Why LB Isn't a 1st-Round "Need" for the Cowboys

The 2018 NFL Draft is merely weeks away and drawing closer and closer by the minute now that we have entered the month of April. All of the speculation and anticipation about who the Dallas Cowboys will select will finally come to an end and we can all hopefully breathe a sigh of relief.

As things stand right now, there is no clear-cut player or position the Dallas Cowboys seem to be targeting with the 19th overall selection in the first round. I think the only two positions we can mark off the list for sure in the first round is quarterback and running back, everything else is probably fair game.

I know a lot of Cowboys Nation want to see the Dallas Cowboys take a defensive player with their first pick, and from what I’ve seen, linebacker and defensive tackle are at the top the list. It certainly makes sense considering the Cowboys roster depth at each position, but I’m not completely sold that’s the direction they need to go.

I’m all for the Cowboys drafting a DT in the first round if his name is Vita Vea, but that’s because I believe he is a difference maker and his addition to the defensive line helps everyone around him. That’s what you’re supposed to get from a first-round draft pick.

With that in mind, it’s also why I don’t think it would be wise by the Dallas Cowboys to draft a linebacker in the first-round.

The Dallas Cowboys already have their starting LBs heading into the 2018 season in Sean Lee (WILL), Jaylon Smith (MIKE), and Damien Wiilson (SAM). It just doesn’t make a lot of sense to draft another LB who isn’t going to make an immediate impact.

Having said that though, Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds would be a draft day steal if still available for the Cowboys at 19. It’s a no-brainer to write their name down on the draft card, but those are the only two LBs I’d personally consider that early.

What the Dallas Cowboys really need at the LB position is depth. They need a player who can step in and fill the role left by Anthony Hitchens. They really just need a rookie with starting potential/traits, who can fill in a few games if needed if someone goes down with an injury. These kind players can be found a little later in the draft.

I know my opinion about a first-round linebacker may be an unpopular one with many of you, but I think it’s the right one. I just believe different positions besides LB can make more of an immediate impact. We don’t need another backup/project in the 1st like Taco Charlton.

Do you think the Dallas Cowboys “need” a LB in the first-round?

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10 Comments

Tommy Davis 8 years ago

Vita Vea or Da Ron Payne if available would make the most sense at pick # 19. If they are off the board, wide receiver and linebacker are the next most glaring needs. You have to get it right if you choose a wide receiver or a linebacker at pick # 19. Vander Esch would not be the right choice here, you have to use your head and not pick with your heart. There are 3 fast athletic linebackers in this draft that would immediately make an impact, Roquan Smith, Rashaan Evans, and Tremain Edmunds. The best wide reciever in the draft in my opinion is D J Moore, he would immediately upgrade the Cowboys passing game with his ability to get open and take the top off with his speed running deep. The Cowboys wasted their #1 pick last year with Charlton, they can't afford to miss again. Vander Esch is a tall, straight line runner, not very athletic, which in todays game, you have to be athletic because of the elusiveness of the running backs and recievers. Selecting Vander Esch at pick #19 would be 2 years in a row of wasting your first round pick. Teams like the Rams, Eagles, Saints to name a few, get it right by selecting the most talented players that can immediately make an impact in areas of need. The Cowboys front office is lacking and needs to improve .
1. elindio42 8 years ago
  
  Vander Esch is faster than Evans. Also bigger and can play all LB spots.
oneputter 8 years ago

we definitely need LB's, big need for this defense. as many have pointed out here, 50 we can't rely on, 54 we are not sure about yet, that leaves 57 as our only LB with experience. i am a fan of wilson and see that he is underrated by many but if you look at our LB's he has been the most consistent one in terms of games played and staying healthy. he does have some problems with over pursuing but i also think he needs to be used more on blitzes both run and pass. i would not be dissapointed with evans at 19, we certainly don't need a WR at 19. there are many to be had in the later rounds.
Fact Based Opinion 8 years ago

I generally agree but I disagree with the title of the article. Linebacker is a NEED. It would just be smarter to use the first pick on some other position (like DT), but get back to selecting a linebacker in the second or third round and again in the 4th or 5th.
Chet Horton 8 years ago

I completely disagree. LB is our biggest need and will be the position most likely to directly help us win more games, a 1 technique DT doesn't make that kind of impact. We already have a 1 technique DT that is decent and you can improve on that position no earlier than the 4th round. Evans and Vander Esch are better picks at 19 than VV for the Cowboys. Jaylon Smith has position flex as does Evans and both picks would be a huge upgrade of Wilson who has a really bad habit of over running plays. Wynn at G is the pick if you don't go LB then get a LB in the 2nd round. My prediction is we pick Vander Esch with the 19th pick.
1. Fact Based Opinion 8 years ago
  
  What you're missing is that Vita Vea, because of his size and dominance, makes all the other defensive linemen MORE effective because of the attention VV draws. Sacks would increase by 8-10 per season with VV.
  1. Chet 8 years ago
    
    I don’t agree with your assessment. You can’t predict how much impact he will have in a manner of additional sacks. Collins is most definitely big enough and a lot faster than VV and played 1 technique very well. I think Collins will have more sacks and produce more pressure than VV will. Price is the backup and he is getting better each year. That combine with Evans, if they take him, ability to rush the passer and make other pass rushers more effective makes the argument a moot point. Pass rush wasn’t our problem last year it was our secondary play and that was shored up with the youth movement we had late in the season. We need the most dominate run defense in the NFL and great LB’s will bring you that. I will admit that either this plays out LB, VV, or one of the top 2 G’s its a good problem to have.
Saul Molina 8 years ago

Vita vea is my guy all the way linebacker is something we need to address but you can do it in the later rd maybe josey jewell but there's no way you spend your first rd pick on leighton vander esch sorry he's good but not for 19th second rd pick i would love it unless it's roqaun smith or trumaine Edmunds in first rd no linebacker in first rd
Hector Espindola 8 years ago

I see your point but respectfully I don't agree that LB is only a depth issue, because Lee may get injured any time and we need an starter. For me, LVE -taken at #19 and who can play SAM- can share snaps with Damien Wilson in order to become that starter in the short run. Having said so, if and only if VV is our first round, I wouldn´t mind getting a LB even at day 3 (because VV would make our LB's look better asap, no matter what). However, something sadly tells me that the 1T is a matter of later rounds of the draft, unless VV or Da'Ron are valued by the FO as a 1T with versatility to play 3T. I want VV/Da'Ron as our first selection, if not LVE.
Chuck Wright 8 years ago

I am a YUGE believer that VV would make the biggest impact of any player on the board for 2018. So if DaBoys nab him, excellent, he makes everyone around him better. Having said that, this draft is not about 2018 as much as it is about the next 3-4 years and LB is a YUGE need. Sean Lee is an injury waiting to happen. Doesn't mean I don't love him but we need his replacement. Would love to see Dallas take next year's 2 plus something to land another player in this year's 2nd round or to trade back if VV is off the board. Barring some other big talent sliding. Would like to see 2 LBs, a 1 Tech, a S, an OL (2 if they take Toth who's a layaway player, 2 year Army commit) and a speedy WR (Pettis, Miller, St Brown, Chark etc bunch available in rounds 2 and 3) and guess what. . .we need Whitten's replacement too.

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