For most, the Cowboys are in for Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, but according to one NFL general manager, there's another safety who is better.
The Dallas Cowboys need defensive starters for Christian Parker, and in mock drafts over the past two weeks, we have seen Ohio State's Caleb Downs coming to The Star.
Seen as one of the best prospects in the draft, Downs, only because of positional value, has been seen to be dropping down draft boards.
However, Drew Fabianich, the executive director of the Panini Senior Bowl and a former Cowboys scout, thinks Downs is one of the best prospects he's seen, calling him the closest thing to Ed Reed.
So that's a former scout who knows the ins and outs of the college football world. Yes, it's a big call, but Fabianich knows his stuff.
But it appears that, somewhat shockingly, one NFL general manager thinks there is a safety better than Downs in this draft.
ESPN's Adam Schefter spoke with an anonymous general manager who thinks that Arizona cornerback Treydan Stukes is a player he would take over Downs in the draft.
"One NFL general manager called Stukes "one of the best safeties I've seen [in my time as a GM]," and added he would draft him ahead of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs," Schefter wrote. "This guy makes freaky plays that I haven't seen other safeties make."
"It would not be a shock to see Stukes sneak into Round 1."
Right, there's a lot to work through there.
I must prefice this by saying I'm not a college football "guy" so when it comes to this sort of thing, I defer to those in the know.
Downs is seen as one of the best defensive prospects in the draft, and a quarterback of a defense. In the numerous mock drafts I've seen, I haven't seen Stukes' name in any of them in the first round.
Now, that doesn't mean Stukes isn't a good, up-and-coming player, but I am only going off what others have said/think. Yes, Stukes reportedly had a good combine, but he isn't a name I've seen too often in the first-round.
That doesn't mean he can't be, I just haven't seen many national media people, and other scouts mention him (unless I've missed it).
So Stukes appears to be one name that we have to watch intently over the coming days, but better than Downs? That's an awfully big call. ... that comes across as if Schefter is doing somebody a favor here.