The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2017 NFL Draft coming off a season where they finished with the best record in the NFC. They also came off a 2016 NFL Draft where they chose Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, two men who are now the leaders on the Cowboys offense. The biggest needs for the Cowboys in the draft this year were on the defensive side of the ball, as they need pass rushing help and lost four of their secondary starters and need both cornerback and safety help. While most experts expected the Cowboys to get a cornerback in the first round, Dallas chose to get pass rushing help by drafting Michigan's Taco Charlton, taking the best player available over the biggest defensive need.
Why Taco Charlton was the better Cowboys draft pick
The Dallas Cowboys held a press conference after the 2017 NFL Draft and talked about their thought process when it came to drafting Taco Charlton instead of a cornerback, such as Kevin King. Cowboys' team owner Jerry Jones said that it didn't come down to what was more important - the secondary or pass rushers. He also said it didn't come down to who was the better overall player on their draft board.
According to Jerry Jones, the only thing that came into play when choosing Taco Charlton in the first round was the depth of the positions available in the 2017 NFL Draft. According to Jones, there was a lot more quality cornerbacks available than pass rushers.
While the secondary positions might be more important to fill, Jerry Jones said that he believed that the Dallas Cowboys could find more valuable players for the secondary after Day 1 of the NFL Draft than they could pass rushers.
Remaining positions of need for Cowboys in NFL Draft
While the Dallas Cowboys chose a pass rushing defensive end in Taco Charlton in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, they still have serious needs to fill and there is almost no chance that they pass on a cornerback or safety in the second round.
There is no way that Kevin King will still be there when the Cowboys pick at No. 60. Cordrea Tankersley (Clemson), Quincy Wilson (Florida), and Teez Tabor (Florida) are still there and one of them might be available at the 60th spot.
The Cowboys have needs at safety as well with Byron Jones the only real star caliber player at the safety position since Barry Church and J.J.
Wilcox left Dallas.Budda Baker (Washington) is still available but won't likely slip to Dallas. Obi Melifonwu (Connecticut) is also still on the board. Other needs in the 2017 NFL Draft are linebackers, offensive line depth, and possibly a backup tight end to groom into Jason Witten's replacement.
