Dallas Cowboys Last-Minute 7-Round Mock Draft and Top-100 Big Board

There is a ton of negatives that come with a 4-12 season; the one positive from such an abysmal season is a high draft pick. The Dallas Cowboys' 4-12 season has brought them the No. 4 overall pick, and it is vital that they get a great player with that pick or else they risk picking this high again.  

The Cowboys have nine picks in the 2016 NFL draft in which they will hope to find two immediate starters, a couple more who will develop into starters and one or two special teams contributors.  

It seems as though the Cowboys do their best drafting when they go into it with as little needs as possible, which frees up their ability to pick the best player available. This year, they have done a good job of patching up some holes, but there are still some warts throughout their roster.  

Even before the suspensions of DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory, the Cowboys needed a defensive end, which means they desperately need to address that position at some point on Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

Also, the Cowboys need to find a quarterback of the future who can be a viable backup until Tony Romo retires. Last year proved how unequipped the Cowboys were to deal with an injury to their star quarterback. They would be foolish to repeat their mistakes from last year. 

The Cowboys have a couple of draft tendencies that can give us direction as to who they will pick. First, the Cowboys' first pick in a draft will most likely be a player who was a predraft visit. As I recently wrote, "Over the last 10 years, nine of their 10 top selections were official predraft visits, as SB Nation noted."

Also, from that same article, I noted that "since Cowboys senior director of college and pro player personnel Will McClay got promoted after the 2013 draft, the Cowboys have selected only three players who didn't play college football in a Power Five conference."

Fanspeak.com's mock draft simulator was used for this mock draft to help get an idea of the players who will be available at each pick. This mock draft doesn't reflect what I would do; instead, it reflects what I think the team will do. 

Without further ado, let's take a look at a top-100 big board and seven-round mock draft for the Dallas Cowboys. 

Top 100 Big Board

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

This big board contains the top-100 players from a Cowboys perspective. It is a ranked order of each player's talent in relation to the Cowboys' scheme and needs, which is why they are different from many of big boards you see from other outlets. There has been a few new names added since the last edition of this big board, and there has been a shakeup in the top 10. 

Dallas Cowboys Big Board

Rank	Player	Position	School
1	Laremy Tunsil	Offensive Tackle	Mississippi
2	Jalen Ramsey	Defensive Back	Florida State
3	Joey Bosa	Defensive End	Ohio State
4	Ezekiel Elliott	Running Back	Ohio State
5	DeForest Buckner	Defensive Lineman	Oregon
6	Myles Jack	Off-Ball Linebacker	UCLA
7	Jared Goff	Quarterback	California
8	Laquon Treadwell	Wide Receiver	Mississippi
9	Josh Doctson	Wide Receiver	TCU
10	Sheldon Rankins	Defensive Tackle	Louisville
11	Vernon Hargreaves III	Cornerback	Florida
12	William Jackson III	Cornerback	Houston
13	Sterling Shepard	Wide Receiver	Oklahoma
14	Noah Spence	Defensive End	Eastern Kentucky
15	Shaq Lawson	Defensive End	Clemson
16	Karl Joseph	Safety	West Virginia
17	Michael Thomas	Wide Receiver	Ohio State
18	Ryan Kelly	Center	Alabama
19	Chris Jones	Under Tackle	Mississippi State
20	Andrew Billings	Nose Tackle	Baylor
21	Corey Coleman	Wide Receiver	Baylor
22	Paxton Lynch	Quarterback	Memphis
23	Jarran Reed	Nose Tackle	Alabama
24	Cody Whitehair	Offensive Guard	Kansas State
25	Jonathan Bullard	Under Tackle	Florida
26	Taylor Decker	Offensive Tackle	Ohio State
27	Kenneth Dixon	Running Back	Louisiana Tech
28	Derrick Henry	Running Back	Alabama
29	Ronnie Stanley	Offensive Tackle	Notre Dame
30	Robert Nkemdiche	Under Tackle	Mississippi
31	Javon Hargrave	Nose Tackle	South Carolina State
32	Vernon Butler	Nose Tackle	Louisiana Tech
33	Hassan Ridgeway	Under Tackle	Texas
34	Reggie Ragland	Linebacker	Alabama
35	Eli Apple	Cornerback	Ohio State
36	Kentrell Brothers	Linebacker	Missouri
37	Hunter Henry	Tight End	Arkansas
38	Christian Westerman	Offensive Guard	Arizona State
39	Carson Wentz	Quarterback	North Dakota State
40	Keanu Neal	Safety	Florida
41	Joshua Garnett	Offensive Guard	Stanford
42	Leonard Floyd	Defensive End/Linebacker	Georgia
43	Leonte Carroo	Wide Receiver	Rutgers
44	Will Fuller	Wide Receiver	Notre Dame
45	Jack Conklin	Offensive Tackle	Michigan State
46	Mackensie Alexander	Cornerback	Clemson
47	Kenny Clark	Nose Tackle	UCLA
48	Shilique Calhoun	Defensive End	Michigan State
49	Kevin Dodd	Defensive End	Clemson
50	Austin Hooper	Tight End	Stanford
51	Emmanuel Ogbah	Defensive End	Oklahoma State
52	Vonn Bell	Safety	Ohio State
53	Matt Judon	Defensive End	Grand Valley State
54	Darron Lee	Linebacker	Ohio State
55	Xavien Howard	Cornerback	Baylor
56	Kendall Fuller	Cornerback	Notre Dame
57	Joshua Perry	Linebacker	Ohio State
58	Cardale Jones	Quarterback	Ohio State
59	Jason Spriggs	Offensive Tackle	Indiana
60	A'Shawn Robinson	Nose Tackle	Alabama
61	Nick Martin	Center	Notre Dame
62	Paul Perkins	Running Back	UCLA
63	Max Tuerk	Center	USC
64	Darian Thompson	Safety	Boise State
65	Tyrone Holmes	Defensive End	Montana
66	Ronald Blair	Defensive End	Appalachian State
67	Jordan Jenkins	Defensive End/Linebacker	Georgia
68	Devontae Booker	Running Back	Utah
69	Shon Coleman	Offensive Tackle	Auburn
70	Maliek Collins	Under Tackle	Nebraska
71	Rashard Higgins	Wide Receiver	Colorado State
72	David Perkins	Defensive End	Illinois State
73	Alex Collins	Running Back	Arkansas
74	Sean Davis	Cornerback/Safety	Maryland
75	German Ifedi	Offensive Tackle	Texas A&M
76	Artie Burns	Cornerback	Miami
77	K.J. Dillon	Safety	West Virginia
78	Kenny Lawler	Wide Receiver	California
79	Peyton Barber	Running Back	Auburn
80	James Bradberry	Cornerback	Samford
81	D.J. Reader	Nose Tackle	Clemson
82	Jalen Mills	Defensive Back	LSU
83	Kamalei Correa	Defensive End/Linebacker	Boise State
84	Evan Boehm	Center	Missouri
85	Jonathan Williams	Running Back	Arkansas
86	Jeremy Cash	Safety	Duke
87	Cyrus Jones	Cornerback	Alabama
88	Le'Raven Clark	Offensive Tackle	Texas Tech
89	Tyler Boyd	Wide Receiver	Pittsburgh
90	Isaac Seumalo	Center	Oregon State
91	Willie Henry	Under Tackle	Michigan
92	Bronson Kaufusi	Defensive End/Under Tackle	BYU
93	Kelvin Taylor	Running Back	Florida
94	Malcolm Mitchell	Wide Receiver	Georgia
95	Austin Johnson	Nose Tackle	Penn State
96	Vernon Adams	Quarterback	Oregon
97	C.J. Prosise	Running Back	Notre Dame
98	Daniel Braverman	Wide Receiver	Western Michigan
99	Ryan Smith	Cornerback	N.C. Central
100	Keith Marshall	Running Back	Georgia

