2013 DBN Mock Draft: Dallas Cowboys Select Jonathan Cooper at No. 18

With the 18th pick in the 2013 Dawgs By Nature NFL Community Mock Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select...

Jonathan Cooper, OG, UNC

This selection and write-up was made by jimkanicki (due to the length, I am not blockquoting his write-up):

If the draft breaks this way, the Cowboys will sprint to the podium for Jonathan Cooper, OG, UNC.

Cowboy problems.

Whenever I watched the Cowboys this year it seemed like Romo was running for his life. It turns out that that's a strength of Romo's so the sack numbers weren't low.

But Romo's league leading 19 interceptions reflect the fact.

Dig a little deeper and you find the Cowboys guards are undrafted 30 year old Nate Livings and 7th round pick from Bentley College, Mackenzy Bernadeau. There's upgrade opportunity here.

Cooper meanwhile is thought by some to better than consensus top guard Chance Warmack.

Here's his combine data compared to Warmack:

Cooper: 6'2", 311 lbs., 33" arms, 5.07 40, 35 bench reps.
Warmack: 6'2", 317 lbs., 34, 8" arms, 5.49 40, DNP bench.

One review on Cooper reads:

There has been a lot of buzz about Cooper and some believe that he could go ahead of Warmack. Cooper showed up at the Combine heavier and stronger than expected and put on a clinic. He was one of the leaders on the bench press with 35 reps and was phenomenal in the field work. Cooper had lightning fast feet and with superior agility. It was a great performance to solidify his stock in the top 20.

Cooper was 1st team all-ACC, all-America, and won the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy whatever that is.

Also, Cooper was a wrestler in high school. As has been mentioned before here: we're all for wrestling football players.

Other possible directions for the Cowboys:

1. RT: Tyron Smith could use a book-end and the Cowboys may see DJ Fluker as a better piece than Cooper. Fluker has been relegated to a second tier behind Joeckel/Fisher/Johnson... but 37" arms are handy for an o-tackle. I stand by Cooper, but Fluker is a strong possibility here.
2. DT: Monte Kiffin is putting in a 4-3. Jay Ratliff is getting old and DUIs are never good. The Cowboys' interior d-line needs help. But with Floyd and Lotulelei and Richardson coming off the board right before this pick, d-tackle becomes a 'pass' in the first round and a hope for Bennie Logan in the second. (Cowboys could be Ahtyba Rubin for second round pick trade partner?)
3. FS: Cowboys waived Gerald Sensabaugh and haven't replaced him. Strong safety is a problem too with Danny McCray pencilled in as a starter. With Vaccaro off the board, Jonathan Cyprien is an option but I don't see him as valuable as Cooper.
4. MLB: Inside linebacker roles have been manned by Bruce Carter and Sean Lee. Alec Ogletree would be a major improvement. (Though somehow he doesn't feel like a Mike linebacker in a 4-3.)

The need at guard plus the talent of Cooper really make this a no-brainer.

If the Steelers take Richardson, we have to hope that he busts, right? Pittsburgh seems to be in disarray every other year, only to "find a way" to get back into contention. Could someone like Richardson guide them to the path of success again?

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Note that jimkanicki also posted this on his site, along with pictures and a quick video. What do you guys think? Is Cooper as good as Warmack?

The New York Giants are up next, led by Red-Right-88.

2013 DBN Community Mock Draft Results (so far)