Cornerbacks the Cowboys Can Draft to Replace Byron Jones

The Dallas Cowboys have done a lot to keep their offense intact for the 2020 season. They gave Ezekiel Elliott a fat new contract last season, they re-signed Amari Cooper and they used the franchise tag on Dak Prescott.

Their defense can use some work, though, especially after they let Byron Jones walk in free agency. If they want to improve on last year's 8-8 finish, they're going to need to shore up their defense, and with limited cap space that may need to happen in the draft.

With that in mind, here are three corners the Cowboys can draft to help replace Byron Jones.

1. C.J. Henderson, Florida

C.J. Henderson at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Picking No. 17 in the first round, Dallas isn't going to be in the running for top corner Jeff Okudah. Florida's C.J. Henderson may be the second-best corner in the 2020 class though, and he'd be a strong consolation prize. His blazing 4.39-second 40-yard dash was tied for the second-fastest of any corner at the combine, and he showed himself to be a ballhawk over his career at Florida. He had a combined 6 interceptions, 9 passes defended and 2 touchdowns in his first two seasons, then he turned in an especially impressive 11 passes defended in 2019, ranking fourth in the SEC.

2. Kristian Fulton, LSU

Kristian Fulton running the 40-yard dash. / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Another SEC corner typically being mocked in the first round, Kristian Fulton didn't show off the top-end speed that Henderson did at the combine, but his 4.46-second 40-yard dash was still solid. He put up even better numbers in 2019, with 14 passes defended (No. 3 in the SEC) as well as 28 solo tackles. Generally regarded as the third-best corner in the class, he may be the top option available if Henderson gets scooped up before Dallas is on the clock.

3. Cameron Dantzler

Cameron Dantzler during an NFL Combine interview. / Michael Hickey/Getty Images

If Dallas addresses a different position in the first round, Cameron Dantzler could be available when the Cowboys make their first pick of the second round at No. 51 overall. Dantzler has a reputation as a plus athlete, so his poor combine (4.46-second 40 and 34.5-inch vertical jump) were very disappointing, and could have been injury related. He's got good size for the position, though, with a 6-foot-2 frame. He also put up good numbers at Mississippi State, with at least 8 passes defended and 30 solo tackles in each of his final two seasons.

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Jason Schandl is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Jason Schandl also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username Jaymun. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.