacle at Radio City Music Hall and would be a vast upgrade over Abram Elam.

Dallas will surely address safety early in the draft and Barron is a good way to start everything off in the first round, but I'm not sold on the Jerry Jones and company going secondary with their first pick. Regardless, Barron would help fill a team need and build for the future as well.

Bucky Brooks: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Cowboys have been linked to both Dre Kirkpatrick and Mark Barron for some time now and, even with the addition of Brandon Carr via free agency, NFL.com's Bucky Brooks still sees Dallas taking the talented cornerback.

I'm a huge fan of what Kirkpatrick can do on the field and I can sort of see why Brooks would think Dallas would be interested in his services.

That said, the Cowboys have already spent big money to sign Carr and improve that position on defense and are in need of a defensive tackle, end or safety to help solidify that side of the field before getting back to the issues at the corner.

Rob Rang: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

Rob Rang of CBS Sports also seems convinced Dallas will go cornerback with the 14th pick, thinking they'll draft South Carolina's Stephon Gilmore over Dre Kirkpatrick.

This one is a head-scratcher for a few reasons. I mentioned that everyone's mock drafts are a bit all over the place, but guys like Bleacher Report's Andrew Kulha and the aforementioned Chad Reuter don't see Gilmore coming off the board until picks 21 and 19 respectively.

Gilmore is a great talent and he's been making his way up the big board of a lot of analysts lately but Dallas would likely go with one of the big names out of Alabama before the South Carolina product.

Dane Brugler: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

Stanford's David DeCastro has been heard around Dallas plenty since the 2011 season ended, but not nearly as much these days with the signings of two guards via free agency.

Dane Brugler (also of CBS Sports) thinks that the Cowboys will go offensive line with their first round pick for the second straight year and pick arguably the best guard in this year's class.

DeCastro is a fine athlete and knows how to protect high-profile quarterbacks.Though, with the signings of Mackenzy Bernadeau and Nate Livings and the amount of draft picks Dallas has spent on the O-Line recently, it'd be tough to see them look the Stanford alum's way at pick 14.

Todd McShay: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

ESPN's Todd McShay realizes that the Cowboys would be smart to go defensive end in the first round and North Carolina's Quinton Coples is a natural choice given where the 'Boys are drafting.

Coples is a fine talent and shows the ability to disrupt an offensive line when he's on his game, but he scares me in the fact I wonder if he's a Randy Moss "I'll play when I want to play," kind of guy.

McShay selected a fine prospect for Dallas and I can pretty much get behind the pick. There's still that thought in the back of my mind that he could become the defensive end equivalent of JaMarcus Russell though.

Mel Kiper Jr.: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

ESPN's senior draft analyst, the legendary Mel Kiper Jr., is also on the Mark Barron band-waggon for Dallas, with obvious reason to be.

Like I mentioned earlier, Barron is a fine selection and does everything you want a first-round pick to do for your squad. Being coached by Nick Saban means Barron is one of the most NFL-ready players in the draft and his ability to come in and start right away while being a huge building block for the future are both huge positives.

I'm torn as to where the Cowboys will go on the defensive side of the ball, but Barron would be a great pick for Dallas. I'm just not totally sold on the higher-ups with the organization going with a secondary player in the first.

Andrew Kulha: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

Bleacher Report's home-grown draft analyst Andrew Kulha is also with Todd McShay in the thought that Dallas will address the defensive line. Kulha believes the Cowboys will select LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers with the 14th pick.

In the recent Bleacher Report Community Draft, acting as general manager of the Cowboys, I actually moved up in the draft to make sure Dallas landed the former Tiger.

Brockers is the guy I think Dallas needs because he allows Jay Ratliff to move to defensive end and dominate on the edge and it appears Kulha has similar thoughts on the matter.

Matt Miller: Melvin Ingram, OLB, South Carolina

Going a bit against the grain here, Bleacher Report's own Matt Miller envisions the Cowboys taking South Carolina linebacker, Melvin Ingram.

I really like this idea Miller has because, while Anthony Spencer did get franchised, it allows Dallas to part ways with him or sign him at a cheaper price come 2013. Not to mention the fact that Ingram is already as talented as Spencer, and improves a linebacker corps that has gotten old quickly in recent years.

Ingram allows the Cowboys some flexibility with their current personnel while providing defensive coordinator Rob Ryan with a talented and NFL-ready linebacker to suit up wherever he pleases in Dallas' 3-4 scheme.