Since you're probably already sitting at work blaring The Final Countdown, I'll spare you the Gob Bluth YouTube embed and get right to the action: I think the Cowboys, despite all their quiet talk leading up to the draft, are going to be the story once again.
It will be for a bold move but it will also be for a smart move, albeit one that has fallen out of favor in recent years -- trading UP for a running back. Yes. Up!
In the only mock trade in my final mock draft, I have the 49ers and Cowboys flipping picks so Dallas can move up to grab Melvin Gordon out of Wisconsin. Todd Gurley checking out healthy means he's not making it outside the top 10 (TEASER!) which means Gordon is suddenly a hot commodity in the 14-24 range.
Dallas knows this and when he makes it past the Dolphins at 14, Jerry Jones rings up Trent Baalke and inquires about a deal. A similar deal, in fact, to the one these two teams made in 2013 when the 49ers moved up to grab Eric Reid. Dallas gave up No. 18 that year for No. 31 and the 49ers' third-round pick (No. 74).
This time around the Cowboys give up No. 27 for No. 15 and throw in their second-round pick (No. 60) to move up 12 spots while also getting a later pick (either a third or fourth?). It's a bold, expensive play but the Cowboys see themselves as oh-so-close with just the addition of a feature back like Gordon to put them over the top in 2015.
Stephen can't keep Jerry from shoving all his chips every year.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State: I’m willing to get cute with a mock draft but not THAT cute. Winston is the pick, was the pick and will be the pick. The Buccaneers need an impact franchise player at quarterback right now and Winston fits the bill best despite his significant on- and off-field warts.
2. Tennessee Titans -- Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon: Keep trying to find someone who will pay the price to move up and grab Mariota and I can’t do it. 12 and 19 from the Browns — which may or may not be offered, really — is the best the Titans are going to do for the second pick and it’s not worth it. Drafting Mariota buys them an additional 2-3 years with this regime as they develop a quarterback, even if they only in 2-5 games next season.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars -- Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama: Passing over one of the high-end defensive players to grab the safest and most-polished wide receiver in this class, the Jaguars give Blake Bortles a consistent weapon to immediately improve the offense. They’re all in on the quarterback and he needs help.
4. Oakland Raiders -- Leonard Williams, DT, Southern California: No-brainer pick for Reggie McKenzie who suddenly has no interest in trading down when he can land perhaps the consensus top prospect in the draft and a local product who will immediately improve the Raiders defensive line.
5. Washington Redskins -- Dante Fowler Jr., OLB/DE, Florida: Pick of the litter at pass rusher for Scot McCloughan which isn’t so bad a way for this to shake out. The Redskins could go wideout here but with a versatile pass-rushing centerpiece like Fowler available they pounce quickly.
6. New York Jets -- Vic Beasley, OLB/DE, Clemson: Perfect fit for Beasley. He won’t need to anchor the Jets run defense and they have enough defensive line pieces to move him in on pass-rushing downs. Just cut him loose at the quarterback and keep him fresh. Add a piece like Beasley and this defense is scary next year.
7. Chicago Bears -- Danny Shelton, DT, Washington: His stock has fallen since the combine but look at what John Fox does when he arrives somewhere. He adds an impact defensive player who can flip his defense around. Shelton gives him an anchor in the middle of his defensive line and would immediately make the run defense and pass rush substantially better in Chicago.
8. Atlanta Falcons -- Alvin "Bud" Dupree, LB, Kentucky: The Falcons have to take a pass-rusher and Dupree gives them a guy who will work in Dan Quinn’s system. Watching him at times (that Florida game, mesh) is scary but he’s dominant during others.
9. New York Giants -- Kevin White, WR, West Virginia: Best player available. White’s fall is surprising, given his strengths. The Giants don’t know what they’re getting from Victor Cruz next year and pairing White with Odell Beckham, Jr., is going to make life really fun for Eli Manning and really miserable for opposing quarterbacks.
10. St. Louis Rams -- Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia: Stunner! Do the Rams need to take a running back at No. 10? No, not really. But they’re going into the year without a true No. 1 wideout and with Nick Foles at quarterback. Add Gurley to a Tre Mason/Zac Stacy stable and suddenly you can pound the ball at opponents and let your defense win games. Jeff Fisher took Aaron Donald last year and certainly didn’t need more defensive linemen.
11. Minnesota Vikings -- DeVante Parker, WR, Lousiville: Tempting to go corner here but instead the Vikes pair up Teddy Bridgewater with his old receiver from Louisville. There isn’t a massive drop off from Cooper/White to Parker and it’s not like the Vikes are loaded at wide receiver despite the name value there.
12. Cleveland Browns -- Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida: Cleveland needs a wideout too and Perriman, despite concerns about his ability to make routine catches, has tons and tons of upside at the NFL level.
13. New Orleans Saints -- Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa: The Saints want to improve protection for Drew Brees while also getting more dominant in the run game. Grabbing Scherff and moving him inside to guard suddenly gives this interior offensive line, with Jahri Evans and Max Unger, a whole new identity.
