Mel Kiper Projects Cowboys to Swing Big Trade in Latest Mock Draft

The closer we get to the 2021 NFL Draft, the more trade rumors start to heat up. When it comes to the draft, teams can get desperate for the player they want and end up offering a juicy package to move up a few spots.

In his latest ESPN mock draft, Mel Kiper projects that one of these trades could happen between the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. The Patriots are in desperate need of a quarterback of the future, but it's not guaranteed that they'll get who they want at No. 15.

Kiper projects that the Patriots could trade pick No. 15 and a 2022 first-round pick to the Cowboys in exchange for No. 10.

In a world where that trade goes through, Kiper has the Patriots drafting Ohio State QB Justin Fields at No. 10. Through two seasons at Ohio State, Fields threw for 5,373 passing yards and 63 touchdowns to 9 interceptions. He was also a force on the ground, rushing for 867 yards and 15 touchdowns in that time.

Kiper then has the Cowboys drafting South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn at No. 15. Dallas' defense was far from good last season, but the Cowboys were slightly above-average when it came to defending the pass, allowing 227.6 passing yards per game (No. 11). Horn could help improve those numbers even more in 2021.

Last season, he recorded 16 tackles, 6 passes defended, and 2 interceptions. He also earned a 78.4 overall grade from ProFootballFocus last year, which is a big improvement from the 69.0 he posted in 2019.

Whether or not this trade comes into fruition remains to be seen. However, it's clear that if it did happen, it would benefit both teams involved.

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