Dak Prescott Says Cowboys Will Have 'Heavy Defensive' Draft: 'It's Obvious'

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said he's expecting the team to use most of its 2021 NFL draft capital on the defensive side of the ball.

Prescott explained his outlook ahead of Thursday's first round on CBS Sports' Tiki and Tierney (via Jon Machota of The Athletic):

The Cowboys have 10 picks, which is the second-most behind the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles (11), and it wouldn't be a surprise if most of them are used on defensive prospects.

Prescott is set to return from an ankle injury that prematurely ended his 2020 season after five games to lead one of the NFL's most dangerous offenses. Running back Ezekiel Elliott and wide receivers Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb headline the group of playmakers around him.

There are far more question marks on the defensive side. The Cowboys ranked 23rd in yards allowed (386.4) and 28th in points allowed (29.6) last season.

They didn't make a major splash in free agency to upgrade the unit, with safety Keanu Neal leading a modest group of signings, so the draft is now their best chance to bring in more talent.

It starts with the No. 10 overall pick in the first round. Dallas has been heavily linked to Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who would be a tremendous fit and a Day 1 starter in the NFL.

The Cowboys may use a couple picks on offense, likely focused on the offensive line, but they shouldn't have much trouble putting points on the board if they stay healthy.

So the end result will probably be seven or eight new additions to the defense by the time proceedings wrap up Saturday.

Thursday's first round kicks off at 8 p.m. ET with coverage on the B/R App, Twitter and YouTube.