Schrager Mock: Cowboys Grab Defensive Studs at 12 & 20

0:00On April 7th, NFL Draft Hype is building fast now that March Madden is wrapped up, and ESPN's Peter Schreger dropped his first mod draft this week. Cowboys hold the 12th and 20th picks in the first round, and Schreger sees them grabbing two defensive studs to fix last year's leaky. Backthiel. He projects Ohio State's Caleb Downs sliding to them at 12. A safety, buckeye's DC. Matt Patricia calls the smartest guy on any roster. Perfect. Ohio State's material. Downs could lock down the secondary with Jalen Thompson and Malik Hooker. Dallas got torched for 54 plays of 25 yards or more last season, worst in the league, so adding brains and ball skills back there. Would cut those explosives big time. Fans are buzzing about finally bulking up the D after a rough 20-25. At 20, Schreger has them taking Miami edrasher Akim Mesador, a 25-year-old beast with 12 and a half sacks and 17 and a half tackles for loss.

1:00He's primed to rush right in as a top Cowboys pass guy. Cowboys pack 8 picks total and might flip one of those early ones in a trade if the board don't vibrate, keeps options wide open as draft night, nears.