NFL Mock Draft: 3 first-round mistakes Cowboys can’t afford to make

2. Believing Brandin Cooks is a long-term solution

Cooks is going to turn 30 years old next season which is the point in time when legs start to go for receivers who rely on speed. Expecting him to build on last season’s 57-catch season for 699 yards campaign would represent poor roster planning by the Cowboys.

He can be a useful player for Dallas next year, but the organization would be wise to consider landing his successor at some point in this year’s draft. Round 1 might not be the ideal place to make that move, but several interesting wideouts should be on the board when the Cowboys go on the clock.

Specifically, a versatile receiver like Zay Flowers could provide the Cowboys with excellent value at 26. He’s a small receiver who has the quickness to operate in the slot, but he thrived on the outside during his collegiate career at Boston College due to his exceptional route-running skills. He could soak up snaps for Dallas both in the slot and as an outside guy as a rookie before taking over full-time for Cooks in another year or two.

The bottom line here is that Cooks can be a useful bandaid this year for the Cowboys but he shouldn’t stop them from nabbing a wideout early in the draft. Future-proofing the position group against his eventual decline would be a shrewd move by Dallas’ front office.