Early, middle, and late: 3 draft options for the Cowboys at the linebacker position

Where should the Cowboys go after a linebacker in the upcoming draft in your opinion?

The 2024 NFL Draft is an opportunity for the Dallas Cowboys to find a new linebacker, but at what point should they pull the trigger? Should they use one of their top draft resources and secure one of the better talents in the draft, or can they afford to wait a bit while focusing on talent at the more premium positions earlier in the draft? Today, we’ll look at three prospects, all of whom are 30 visits for the Cowboys, and evaluate where in the draft the Cowboys should be looking to add a new linebacker.

THE EARLIEST

The linebacker situation is tricky because the Cowboys already have two young players who have yet to reach their full potential. Damone Clark flashed some during his rookie season and was solid last year, but he didn’t take a big enough step forward to make anyone feel good about being the centerpiece at the position. When Leighton Vander Esch went down last year, the linebacker play weakened. Last year’s third-round pick, DeMarvion Overshown, got hurt in the preseason and was lost for the year so he’s still a great unknown. Add those guys to the one-year rental of Eric Kendricks, and the Cowboys linebacker group of the future remains unsettled.

The Cowboys can remedy this by selecting Michigan’s Junior Colson. He was the defensive ace on one of college’s best defenses thanks to a nice combination of football IQ and athleticism. His processing ability is sharp, his attack speed is fast, and his physical nature makes him one of the most sure-fire tacklers in this draft. This is the type of linebacker every team wants. He’s smart, tough, and a guy who doesn’t make mistakes. With pick 56, the Cowboys could gain a day-one starter at linebacker that could sidestep any questions one might have with their other guys.

BEFORE THE JUMP

If the team misses out on a linebacker in round two, there’s still hope as there are some good options in round three who are starting-caliber players. It will be the Cowboys’ last chance to land an immediate contributor on defense before they enter the dead zone. The dead zone we’re speaking of isn’t some psychic power Christopher Walken had when he grabbed people’s hands, but rather the lack of draft capital the Cowboys have between picks 87 and 174 due to trades they made last year. If the Cowboys want a shot at a new starting linebacker, they must act before the jump.

Kentucky’s Trevin Wallace would be a great candidate for a third-round linebacker. He’s very similar to Colson in size. And his burst to attack ball carriers is just as impressive. With both the speed and physical tools, he can pop you at the line of scrimmage or hang with tight ends in coverage. Wallace is a dynamic player who can do a lot of things well.

His weakness is his ability to anticipate plays and his aggressiveness can get him in trouble. He won’t be the hit-the-ground-running player that Colson is, but with some development in how he diagnoses plays, he has the potential to be a great starting linebacker in the NFL.

AFTER THE JUMP

As one might expect, this late the opportunity to select a likely starter has passed. The linebackers available after the top 150 picks are all going to come with baggage and the best teams can hope for is finding a viable reserve or special teams contributor.

Texas’ Jaylan Ford could be that type of player. A teammate of Overshown in 2022, these two roamed around the Longhorn’s defense wrapping up anything that moved. Ford is coming off two straight seasons with over 100 tackles, including double-digit tackles for losses in each of those years. He sees things before they happen and it’s reflected in his college production.

Ford isn’t the athlete his former teammate is, and he’s almost the complete opposite of the before-mentioned Wallace, so there are some clear limiters to his ceiling. He’s a smart player who wastes no movement and always seems to be where he needs to be to make the play and that will appeal to teams looking for linebacker depth late in the draft. The Cowboys won’t find their future starter in Ford, but they can find a true linebacker for depth without forcing an undersized safety to fill in the void.