Could the next Ed Reed fall to No. 12? Exclusive intel suggests safety Caleb Downs might slide, offering the Cowboys a potential draft steal.
There has been a lot of talk over the past week about whether or not the Dallas Cowboys would be interested in trading up from No. 12 to acquire a top-tier defensive player in the draft.
With Arvell Reese, David Bailey, Sonny Styles, Reuben Bain Jr., and Caleb Downs ranked the top defensive players, the sense from some experts is that the Cowboys are too far back to select one of them at No. 12.
Which is why we have seen trade-up proposals fly off the media shelves, with the one that makes some sense being the Cowboys getting involved with the Cleveland Browns to move up to No. 6.
The nuts and bolts of what it would take to move up that high for the Cowboys? Using a Trade Value Chart, Dallas could get picks Nos. 6 and 39 for Nos. 12 and 20.
And you know that if the franchise did anything like this, it would have to be for a genuine star.
One player Dallas has its eye on is safety Caleb Downs, with the thought that the franchise might have to trade up to select the prospect who is now reportedly a "30 Visits'' guy in Frisco.
But our own Mike Fisher spoke exclusively with Drew Fabianich, the executive director of the Panini Senior Bowl and a former Cowboys scout, who thinks Dallas might not have to do anything to acquire Downs.
"I don't think you have to trade up to 6 to get Downs to be honest with you," Fabianich said.
So the Cowboys could sit tight end see Downs fall into their lap? Cowboys Nation would be celebrating.
But the other player Dallas would love is Sonny Styles.
In an ideal world, the Cowboys would snag both Styles and Downs, but we know that is pure fiction.
Still, either one would be a great get for the Cowboys, especially given Fabianich's comps for the pair.
"I haven't seen a guy like Caleb Downs for a while," Fabianich added. "Ed Reed was the best one I've ever seen, and he's as close as him as I could I could get.''
So Downs is "The Next Ed Reed,'' mirroring the Ravens' Hall of Famer? Wow.
And what of Styles?
"Sonny Styles, great thing about him is he's versatile,'' Fabianich said. "He's like Micah [Parsons], you can blitz him, can play off the ball, in bubbles, off the edge. Because he's such an athletic freak, they [Dallas] probably would have to go up to pick 6 to get him."
So the Cowboys could potentially get the next Ed Reed or Micah Parsons. We think fans would be fine with that.
Granted, Styles will likely be off the board early, but Downs, it appears, could be set for a slide down, purely based on positional value.
And if that's the case, the Cowboys could be about to get an absolute steal. ... "The Next Ed Reed'' falling into their laps without having to lift a football finger.