Poe Could Be Cowboys' Answer

There are many parts of the Dallas Cowboys' defense you can point a finger at for its struggles in 2011.

The pass rush wasn't adequate, the secondary couldn't cover, there were aging veterans getting too much playing time. The list goes on forever. So what will Jerry Jones do?

If the Cowboys don't take an offensive lineman with their first pick, like David DeCastro, they would almost certainly go after a defensive guy. They have needs at cornerback, safety, defensive line ... so pretty much everywhere.

So that brings up the name Dontari Poe, a nose tackle from Memphis who skyrocketed up draft boards after his performance at last week's NFL combine.

Poe, a 6-3, 346-pound rock of a man, shredded the competition at the combine, running a 4.98 40-yard dash and benched 225 pounds a combine-best 44 times. In other words, he's a freak of nature athletically speaking. Those guys don't always work out, but it's not like this is Darrius Heyward-Bay we're talking about. Poe is a legit talent that just bolstered his standing last week.

If the Cowboys switch back to the 4-3, he'd make a great tackle. If they stay in the 3-4, you move Jay Ratliff to defensive end, which is his more natural position anyway. His addition would instantly upgrade the Cowboys' pass rush, which would, in turn, help out the secondary.

Seems to be a pretty solid pick, don't you think?

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