Heading into the 2018 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys have plenty of question marks, and most are on the defensive side of the football. The Cowboys always have a bullseye on their back, and as they prepare for a new campaign, head coach Jason Garrett knows that his team will have a ton of pressure to make the postseason.

Defense a top draft board?

Last season the Dallas Cowboys were expected to be the team to beat in the NFC East division and they were listed as one of the top five favorites projected to win Super Bowl 52. The Boys fell well short of their goal, and the defense was a big part of why.

Dallas gave up 332 total points for an average of just under 21 PPG. That isn’t bad numbers-wise, but in key situations, the Cowboys' defense just couldn’t get off the field.

NFL.com stats indicate that Dallas was in the bottom third of the league in sacks, total yardage, and interceptions in 2017. That won’t get it done. So will the Cowboys sell out for some solid defense in the upcoming draft? NFL guru Mel Kiper believes so.

Evans, Vander Esch on the radar

According to Kiper’s latest mock draft update on the Cowboys for USA Today, Dallas will be selecting Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans. Evans has been a solid four year player with the Tide, with his best season coming in 2017. Evans racked up 74 total tackles, one of which for a loss, while sacking the quarterback six times.

The kid can unequivocally play. Whether he has to sprint around defenders or bulldoze through them, Evans should be a great player in the NFL, and will certainly help out a defense that needs to put pressure on the quarterback.

While Evans is a flat-out stud, Kiper believes the Cowboys should also keep their eye on Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch.

To say he flies around the field whenever he is in the game is an understatement. Vander Esch had an incredible 141 total tackles in 2017 -- 91 solo and 50 assists. Because he played on the west coast, his name may not have received the publicity it should have back east. Nevertheless, Vander Esch is a difference-maker when he is in the game.

Dallas must have more than just a bit of interest in these two defensive stars. Kiper reports that Evans and Vander Esch were among the 13 known visitors out of the 30 allotted by the Cowboys.

The 2018 NFL Draft is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 26 and run through Saturday, April 28th. It will be held at AT&T Stadium -- the home of the Dallas Cowboys. How is that for a bit of irony?
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