2020 NFL mock draft: Ron Rivera gets his defensive cornerstone

By Brad Weiss | Feb 26, 2020

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 28: Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Chase Young (2) looks on during the 2019 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl college football playoff semifinal game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Clemson Tigers on December 28, 2019 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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COLUMBIA, MISSOURI – NOVEMBER 16: Defensive back CJ Henderson #1 of the Florida Gators in action against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Columbia, Missouri. /

123. . Cornerback. Dallas Cowboys. C.J. Henderson. 17. player

The Dallas Cowboys have a big decision to make in terms of the quarterback position, as they have to figure out whether they will franchise Dak Prescott, or sign him to a long-term deal. Prescott has been nothing short of outstanding since joining the Cowboys a few years back, so locking him up for the foreseeable future makes the most sense.

Looking at this roster, there is another big decision coming on the other side of the ball, and that is whether to bring back free agent cornerback Byron Jones. He is going to be one of the more sought after corners in this free agency period, and if the team decides to let him walk, adding a corner with pick No. 17 is paramount.

Enter C.J. Henderson, one of the best cover cornerbacks in this draft class, and someone who could come in and start right away on this Cowboys defense. Dallas has the talent to be a perennial playoff contender, but this will be a huge offseason in terms of how this roster will look moving forward.

. Edge. Miami Dolphins. Yetur Gross-Matos. 18. player. 59

The Miami Dolphins hold three first round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, including pick No. 18, which they got from the Pittsburgh Steelers for trading them Minkah Fitzpatrick. With this pick, the Dolphins should look to add some talent to the edge, and Penn State’s Yetur Gross-Matos is slated for the first round.

Gross-Matos has that uncanny ability to get after the quarterback, and a defensive-minded head coach like Brian Flores could do so much with his talent. Remember, this is a Dolphins team that played extremely hard with very little assets this past season, and by bringing in three first rounders, they could be a team that makes a big leap forward.

So far in this mock, the Dolphins have grabbed a franchise quarterback, and a star edge rusher, two of the bigger needs on their roster heading into next season. Miami holds five first round picks over the next two drafts, and finally look to be building this roster for the long run, which is good considering they have found their head coach.

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