The Daily Score: Cowboys Strike Gold In Mock Draft 4.0

By Bill Jones | @CBS11BillJones

Happy Draft Day! We empty our 2015 NFL Draft Scouting Notebook with Cowboys Mock Draft 4.0 -- a futile attempt at predicting what the Cowboys will do:

• 1st Round - #27 – EDDIE GOLDMAN, DT, FLORIDA STATE

According to some, the Cowboys won't spend a first round pick on a 1-technique nose tackle, but this player is much more than that. Prior to his game against FSU last year, N.C. State Head Coach Dave Doeren said, "Goldman is probably the best defensive tackle in college football. Nobody can block their defensive tackle. That guy is killing people."

Seminoles RB Karlos Williams kids that he tells Goldman in practice, "Please don't hit me…please calm down. He's a ticking time bomb."

Goldman is a 6-4, 336 pounder who picked FSU over Alabama and Auburn, starting on the Noles national title team in 2013. He seems to be a very bright student of the game who plays with great passion. He says since high school, he has studied old NFL films of defensive linemen, calls Mean Joe Greene his idol and loves the way former Cowboys Hall of Famer Randy White used to play…He compares his style of play to former Cowboys NT Jay Ratliff.

I believe the Cowboys would like to take a defensive front 7 player in the first round. The top defensive ends should be gone by 27, and the ones who are there (Shane Ray and Randy Gregory) carry significant baggage with them. Top RBs Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon should also be gone. The Cowboys should be very happy if either Malcom Brown (Texas) or Goldman are there for them. Both are the type players who fit the mold of recent "plug 'n play" 1st round picks Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, and Zack Martin.

Jason Garrett says the cornerstone of a football team is the offensive and defensive lines. The o-line has been taken care of -- now it's time to make a 1st round investment in the d-line.

• 2nd Round - #60 – TEVIN COLEMAN, RB, INDIANA

Probably too good to be true for this player to still be available at the 60th pick, but he and Jay Ajayi were still there on this mock simulator, so we jump on Tevin Coleman here. Similar in many ways to DeMarco Murray, they even played for the same college coach. Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson was Murray's offensive coordinator at Oklahoma.

Coleman measured 5-11, 206 pounds at the combine (Murray a little bigger at 6-0, 213)…Coleman ran a 4.40 forty with a 1.52 split at his Pro Day (Murray ran a 4.41 with a 1.52 split at the Combine in 2011)…Coleman did 22 bench reps at the Combine (Murray did 21). To his credit, Coleman battled through injuries to post an incredible 2036 yard season in 2014, averaging 7.5 yards a carry. He did much of that while playing with a broken bone in his right foot, for which he had surgery in January. He also played through an ankle injury in 2013 and shoulder and hand injuries in 2012.

Of course, Murray has been plagued by injuries throughout his career and played through them last year. So, the toughness is comparable as well.

• 3rd Round - #91 – JOSH SHAW, CB, USC

While we like to give you different names each week in these mock draft exercises, we give you Josh Shaw for the 2nd straight week, which tells you that there's a projected drop off in quality at the cornerback position at this point in the draft. So, you better get your cornerback in one of the first 3 rounds.

Shaw is a confident, intelligent, muscular former Parade All American from Palmdale, California who started his collegiate career as a Florida Gator before transferring back home to USC. He had 4 interceptions his junior year, splitting time between CB and FS.

A 6-0, 201 pounder who plays a physical game and competes….red flag from his senior year when he fabricated a story about how he sprained his ankles in an off field incident, claiming he was injured making a heroic pool rescue…but after admitting he lied, he's handled the aftermath of the incident and 10-game suspension admirably…he was even chosen to speak at the USC graduation ceremony…earned a sociology degree…sources say he interviewed very well with teams…intelligent player who played in five different defensive schemes at his two college stops.

• 4th Round - #127 – FRANK CLARK, DE, MICHIGAN

A highly controversial pick, especially for a team that just signed Greg Hardy, but if Clark is still available in the 4th round (even in the 3rd round), this wouldn't be surprising.

A 6-3, 271 pounder who was kicked off the Michigan team after being accused of domestic violence, a charge that was changed to persistent disorderly conduct, the assault charges dropped…13 ½ tackles for loss and 4 ½ sacks in 10 games last year…ran a 4.66 forty with a sizzling 1.58 10-yard split at his pro day…38 ½ vertical…4.05 shuttle…7.08 cone drill…34 inch arms with an 84 inch wingspan….all numbers that would make him a late 1st round consideration if not for the off field issues…was considered a team leader at Michigan prior to his dismissal.

• 5th Round - #163 – JACOREY SHEPHERD, CB, KANSAS

Played for former Cowboys Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Secondary Coach Dave Campo at the University of Kansas. Campo has been hanging around Valley Ranch this offseason, so the Cowboys have a very good read on this Mesquite Horn product who is a converted wide receiver that became a two-year starter at cornerback, intercepting 3 passes in 2015.

He pulled a hamstring during Senior Bowl workouts, so he wasn't able to work out at the combine and was limited at his pro day, running a 4.6 40 nonetheless….a player of highest character, academic All-Big 12, Senior CLASS Award finalist, Big 12 Leadership Summit with loads of community service work…5-11, 199 pounder who was a standout wide receiver at Horn High School, catching 71 passes for 992 yards and 10 TDs his senior year.

• 7th Round - #236 – IAN SILBERMAN, OT, BOSTON COLLEGE

The 6-5, 305 pounder started 12 games at right tackle for BC last year after transferring from Florida, where he was originally a 4 star recruit, who picked the Gators over Auburn, LSU and USC.

He saw limited playing time at UF, undergoing two shoulder surgeries…graduated in Dec, 2013, and decided to play his final year at BC since Florida was loaded with tackles (D.J. Humphries, Chaz Green, Trenton Brown)…played for Steve Addazio at BC, who recruited him as a Florida assistant…Addazio was a longtime assistant for former Cowboys assistant Paul Pasqualoni at Syracuse and Western Connecticut State.

• 7th Round - #243 – DARIUS DAVIS, WR, HENDERSON STATE

Frisco Wakeland product who is far and away the all-time leading receiver at Henderson State in Arkadelphia, Arkansas

A 5-11, 226 pounder with 4.6 speed, a 37 ½ vertical and 10-5 broad jump…1st team All American who amassed 2858 yards receiving the last two years and 34 TDs…averaged 22 yards per catch last year…also returned punts and kickoffs for the Reddies.

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