Greg Hardy suspension: 3 NFL Draft replacement for Dallas Cowboys

Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraksa

Randy Gregory is one of the biggest enigmas and question marks of this year’s draft. He is also one of the best defensive prospects on the board, without a question.

Character concerns have been a major part of any discussion regarding the extremely athletic pass rusher from Nebraska, with a failed drug test at the NFL Combine being the latest red flag.

You may ask yourself, why would the Cowboys go after a player with character concerns? After all, he is replacing a player in Greg Hardy that is facing a domestic abuse related suspension, and in today’s NFL, off-the-field conduct is becoming more and more scrutinized every day.

The reason is simple, he is a top 10 draft prospect that is projected to be a mid-first round pick, and the Cowboys could very easily trade up a few spots to select Gregory if he is still available around pick No. 20. If he is still on the board, they have to at least look into making the move.

Although Gregory played outside linebacker during his time with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, he has all of the tools necessary to make the transition to defensive end. Normally I hate the idea of drafting a player with the intention of him changing positions, but in Gregory’s case it could work.

His 6-foot-5, 235 pound frame should make the transition from outside linebacker to defensive end fairly seamless, as well as his tremendous combination of strength and speed. Gregory wowed scouts at the combine with his 4.64 time and 24 reps on bench press, and if he could bulk up by roughly 10 pounds he has potential to become a serious pass rushing threat coming off the edge.

Next: Shane Ray