The Cowboys are likely to take two defensive players in the first round of the draft, but don't discount an offensive player being taken either.
It is now widely expected that the Dallas Cowboys will select two defensive players in the upcoming NFL Draft for coordinator Christian Parker.
Armed with the 12th and 20th selections, the Cowboys can go in any direction they want to.
But most know that it "should" be defense.
Still, as we often say around here, BAA (best available athlete) or BPA (best player available) is the right approach.
Reaching can get you into trouble, and Dallas, at least recently, knows that better than most (Mazi Smith, Luke Schoonmaker).
So the Cowboys shouldn't be drafting for need in the first round; instead, let their draft board fall as it may, and when it comes time to pick, take the best football player.
But will Dallas do that? Is the need for defensive starters so overwhelming that taking an offensive player is completely off the board?
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer doesn't think so.
"What I love about the draft and this whole process is the unpredictability of it," Schottenheimer said. "I really do feel like we've set ourselves up to take the best player available. We've got ourselves in a position, we can make some moves and move back, move up, do what we have to do.
“If the best player on the board is clearly an offensive player, then we’ll certainly discuss that. And more than likely, knowing Jerry Jones, pull the trigger."
Given the defensive needs, as our own Mike Fisher puts it, "if the tags touch," the Cowboys will likely go defense.
And that is a sound approach.
But if the next Randy Moss or CeeDee Lamb drops to No. 12, or even No. 20, do you still go defense?
Or even though you have Lamb and George Pickens, do you grab the next Moss or Lamb? You take the stud receiver.
More specific to this draft would be someone like, say, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
How the Cowboys will approach the draft will be interesting, and even more so if a couple of their targets go off the board early in the first round.
But Schottenheimer isn't shutting down the idea of adding a stud offensive player to his ranks.
Yes, defense should take precedence, but the Cowboys have now made it known they aren't "all-in" on one side of the ball.
And nor should they be.
On to the draft we go, folks.