Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft: Final 7-Round Mock Before the Actual Draft

While the New Orleans Saints scandal and the new Nike NFL gear has been able to hold over football fans, the 2012 NFL Draft is just under two days away, and the Dallas Cowboys have some big needs to fill.

Offensively, there are few teams more talented than the Cowboys, but what killed this team's playoff chances last season was the defensive side of the ball. Dallas will go defense-heavy over the three-day draft, while filling in the last few pieces needed on offense.

After studying over some of the latest mock drafts from many experts, here is my final seven-round mock draft for America's Team.

Round 1: Mark Barron, Safety, Alabama

If you're a Cowboys fan who constantly checks the team page here on Bleacher Report, chances are you've seen this shot of Alabama safety Mark Barron more than a few times.

Barron has been linked to Dallas for a long time now, with NFL.com's Greg Cosell and Bleacher Report's own Matt Miller among the many who believe he'll be wearing a star on his helmet in just under 48 hours.

After going back and forth for months on whether or not I think Barron is the right selection, I'm jumping on the bandwagon.

Easily the best safety in this draft class, the Alabama product has that Roy Williams or Brian Dawkins style of play. The guy is intimidating, and his tackles pack a punch, but he is also talented in coverage.

He'd be a huge step up from Brodney Pool and Gerald Sensabaugh. And this is coming from a guy who is a big Sensabaugh supporter.

Round 2: Kendall Reyes, Defensive End, UConn

Now, before you get this idea that I'm a bandwagon-er or something, I've been talking up Kendall Reyes since my first mock draft.

Cowboys fans know that defensive end hasn't been the team's strong suit as of late. Marcus Spears just hasn't lived up to his 20th overall selection back in the 2005 draft, and Keyon Coleman is far from dominant at the position.

Reyes would help take pressure off both Jay Ratliff as well as DeMarcus Ware, which gives both defensive playmakers a better chance of sacking the opposition's quarterback.

If Dallas learned anything from the 2011 New York Giants, it's that one of the keys to a Super Bowl run is pressure from your big men up front.

Round 3: Janoris Jenkins, Cornerback, North Alabama

I know, I know. Janoris Jenkins has one of, if not the biggest red flags in terms of character flaws. He has multiple drug arrests and four children from three different women.

With all that said, Dallas has had guys like Nate Newton, Michael Irvin and Terrell Owens on the roster in the past, all under the Jerry Jones regime. None of those guys had the best character or legal track records, but their talent couldn't be denied. That's why they played, and played great, for the Cowboys.

Jenkins has first-round talent and has recently been free-falling down draft boards lately. If he's there when the Cowboys pick in the third round, there is no reason not to roll the dice and draft the incredibly talented cornerback.

Round 4: Michael Brewster, Center, Ohio State

After improving some of the biggest need positions in the first three rounds, Dallas will turn its attention to one of the top three centers in the entire draft in Ohio State product Michael Brewster.

You don't have to watch too much 2011 game film before noticing the struggles quarterback Tony Romo had communicating with center Phil Costa, who I hope Dallas realizes isn't the future at that position.

Brewster could easily beat out Costa for the starting job come training camp. And from his body of work at Ohio State, he already knows how to snap a football out of the shotgun, something Costa heavily struggled with last year.

With his impressive height and over-300-pound frame, he's got the build Dallas loves for their linemen.

Round 4 (Compensatory Pick): Chris Owusu, Wide Receiver, Stanford

All offseason I've been waiting for the Cowboys to sign a veteran wide receiver to replace Laurent Robinson in the slot position, and here I am, still waiting.

This non-signing makes one wonder if Dallas is looking to draft a wide receiver somewhere later on in the draft this year.

Chris Owusu out of Stanford would be ideal to replace Robinson and could provide the same spark as Dez Bryant on punt returns.

While Bryant certainly hasn't lost a step in the return game, giving the job to Owusu prevents injury to the Cowboys' No. 2 receiver and give the rookie a chance to prove himself to the coaching staff.

Some may say that receiver isn't a huge need for Dallas, but the offense has been at its best when it has three dynamic options at wideout while having tight end Jason Witten in the short and mid-range passing game.

Round 5: Michael Egnew, Tight End, Missouri

Speaking of Jason Witten, he's obviously still the team's unquestioned starter at tight end, but drafting Michael Egnew in the fifth round gives Dallas the ability to further develop their two-tight-end formations.

The NFL was put on notice last year by the New England Patriots, who showed the league what an offense as talented as theirs can do with two big, talented tight ends lining up in the passing game.

This is an idea that I believe Dallas looked into when drafting and giving more playing time to former tight end Martellus Bennett in 2008, but that obviously never worked out.

Egnew would give head coach Jason Garrett another swing at implementing that idea into his offense, and with New England supplying a fine blueprint of how to make it work, Dallas could add another layer to their passing attack with two tight ends for defenses to worry about.

Round 6: Travis Lewis, Outside Linebacker, Oklahoma

At this point in the draft, each team is doing selection versions of "Hail Marys," attempting to get a player with some great upside.

Oklahoma's Travis Lewis certainly has plenty of that. In his freshman season, he broke the school record for most tackles by a freshman in a season and in a single game.

Just six games into the 2010 season, Lewis already had a team-leading 59 tackles to his name and an interception to boot. The guy has talent, and not that Dallas doesn't have that at linebacker, but Lewis could blossom into something special if coached up right.

Round 7: Terrance Ganaway, Running Back, Baylor

Whenever draftniks talk Baylor football in regards to this year's draft, it's all about Robert Griffin III, but don't forget about his trusty sidekick Terrance Ganaway in the run game.

The Cowboys are already young at running back, with Felix Jones and DeMarco Murray entering their fourth and second seasons respectively, but as 2011 showed: injuries can deplete a position fast.

Dallas saw both Jones and Murray get more than a little dinged up last season, forcing the team to sign and start veteran Sammy Morris for multiple games during a critical stretch.

Ganaway would provide a great third option at running back for the 'Boys, and he could easily contribute on special teams or in specific packages similar to the way Tashard Choice did during his time in Big D.