2012 NFL Draft: 5 Linebackers the Dallas Cowboys Must Target

Linebacker is a position of uncertainty heading into the Dallas Cowboys' 2012 season. Keith Brooking, Bradie James and Anthony Spencer are all free agents, leaving many holes to fill in the backer-heavy 3-4 defense the Cowboys use.

Both inside and outside linebacker will be points of emphasis in the upcoming draft, considering the lack of youth and depth was painfully obvious down the stretch. The unit shouldn't take the blame for missing the playoffs, but sometimes change is necessary to breed a new defensive culture.

Bringing in depth at both positions will help create more flexibility for second-year defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's blitz and coverage schemes.

Here are five linebackers (both 3-4 OLB and ILB) that Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett should target with their selections in the 2012 NFL Draft.

ILB Keenan Robinson, Texas

Robinson has been a four-year athlete at the University of Texas where he played outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme. Logging over 200 tackles over the past two seasons, he established himself as a quality player at one of the biggest football hotbeds in the nation.

At 6'3" and 240 lbs, he would likely slide to one of the inside linebacker spots in Dallas' 3-4 defense. Would his time in the 4-3 at Texas scare him away from the Cowboys?

That's unclear, since the Bobby Carpenter experiment was one that has widely been considered a disaster. Carpenter was also a 4-3 guy in college, but he never became the type of force Dallas thought they were getting after drafting him to convert inside in the 3-4.

If Dallas does grade Robinson to be a good fit, he would instantly become the best cover linebacker on the team. Playing alongside Sean Lee in the nickel or alone in a dime package, he could help take pressure off of the secondary in coverage.

OLB Whitney Mercilus, Illinois

Mercilus lead the nation in sacks at 16.0 in 2011, and his impressive performance at the combine is shooting his draft stock up before the April event.

Recording a sack in every game in 2011 except two, he shows potential as a guy that can get to the quarterback. Judging by the lack of sacks late in the season for the Cowboys and the success the eventual champion New York Giants showed with a pass-rush heavy defense, Mercilus could be the kind of athlete that could thrive in a blitz-heavy scheme.

He has the size (6'4", 264) to be considered a DE and the speed (4.63 unofficial 40-yard dash) to stand up and rush the pass a la DeMarcus Ware. If he's available in the second round, the Cowboys could take a hard look at adding him to the mix as an OLB.

ILB Tank Carder, TCU

Carder is a three-year starter at TCU, where his rise up the draft boards mirrored the rise of his program. In 2008, TCU was just another mid-major team in a watered-down conference. Three years later, they are a perennial contender, former Rose Bowl champions and newcomers to the Big 12 conference.

Tank Carder had a direct impact on that success. His role as the leader of a defense that finished No. 1 in the nation in 2010, only allowing 11.4 points per game, was one that has been well-chronicled over the course of his college career.

As an inside linebacker for the Cowboys, he could have an immediate role in stopping the run and playing special teams at a high level. Sean Lee, Bruce Carter and Orie Lemon are the only guaranteed guys to be in camp, so Carder could compete with anyone the Cowboys bring in, even if one of those guys is Brooking or James.

OLB Jacquies Smith, Missouri

Smith is my under-the-radar late-round pick the Cowboys need to take a chance on. He had an early injury in 2011 that limited him to only nine games, but he still finished first on the Tigers' defense with 5.0 sacks.

That number might not seem high, but Smith was also playing a 4-3 hand-down DE position at Missouri. His speed could help him be a pass-rushing specialist at the next level, but doubters will likely assemble after his 4.81 40 at the NFL combine, and questions of his ability to get past double teams or bigger offensive lineman. 

It remains to be seen what grade the Cowboys scouting department gives Smith. As a sixth or seventh-round value pick, however, he could create competition and push current players Victor Butler and Alex Albright for a spot on the roster.

OLB Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma

Lewis could be the perfect fit for the Cowboys. His size (6'2") might scare some potential teams away, but his athletic ability and strong showing at the combine could make him an attractive option in the second or third round.

After running a 4.68 in the 40-yard dash and pressing 36 reps at 225 lbs, he solidified the explosion and strength that's made him a top prospect for the past two seasons.

Transitioning from the hybrid pass-rusher at Oklahoma to a 3-4 OLB might raise some concerns, but once again, the ability to get to the QB and make things happen along the defensive line is something the Cowboys can't overlook in the draft.

Defensive players are the focus of the 2012 NFL Draft for Dallas, and Lewis should be one of the guys that Jerry Jones and Co. bring in for an official visit before draft day.