Round 1

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Round 1, Pick 4: Jalen Ramsey, Defensive Back, Florida State 

As already noted, almost all of the Cowboys' top 10 selections in the last 10 years made predraft visits, with the only exception being Morris Claiborne in 2012. The Cowboys brought in Jalen Ramsey as an official predraft visitor this year, which means he is a player they are interested in him. 

Also, quoting from my previous article, "CowboysHQ.com's Mike Fisher believes that it is between Ramsey and Ezekiel Elliott at the No. 4 pick for the Cowboys." If it does come down between the two, Ramsey should be the pick. He plays a position that is more important, and he is equally as talented as Elliott on the field.  

As a prospect, Ramsey checks all the boxes. He has the mental makeup and the physical skills to become a perennial Pro Bowler or even an All-Pro. He has the position flexibility and playing style that the Cowboys covet on defense.

Initially, the Cowboys will likely put the former Florida State defensive back on the outside as a cornerback. His length, speed and quickness would be perfect on the outside. He is one of the few cornerbacks who matches up well with any type of receiver in the NFL. 

If Ramsey struggles on the outside, the Cowboys can switch him inside to safety to be a roaming playmaker like he was at Florida State in 2014, which limits how likely he is to bust in the NFL. 

Round 2

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Round 2, Pick 34: Connor Cook, Quarterback, Michigan State

The Cowboys will probably select a quarterback at some point in this draft. As noted in my earlier article, "Dallas brought in seven quarterbacks for official predraft visits, per SB Nation, more than any other position." Furthermore, Fisher stated that the Cowboys are could trade back into the first round to grab a quarterback, which means they are trying to address the position early. 

It isn't allowed to project trades in this mock draft; therefore, Connor Cook is the pick at No. 34 even though Dallas may trade up to get him so they get the important fifth-year option. Cook was an official predraft visitor for Dallas, and he project as a late first-round or early second-round pick. Now, his talent may not warrant him to be picked that early, but quarterbacks always go earlier then they should because of how valuable the position is. 

Cook is an interesting evaluation. His 57.5 percent completion percentage, per Sports-Reference.com, would indicate that he isn't accurate; however, his poor completion percentage is due to poor decision-making rather than inaccurate throws.

Cook does his best work when he has a clean pocket, which allows him to show off his arm talent and accuracy. The inaccuracy that Cook does show comes from when his mechanics become messy when he is under pressure. 

