The Cowboys need defense, defense and more defense! I feel like they should be taking a defensive player with their first three picks. The Dallas Cowboys have become a run first football team. Many people will say it's because Romo retired and Dak can't carry a team the way Romo did. I agree that Dak isn't Romo but he is plenty good enough to carry this Cowboys team. If we're being honest, much of Romo’s success came when the Cowboys were able to run the ball and control the clock.
If the Cowboys want to continue to have success running the ball and grinding down the clock they have to be able to stop other teams. They're going have to put a defense on the field that can hold opponents under 20 points a game. They've made strides in making the defense better. At the moment the Cowboys have a ton of young players that they're hoping can develop into pro bowl caliber players. I really think they should continue to add young talented players to the defensive side of the ball.
The fourth player in this series that will probably be available when the Cowboys pick at #19 is defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne from Alabama. Payne is an excellent combination of size and athleticism. He was huge in run support and has shown the ability to apply pressure on the quarterback. The Cowboys just franchised Demarcus Lawrence and he had an amazing season getting to the quarterback. Adding a player like Payne will give the Cowboys that push they need in the middle of the defensive line.
I've done a write up about defensive tackle Vita Vea, which is the player I think fills the Cowboys biggest need, 1 technique defensive tackle. Da'Ron Payne isn't a 1 tech D tackle but he plays with the power the Cowboys need at the defensive tackle position. Rob Marinelli gets a ton a credit for getting the most out of his defensive front, as he should. Give him a player of Payne’s calibre and Lets see what Marinelli can do with him.
Tell of the Tape
Da’Ron Payne measured in at 6’2, 311 pounds. That a perfect size for an athletic defensive tackle. He put up 27 reps of 225lbs and has video of him benching 460lbs. He arrived at Alabama weighing over 350 lbs his freshman season. He was able to get down to 310 lbs, while still being able to bench over 500lbs, and squat over 600 lbs. Payne is a freak of nature and has a work ethic that the Cowboys and Marinelli love! This is a guy that is very powerful, puts in the work in the gym, and is a great athlete for his size. Payne also ran a sub 5 second 40-yd dash. He would be the perfect fit next to Maliek Collins, who is slightly smaller and doesn't play with the same power.
How he fits with the Cowboys
The Cowboys run a 4-3 defense, which means they can't have too many defensive linemen. Demarcus Lawrence is the Cowboys best Defensive linemen. He really improved his ability to play the run in 2017. David Irving is the Cowboys second best defensive linemen, but they can’t really figure out where to play Irving. Adding a player like Payne will allow the Cowboys to play Irving inside at tackle and outside at end while having the confidence that Collins and Payne will hold down the middle. Adding Payne will also give the Cowboys much needed depth along the defensive front.
The Eagles laid the blueprint out for defensive line rotations. It was very simple, put together a vicious starting front four, then rotate star players in to keep everyone along the front fresh. Fletcher Cox is a beast and has the ability to play every defensive snap. Cox is even better when he can play 75% of the snaps and can make impact plays late in games. That's the direction the Cowboys should be going in. They will get Charles Tapper back this season (hopefully he can stay healthy this season) a speed rusher that the Cowboys really like. They hope to get Randy Gregory back from suspension. Gregory is another edge rusher that will bring speed and depth to the Cowboys rotation. The Cowboy have other young players like Lewis Neal and Brian Price that they really like that can also be key rotational pieces. Adding these rotational players to a starting front that could be Lawrence, Collins, Payne, and Irving, the Cowboys would have a defensive front that could rival the Philadelphia Eagles. Football games are won in the trenches. The Cowboys already have a great offensive line, now it's time to install a great defensive front. Da’Ron Payne would be a step toward that great defensive front!
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