The Cowboys have filled several needs on the team through trades and free agency so they can draft the best player available at No. 26. But what if the best available player is a quarterback? Remember, nobody thought CeeDee Lamb would fall in 2020. Would you pick the quarterback? – Ryan Westley/Franklin, LA
Nick: I've said this before and I'll see it again, when it comes to the "Best Player Available" tag, I think we should B.A.N. it completely, especially for the first round. Sure, later on in the draft, go ahead and grab the best players you can. But in the first round, for a team that is pretty close to the top of the league right now talent-wise, you better get a player who can help. So I'm scrapping the BPA tag and replacing it with BAN – Best Available Need. And for a team like this, you've still got plenty of needs, so it's not a reach to land a player that can fit right now. All that being said, it won't be a quarterback. Even if some of the best ones fall to No. 26, don't expect the Cowboys to take one, BUT … the Cowboys have history in taking advantage of the situation. They'll probably look for a trade partner for a team that might overpay to get a falling QB to stockpile picks. But no, I'm not taking a QB in the first three rounds because those picks need to be difference-makers right now.
Kurt: I wouldn't pick the quarterback even if C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young were there. In reality, the Best Player Available tag has always been a bit of a misnomer. It's much more like the Best Player Available who coincides with the team's needs. So while the Cowboys' wheeling and dealing this offseason has set them up nicely for the draft, selecting even a top quarterback with their first-round pick just doesn't make much sense to me. Not only are they already heavily committed to a quality signal-caller in Dak Prescott, but given that they're in win-now mode, they need a player who can step in and contribute right away. If a valued passer is there, Dallas would seemingly be better served by trading down a few spots and adding picks, rather than taking a quarterback who wouldn't pay the immediate dividends the Cowboys need from the 26th overall selection in his rookie season.
