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NFL Writer
The Dallas Cowboys got their man, except it wasn’t exactly the man I thought they would get. For weeks and minutes leading up to the draft I campaigned for the Cowboys to select Alabama safety Mark Barron.
The Cowboys secondary as a whole has been a mess the past few seasons. Corners who struggle to cover past two seconds, no big play guys, and no presence whatsoever.
With the addition of cornerback Brandon Carr and a solid healthy Mike Jenkins returning, It was my opinion that Barron was a necessity at the safety position to finally solidify that Cowboys backfield.
Well I was wrong. Well...kinda wrong. The Cowboys got that playmaker, that presence, and that solidification all in one pick. Jerry Jones finally showed the stones that I knew he had and used them as a positive. I would never have expected Jones to one move up and get a player he wanted, but also move up almost eight picks to get him.
In Morris Claiborne, he gets the man I feel will bring a Champ Bailey, shutdown corner mentality to the Cowboys. He becomes the Cowboys best corner almost immediately and will bring a champion's attitude. Claiborne is an aggressive corner who is tall and able to use his long frame to frustrate opposing wide receivers.
Claiborne can run with wide receivers, use press/bail techniques, and use his impressive ball skills to make plays in space.
Will Claiborne become an elite level cornerback and future all pro? Yes, I think so. What I know for sure is that tonight the Cowboys' defensive culture changed for the better tonight. Welcome to Dallas Morris and kudos to Jones for finally making a good football decision!
