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Which would you rather have, two top 20 draft picks or four top 100 picks? For a team that has so many needs, I'm wondering if giving up one of those first rounders for second and third round picks might be the better option.–Paul Williams*/Austin, TX*
Tommy: It depends on the situation you're in and the draft class in front of you. In this class, with the Cowboys' situation, I'd much rather have four top-100. That gives you a better chance to fill your needs on defense, even if you aren't picking earlier where some of the better players may be. In this class, I don't think there's a huge difference between, say pick 20 and pick 40. So if that's the case, you might as well load up on picks and try to add as many young pieces to a defense that is in need of those kinds of contributors. The x-factor to all of that is free agency, which is certainly going to be something to consider when it comes to the conversation around trading one of the two first round picks or not here in a couple months.
Patrik: As the saying goes, one player can't change everything and, given the Cowboys are trying to essentially rebuild an entire defense, save for the defensive tackle position, I could see the reasoning behind giving up a first-round pick to ensure there's a pick in the second and/or third round. That said, there's a different approach I'd take here, and I hope the Cowboys hear me when I say this: attack free agency in the first two waves to alleviate need in the draft. If Dallas grabs a whale or two in free agency and/or via trade (as they did with George Pickens and, later, Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams), they'd be fine keeping their two first-rounders who'd also be top-20 players (potential franchise players). Focusing solely or mostly on the draft and bargain shopping in free agency is a formula that can no longer be viewed as viable.
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