2012 NFL Draft: Dallas Cowboys Picking Ronnell Lewis at No. 14 Makes Sense

The Dallas Cowboys finished 8-8 this season.  Not good enough!  

Most pundits and even casual fans look at this team and see talent all over the field, especially on the offensive side of the ball.  It's hard to deny the talent of Tony Romo, Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and DeMarco Murray.  But they need help on defense.

Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has some nice pieces to work with: DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, Mike Jenkins and Sean Lee to name a few.  But he needs a game-changing pass-rusher opposite Ware. Anthony Spencer has proved to be anything but the answer.

The Cowboys need a violent, catalytic player who can force teams to account for him.  They need a pass-rusher who Rob Ryan can move around like he does with Ware.  That player is Oklahoma Sooner Ronnell Lewis.

There isn't a more versatile linebacker in the country.  At 6'2", Lewis may remind some of Von Miller on the Denver Broncos.  

Many questioned whether Miller could transition to an outside linebacker when he was coming out of Texas A&M.  He did just that.  And so will Lewis.

Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables said Lewis is "the most violent hitter I've been around."  

The Dallas Cowboys could certainly use a bit of violence.  Despite Ware being arguably the best OLB in the NFL, he's never been described as violent.  In fact, no one on the Cowboys defense has been referred to as such.

Anyone who turns on the video of Lewis can immediately see how versatile a player he is.  He's a hybrid in every way.