Cowboys projected to draft Miami edge rusher, but not the one you’re thinking of

The Dallas Cowboys might pick a Miami Hurricane in the 2021 NFL Draft, but not the one everyone assumes they will.

Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys are likely to end up with a Top 10 pick in the 2021 draft, as their laughable defense will have them looking for a cornerstone on that side of the ball. While Miami pass rusher Gregory Rousseau, who opted out of the 2020 season after recording 15.5 sacks as a redshirt freshman, is widely considered to be first pass rusher taken given his athleticism and potential, the mock draft wizards seem to think Dallas will go in a slightly different direction.

A mock draft from CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso has the Cowboys passing over Rousseau in favor of Jaelen Phillips, who has done an amazing job of filling in for him this season.

Potential Cowboys pick Jaelen Phillips used to be the top high school player in the country, and he’s finally balling at Miami

247sports had Phillips ranked as the top recruit in the country in 2017, beating out the likes of Chase Young, Jeff Okudah, and Najee Harris. Phillips committed to UCLA, but he only managed 4.5 sacks in two seasons before quitting football altogether. Phillips has rediscovered his passion under Manny Diaz and his 8-1 Miami team, as he has recorded 41 tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks this season.

While Rousseau’s production and size will get him picked high, Phillips’ athletic ability will do the trick for him, as his 260-pound frame mixed with the speed of a linebacker could help him fit in as a hand-in-the-dirt 5 tech in a 4-3 scheme or a stand-up rusher in a 3-4 scheme that fires off the edge. The knock on Phillips, at this juncture, is the fact he’s only had one productive season in four years of college football.

Plain and simple, Dallas needs defense. The best philosophy this offseason might be taking the best players available on that side of the ball and figuring out schematic specifics later. Phillips is a bit risky, as Rousseau and Michigan’s Kwity Paye will likely go before him, but his athleticism could make up for that in a hurry.