Analyst: Cowboys may make a trade to get a “Relentless pass rusher.”
For a “relentless pass rusher,” the Dallas Cowboys might be the perfect destination.
The Cowboys may trade down in the 2024 NFL Draft to select defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. from the University of Michigan, as suggested by Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report. Assuming that Dallas will want to stockpile draft picks after trading away fourth, fifth, and sixth round picks in deals for quarterback Trey Lance, wide out Brandin Cooks, and cornerback Stephon Gilmore, Sobleski labels the redshirt junior as a “potential trade-down target.”
Sobleski suggests the Cowboys think about trading out of the first round in order to accumulate additional players and draft picks. They could choose Jenkins with a lower draft pick if they do this.
“After re-signing some of their free agents, the Cowboys will probably be in a bit of a financial bind, needing to add more talent and a couple of selections,” says Sobleski. “The described mentality applies to the NFL draft.” To address some of those concerns, the Cowboys would benefit from trading out of the first round altogether.
Cowboys Lacking Picks in 2024 NFL Draft
Dallas would currently own the No. 27 pick in the NFL Draft in 2024. There are no draft picks available to them in Rounds 4 through 6.
The 22-year-old Jenkins is the son of defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, a former four-time Pro Bowl player. Jenkins played in the NFL for ten years, spending time with the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets, and was selected to the All-Pro team three times in his career (2002), 2003, and 2008.
Jenkins Jr. has been projected for the first round of the draft by nearly all of the major sports media outlets, including CBS Sports, Sporting News, Yahoo Sports, Bleacher Report, Pro Football Focus, NBC Sports, and The Athletic, as highlighted by Daniel Kelly of First Round Mock.
Jenkins is a 6-foot-3, 305-pound player that Kelly calls a “relentless pass rusher.” He does point out that Jenkins frequently abandons the deal when sacks are involved.
“Defense linemen need to get pressure and sacks in today’s pass-happy NFL, and those who can do a lot of both end up as first-round prospects,” Kelly wrote on November 17. Jenkins is a persistent pass rusher who frequently draws double teams due to his high level of activity, but he frequently fails to seal the deal. Jenkins has 3.5 sacks in 23 games played in 2022 and 2023 thus far. He had 1.5 sacks this season compared to two sacks the previous one.
Kris Jenkins Jr. excels at run defense rather than pass rushes.
Jenkins Jr. has only racked up seven career sacks in his two full seasons as a starter. The production is lacking, even though the talent and size are undeniably present. In addition to pointing out that those aren’t first-round numbers, Kelly says Jenkins doesn’t have the necessary “explosiveness” to produce a lot of sacks.
Kelly highlights how much of a disruptive run-stopper Jenkins is, even as he criticizes Jenkins’ lack of output as a pass rusher.
According to Kelly, Jenkins is a better run defender than a pass rusher. “That’s not Jenkins; some guys are just in it for the rush of getting to the quarterback.” Stopping the run is what this Michigan defensive tackle lives for. In fact, his 31 run stops in 2022 tied for the most among FBS defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Cowboys have a number of noteworthy free agents, including as Neville Gallimore and defensive lineman Jonathan Hankins. If the Cowboys were in their position, trading down to obtain additional draft picks and selecting Jenkins with a lower pick (assuming he’s still available) might not be a bad idea.
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