The latest ESPN mock drafts, released by draft experts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper, have the Dallas Cowboys taking a safety with their 16th overall pick. Longtime NFL general manager Bill Polian, who works for ESPN now as well, disagreed with the picks, saying Dallas should go after a defensive lineman.
Specifically, UCLA’s Anthony Barr.
“Defensive line. Pass rush. In the Tampa-2, which is what Dallas plays, you have to rush the front four,” Polian said, via the Dallas Morning News. “Take Barr from UCLA. He’ll be fine. He’s got all the right numbers as a seven or nine technique, which is where he’ll play. His lack of physicality against the run won’t be a liability. He’s a much better pick than the safety.”
Barr is a linebacker, and before that, he was a running back. But after his pre-draft visit with the Cowboys, he said he’d be open to moving to defensive end under defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli.
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