NFL teams are known for keeping their strategies secret this time of year. With free agency and the draft approaching, no franchise wants to reveal its plans too early. Still, coaches sometimes drop subtle hints that signal big moves before they happen.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer may have done exactly that during Monday’s NFL League Meetings.
Schottenheimer mentioned the possibility of the Cowboys trading up in next month’s draft, saying they “absolutely” have the resources to make it happen. “Jerry is never afraid of making deals,” he added.
If his comment is any clue, Dallas is more than willing to move up to grab one of the top prospects on their board.
After trading away Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa over the past year, the Cowboys have stockpiled significant draft capital. With two first-round picks, they have a chance to reshape the franchise for years to come.
Throughout the draft process, fans and analysts expected Dallas to use both Day One picks to strengthen the defense. Christian Parker’s unit has several gaps to fill, and there are plenty of defensive prospects available in that range.
But Schottenheimer just introduced a different possibility. If the Cowboys use their capital to jump into the top ten, they could land one of the truly elite players in this year’s class.
One name that comes up often in trade-up talk is Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. At 6’5” and 244 pounds, he’s considered one of the best off-ball linebacker prospects in years. His blend of power and natural instincts has scouts excited. Given the Cowboys’ uncertainty at linebacker, Styles seems like a perfect fit.
The catch? They’d likely need to move up to get him. Styles may not fall out of the top five, let alone the top ten. It could even take both first-round picks to position themselves for the star linebacker.
This might just be another case of the Cowboys talking big before playing it safe, but Schottenheimer and Jerry Jones sound genuinely ready to make some bold moves in April’s draft.
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