Cook is adept at using timing and spot throws to kill zone coverage, as he may have the best anticipation of any quarterback in the draft class. 

One of the reasons why Cook would be available here is that there are significant concerns over how good of a teammate he is, according to ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay (via Mike Griffith of MLive.com). If Dallas does select Cook here, it is because they came to grips with his leadership issues. 

The good thing about getting a quarterback this late is that it won't cripple the franchise if the Cowboys are wrong. If they hit, they get their quarterback of the future at a cheap price tag. 

Round 3

Andres Leighton/Associated Press

Round 3, Pick 67: Rashard Higgins, Wide Receiver, Colorado State

This may be a surprise pick to some, as Dallas doesn't necessarily need a wide receiver, but Rashard Higgins is hard to pass up at pick No. 67. 

Higgins participated in "Dallas Day," which is like an official predraft visit, but it is open to players who grew up or went to college around the Dallas area; therefore, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to believe they are interested. 

While Higgins isn't the type of athlete you'd want at wide receiver, he is advanced with his ability to create natural separation with his route running. Higgins has a slight frame, but he isn't afraid to make tough catches down the middle. He can play on the outside or in the slot, and he can be a reliable target for Tony Romo. 

Higgins isn't a flashy pick, but he is the type of player who can be productive for 10 years. 

Round 4

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Round 4, Pick 101: C.J. Prosise, Running Back, Notre Dame

Another official predraft visitor, C.J. Prosise could be an option to boost the running back depth on the Cowboys roster. Prosise is an athletic, but raw, running back who was just moved to running back in 2015. 

You can see Prosise's immaturity as a runner in how he tends to get through his reads slower on zone plays. He tends to hesitate when making his reads, which causes him to miss out on some holes. 

Nevertheless, Prosise is an enticing blend of size, athleticism and receiving ability. Unlike a lot of running backs in this class, Prosise can develop into an every-down running back. Prosise is an upside pick because he isn't near his ceiling from a developmental standpoint. 

Prosise doesn't have the ability to immediately make a huge difference as a runner initially, but he can develop into a bell cow in the future for the Cowboys. 

Round 4, Pick 135: Tyrone Holmes, Defensive End, Montana

Tyrone Holmes is one of the biggest late risers in the predraft process. He put up huge numbers at his pro day, and it caused analysts to go back and watch his film at Montana. What they saw was a player whose athleticism translated well onto the field. 

The 2016 FCS Defensive Player of the Year uses his athleticism to put offensive tackles in precarious situations. He can use his speed and bend to attack the edge of an offensive tackle, or he can use his quickness and power to bull rush an offensive tackle into the quarterback's lap.

At the moment, Holmes' pass rush lacks some nuance, but Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli would help him expand his pass-rush repertoire. 

If Dallas selected Holmes, they would get an athletic defensive end who can provide depth and contribute as a pass-rusher in passing situations. 

Round 6

Karl B DeBlaker/Associated Press

Round 6, Pick 189: Kyle Friend, Center, Temple

Kyle Friend is one of the hidden gems in this draft class. The former Temple center is a powerful player on the interior offensive line. He utilizes great knee bend, which allows him to win the leverage battle, and he has the lower-body explosiveness to move defenders off the line of scrimmage.

Friend is a tough player with a ton of leadership ability, as he was a three-year captain at Temple. Friend is also a sneaky athlete who can reach and cut off athletic 3-technique defensive tackles. He has incredibly short arms (30.875"), and it limits his ability to get his hands on the defender first. 

Nevertheless, Friend has the ability to play guard or center for the Cowboys, as he can take over the Swiss-army knife role from Mackenzy Bernadeau, who left in free agency. 

Round 6, Pick 212: Rodney Coe, Defensive Tackle, Akron

The Cowboys appear to be trying to get more athletic up front, and Rodney Coe fits the bill. The former running back has great movement skills, and he can take advantage of slower-footed guards. 

Coe is still a raw player, but his size and athleticism are great blocks to build off of. Coe can play nose or under tackle for the Cowboys. Coe may be able to find himself on the back end of the Cowboys roster, but he seems like a player ripe to be developed through the practice squad. 

Round 6, Pick 216: David Perkins, Defensive End, Illinois State

One of the best athletes in the draft, David Perkins is a steal in the sixth round. The former Illinois State pass-rusher has an elite get-off, which allows him to win early against offensive tackles. Perkins does a great job of attacking upfield, dropping his hips, turning the corner and getting to the quarterback. 

Perkins doesn't have a diverse pass-rush skill set, but his ability to win with speed and bend off the edge are as good as you will see in this draft class. He needs to add bulk, but Perkins can contribute on special teams and as a nickel pass-rusher for his initial season. 

Round 6, Pick 217: Cory James, Defensive End/Linebacker, Colorado State

Cory James is another athletic player who can play multiple positions for the Cowboys. His best fit would be as a "Sam" linebacker who reduces down to defensive end in the nickel.  

While his ability to develop into a rotational player on defense is nice, he will likely be drafted for his ability to contribute on special teams. He has the athleticism and toughness to be a special teams demon for the Cowboys.