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Cast your gaze north up I-45, for TonyOverTroy is channeling his inner Jerry Jones as he makes the 16th pick in the 2014 Battle Red Blog Mock Draft. Read on, friends.
With the sixteenth pick in the 2014 BRB Mock Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Morgan Moses (OT--Virginia).
The assumption persists that either Aaron Donald or Timmy Jernigan are shoo-ins for this pick, but the signing of Henry Melton lowers the priority level of a defensive tackle. Furthermore, there are several players that had been expected to play significant minutes on the defensive line that were put on injured reserve early last season. DeMarcus Ware was allowed to be overpaid to play elsewhere because the defensive line of the Cowboys is not in as dire straits as you've been led to believe.
The Cowboys' offense is clicking, but that clicking sound you hear is a time bomb. Tony Romo is 32 and coming off of back surgery. If the Cowboys want to capture that elusive winning season (and possibly win a perennially unimpressive NFC East), they need to protect their most expensive investment.
Offensive line wasn't a glaring weakness on the team, but if you follow the money (tip of the hat to "Over The Cap"), you see that the Cowboys can save $7 MILLION DOLLARS (cue Dr. Evil pinky-lip) by cutting offensive tackle Doug Free, who has been decent but certainly not worth that price tag.
A final point of consideration: since 2010 (when the Cowboys starting repairing their Al Davis-like drafting woes), the 'Boys have targeted players that were the best at their position. Dez Bryant, Tyron Smith, Morris Claiborne, and Travis Frederick all fit this criterion.
This brings us to UVA's Morgan Moses. He's been on a consistently upward trend this draft season, and it's easy to see why when you look at him. At 6'6" and over 300 pounds, Moses possesses the physical traits (most notably a loooooong wingspan) that are prototypical of the tackle position. While his potential to play left tackle is a question that hinders his draft stock, he is in competition with Greg Robinson for best right tackle prospect in the entire class. (note that DraftTek.com gives Taylor Lewan a fourth-round grade as a right tackle, and does not even rate Zack Martin at the position).
This may seem out of nowhere for the BRB crowd, but rumors are out there that the Cowboys are interested in Moses. Those draftniks just assume that he's a second-round target because predicting him in the first round (where he belongs; Miami and Arizona at 19 & 20 are legitimate landing spots for Moses) interferes with the Aaron Donald/Timmy Jernigan narrative.
You asked for a left-field pick that made sense. Such have I delivered.
Interesting pick. Would you have made it if you were running Arlington's draft? Speak up in the Comments.
That brings us to the Baltimore Ravens and TexanSam. Will he provide Gary Kubiak with a new toy? The pick is due to me by 7 p.m. CDT this evening and will post at 10 a.m. CDT tomorrow morning.
Recapping the draft thus far...
1. Houston Texans--Sammy Watkins (WR--Clemson)
2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington)--Jadeveon Clowney (DE--South Carolina)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars--Johnny Manziel (QB--Texas A&M)
4. Cleveland Browns--Teddy Bridgewater (QB--Louisville)
5. Oakland Raiders--Khalil Mack (LB--Buffalo)
6. Atlanta Falcons--Anthony Barr (LB--UCLA)
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers--Eric Ebron (TE--UNC)
8. Minnesota Vikings--Greg Robinson (OT--Auburn)
9. Buffalo Bills--Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (S--Alabama)
10. Detroit Lions--Mike Evans (WR--Texas A&M)
11. Tennessee Titans--Justin Gilbert (CB--Oklahoma State)
12. New York Giants--Aaron Donald (DT--Pittsburgh)
13. St. Louis Rams--Jake Matthews (OT--Texas A&M)
14. Chicago Bears--Timmy Jernigan (DT--Florida State)
15. Denver Broncos (TRADE WITH STEELERS) --C.J. Mosley (LB--Alabama)
16. Dallas Cowboys--(Morgan Moses (OT--Virginia)
17. Baltimore Ravens--TexanSam
18. New York Jets--Sugel Mendoza
19. Miami Dolphins--bt20
20. Arizona Cardinals--Lukayyy
21. Green Bay Packers--gyeager
22. Philadelphia Eagles--gm.in.waiting
23. Kansas City Chiefs--MrCatPants
24. Cincinnati Bengals--hlc1221
25. San Diego Chargers--f22a4bandit
26. Cleveland Browns--FreedomRide
27. New Orleans Saints--H&Hguy
28. Carolina Panthers--Nashmeister
29. New England Patriots--37bp
30. San Francisco 49ers--TexansDC
31. Pittsburgh Steelers (TRADE WITH BRONCOS) --Steel Blue Crew
32. Seattle Seahawks--UprootedTexan
33. Houston Texans--bhsman