Niner Noise
FanSided

2018 NFL Draft: Two-round mock for all 32 teams across the league

By Peter Panacy

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 01: Da’Ron Payne #94 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates after the AllState Sugar Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 1, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 01: Da’Ron Payne #94 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates after the AllState Sugar Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 1, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

Alabama. Da'Ron Payne. 19. player. 123. . Defensive Tackle

The Dallas Cowboys have a few areas of need this offseason and could go one of a number of different directions with this pick.

They could serve to get younger and cheaper at both wide receiver and tight end, finding long-term replacements for Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, respectively. Or they could look to beef up that once-dominant offensive line again.

Dallas’ secondary looks to be in pretty good shape. It’s young and promising, and the Cowboys kept EDGE Demarcus Lawrence around for another year on the franchise tag.

What’s needed is a strong interior defensive line presence, and it’s not hard to envision Alabama’s Da’Ron Payne — a steady riser up NFL Draft boards — as the selection here.

Payne is an excellent run stopper and has the ability to develop into a nice interior pass-rusher too.