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If the Dallas Cowboys seek to move down from their No. 10 overall draft pick, they may find a willing trade partner in the Miami Dolphins.
Highlighting his latest three-round mock, Pro Football Network’s Matthew Valdovinos concocted a potential deal between the Cowboys and Dolphins in which Miami surrenders three selections — Nos. 18 and 36 overall and a 2022 third-round choice — for No. 10 and a 2022 fifth-rounder.
Under this scenario, the Dolphins would nab Alabama’s Heisman Trophy-capturing wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
“The Cowboys were hoping one of the top two cornerbacks would be here at 10, but unfortunately, both were off the board,” Valdovinos wrote. “Their immediate reaction should be to locate a trade partner somewhere in the teens. With both Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith still on the board, Miami makes the most sense. Not only is their current quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, a former teammate of both, but they have the capital to move up and the need at WR to warrant a move.”
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Win-Win
Dallas, meanwhile, slides down eight spots but still grabs a blue-chip cornerback: South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn, a long-term bookend to 2020 second-rounder — and regular-season team interception leader — Trevon Diggs.
“The Cowboys desperately need to address the defense, and with Barmore off the board the pick before, this selection is obvious. Trevon Diggs showed talent but is better suited to be a CB2 in the NFL. Meanwhile, both Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis are impending free agents,” Valdovinos wrote.
“As far as the mental traits you look for, Horn has it all in spades. Confident, but not overly cocky. He gets under the skin of the receivers and plays through them. He’s an alpha on the field and it shows.
Horn isn’t as gifted physically as Caleb Farley and is likely better suited to a system that will deploy him on one side of the field. A defensive coordinator who runs a lot of Cover 3 would be great for Horn’s future in the NFL. Someone like recently hired Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.”
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Skinny on Horn
The son of former New Orleans Saints star wide receiver Joe Horn, Jaycee, 21, was a three-year contributor for the Gamecocks from 2018-2020. He played in seven games last season before opting out and focusing his attention on the draft.
Horn (6-1, 205) totaled 101 tackles, 23 pass breakups, three sacks, and two interceptions across 30 career appearances (29 starts). He projects as a “starting outside cornerback” at the NFL level, according to The Draft Network’s Joe Marino.
Horn has a long and stocky frame that is built for competing with X-receivers in the NFL. His size, length, and physicality show up in coverage where he is highly disruptive in press and ultra competitive at the catch point. The concerns with Horn show up primarily as a tackler and playing off-man coverage. Unfortunately, Horn doesn’t play to his weight class as a tackler and there are too many missed tackles on film. Additionally, Horn can be guilty of guessing when mirroring routes, leading to false steps, which is problematic given how segmented his transitions can be in the first place. If used correctly and with development, Horn can be a quality starter, especially if his ball skills continue to progress as they did in 2020.
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL