3 Bold Predictions for the Cowboys in the NFL Draft

The Cowboys have had an exciting offseason. They signed Amari Cooper and placed a franchise tag on Dak Prescott, and with a new head coach in place in the form of Mike McCarthy, Dallas seems to have fully entered a new era.

However, there's still work to be done, and the draft is going to be crucial in establishing their identity. Doing so could require some pretty bold decisions.

3. Dallas Trades Out of the First Round

Wisconsin edge rusher Zack Baun / Don Juan Moore/Getty Images

The Cowboys are sitting in a nice spot with pick No. 17, but don't be surprised if they scrap it. They have a solid roster already, and this draft is going to mostly be about adding depth and rounding out their weak spots. They can do that more effectively if they have more picks to work with. Even more compelling is the fact that they've mostly met with guys like Zack Baun, who could very easily fall to the middle of the second round. If the Cowboys are targeting talent like that, acquiring more assets to stockpile would be a smart decision.

2. They Don't Get a Safety Early

Alabama Crimson Tide safety Xavier McKinney / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

The Cowboys need to find a safety. It's one of their most obvious needs, but it might not be addressed in the draft. If they trade out of the first round, they'll have to say goodbye to guys like Xavier McKinney, and after that, it becomes more and more unlikely that they'll pick up an early-round defensive back. Dallas has been stocking up on the defensive line to make up for the deficiencies in the secondary, so look for the Cowboys to use their first pick (whenever that is) to make another aspect of the roster spectacular while they made do with Xavier Woods and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

1. They'll Get Dak Another Target

Texas Longhorns receiver Devin Duvernay / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Amari Cooper was just signed for big money and Michael Gallup was a great No. 2 guy last season. They'll both be eating away at the Cowboys' cap space soon enough, so it would be wise to find a young player to round out their receiving corps. This year's draft class is deep for receivers, so snagging a guy like Devin Duvernay out of Texas in the third round or later is a definite possibility to further bolster this unit.