14. Miami Dolphins -- Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State: Sitting back and letting the draft come to them pays off for the Dolphins as they land the top corner in the class.
15. Dallas Cowboys (MOCK TRADE via San Francisco 49ers) -- Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin: The Cowboys love Gordon and Gordon loves the Cowboys. He’s not making it to 27, though. If only there was precedent for the Trent Baalke and Jerry Jones flipping 12-13 spots in the draft ... oh right. They did it in 2013 when the Niners moved up to grab Eric Reid and the Cowboys fell back to get Travis Frederick. Win-win situation again for both teams as the Niners pick up a third-round pick for their troubles and the Cowboys get a bellcow back who will dominate out of the gates.
16. Houston Texans -- Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest: It’s so easy to give the Texans a wideout here but everyone else on the board feels like a bit of a reach. Instead they choose to grab a cornerback here. After all Johnathan Joseph is 31 and set to be a free agent after this season.
17. San Diego Chargers -- Andrus Peat, OL, Stanford: Well this is weird. I mock traded myself out of what felt like the easiest pick in the draft, with the Chargers getting a running back. BPA for Tom Telesco instead, as he choses to continue and double down on protecting Philip Rivers by giving himself some insurance for King Dunlap and an excuse to move D.J. Fluker to guard while plugging in Peat at right tackle.
18. Kansas City Chiefs -- Philip Dorsett, WR, Miami (Fla.): Andy Reid’s had a lot of success grabbing wide receivers early in the draft. Given Alex Smith another weapon he can utilize close to the line of scrimmage only revs up this offense.
19. Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo Bills) -- Malcom Brown, DL, Texas: The Browns got a weapon for whoever will be their quarterback (Johnny Manziel, Josh McCown, a homeless guy) earlier and now they use this pick to beef up the defensive line.
20. Philadelphia Eagles -- Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon: Chip gets his Duck! Just not the one anyone ever expected. Armstead is a stunner here with the Eagles needing wideout help but Kelly thinks he can fill a need later in the draft and grabs his guy here instead.
21. Cincinnati Bengals -- Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska: Bit of a character risk here which isn’t a surprise for the Bengals. But not for the reason you think: they’ve just gotten really good at maximizing value from guys who fall in the draft because of character concerns. Not many needs on this roster so Cincy can take a gamble.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers -- Marcus Peters, CB, Washington: Another talented guy who fell because of off-field concerns (weird how this works late in the first round). The Steelers never draft corners in the first round but they need to given all the departures from the secondary this offseason thanks to retirements from Ike Taylor and Troy Polamalu.
23. Detroit Lions -- Ereck Flowers, OL, Miami (Fla.): The Lions have invested a lot on the offensive line recently but still need more depth and physicality. Flowers can step in and open up holes for Joique Bell while also improving the screen game with his ability to get to the second level quickly.
24. Arizona Cardinals -- Shane Ray, DE, Missouri: All the talk about the Cardinals needing a running back (or wanting a running back?) ignores the obvious need for a pass rusher in Arizona too. Ray fell because of toe injury concerns and a marijuana citation the week of the draft.
25. Carolina Panthers -- D.J. Humphries, OL, Florida: Need meets value. Dave Gettleman really will take the best player available but he’s thrilled Humphries is here at 25. Cam Newton needs long-term protection in the worst way and Humphries has massive upside.
26. Baltimore Ravens -- Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State: Big strong physical chain mover can step in and give the Ravens a 2015 counter to Steve Smith and the sneaky-good Michael Campanaro.
27. San Francisco 49ers (MOCK TRADE via Dallas Cowboys) -- Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut: Workout freak who gives the 49ers value here along with filling a need for them. This secondary’s been hurting for a while and needs an infusion of talent.
28. Denver Broncos -- Jake Fisher, OL, Oregon: The Broncos need a smart, versatile, athletic lineman who can come in and run Gary Kubiak’s scheme. Fisher checks every box.
29. Indianapolis Colts -- Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State: The Colts have to get better on defense and it starts by putting big bodies in the middle of the defensive line and doing a better job of stopping the run (*cough* Jonas Gray *cough*).
30. Green Bay Packers -- Eric Rowe, CB, Utah: Losing guys from the secondary in free agency means it’s time for Ted Thompson to replenish through the draft. Rowe gives him a versatile player who can play either safety or corner as needed for the Packers.
31. New Orleans Saints (via Seattle Seahawks) -- Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington: The Saints have to get better on defense and the hyper-versatile Thompson gives them a weapon to use all over the place for Rob Ryan’s defense.
32. New England Patriots -- Cedric Ogbuehi, OL, Texas A&M : A offensive version of Dominique Easley for the Patriots at the end of the first round this year, a luxury many teams can’t afford. They have a cheap fifth-year option built into Ogbuehi, who sets them up well with Sebastian Vollmer sitting at 30 and a UFA after 2016.
