We are officially half way through the 2020 NFL football season.
Of course, there is no better time to begin speculating on the 2021 NFL Draft than right now.
Let’s start with the Dallas Cowboys.
At 2-7 and on their umpteenth quarterback after QB Dak Prescott went out for the season, the Cowboys could be headed for a high draft pick in the coveted first round.
After dancing around with Dak Prescott and his contract talks for the past year, it appears the Cowboys are going to stick with him for 2021.
Looking at what the Cowboys do on the field without him has in an unexpected way increased his marketability.
On November 9, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones dismissed the idea of a rookie QB draftee taking the reins for the Cowboys in 2021.
“Dak’s our quarterback. We’re so fired up about him and leading us into the future. … We’re fired up about our future with Dak.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones echoed the sentiment.
Jerry Jones says "Dak is our quarterback," and adds it'd be "crazy" for the #DallasCowboys to think about drafting one in the 2021 #NFLDraft. Story ⤵️ #Cowboys #CowboysNation https://t.co/1RbbOHrBUS
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) November 10, 2020
Recall that the Cowboys signed him to a 1 year $31 million dollar deal for the 2020 season so technically he is a free agent in 2021.
Assuming that the Cowboys work out a deal with Dak and get a high draft pick, then what could that mean for the draft?
2021 NFL Draft Has QB Headliners
By now, everyone knows that if Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence declares for the 2021 NFL Draft (and forfeits his final year of eligibility), he will most likely be drafted by the New York Jet.
Though Trevor Lawrence has been the top name mentioned in this QB-friendly draft class, there are others worthy of attention.
They are Justin Fields of Ohio State and Zach Wilson of BYU.
Fields is also in the Heisman conversations because he is having a fantastic season.
2020 stats for Justin Fields 😳
Incompletions: 11
Touchdowns: 13 #Heisman pic.twitter.com/8NrNAS9dyz— Barstool OSU (@BarstoolOSU) November 13, 2020
Like Lawrence, Fields, and Wilson have another year of eligibility so they would have to declare themselves for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Again, we are assuming they would, and that means the Cowboys could find themselves with a high pick where one of these QBs (Fields and Wilson) could be available.
If they are sticking with Dak, the Cowboys could trade the pick to another team wanting one of these QBs.
Assumptions Rule The Day
Of course, this theory is littered with assumptions that may be premature.
But if the circumstances present themselves and the Cowboys are in this position, the team could pick up several picks/players for this coveted draft pick.
For Cowboys fans longing for the winning ways of the 90s, this could be the 2020s version of the trade of Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings.
Back To Reality
Because the Cowboys are in the lowly NFC East, the team is still very much in playoff contention at 2-7.
It seems highly likely that Jerry Jones would be playing for the first-round pick at this point in the season.
With the Eagles in first place at 3-4-1, Washington at 2-6, and the Giants and Cowboys both at 2-7, the winner of this division is anyone’s guess right now.
Draft day speculation is a lot of fun, but there is a lot of the 2020 NFL season yet to be played.
A lot can happen in the second half that can totally change how teams approach the 2021 NFL Draft.
NEXT: Jerry Jones Talks About Cowboys Chances Of Drafting A QB