The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

LET me open by saying: No wide receiver in this year’s NFL Draft is even close to Cowboys’ WR Amari Cooper.

Hats off to the Cowboys’ brass for making an excellent trade last season, bringing Cooper into the fold for this year’s first round pick.

Great value for the present and future in Dallas.

Cooper’s star continues to rise as the Cowboys are prepared to give the three-time Pro Bowl participant a lucrative contract extension in the very near future.

Some shrewd, team friendly free agent manoeuvres, with the additions of S George Iloka, DE Robert Quinn, WR Randall Cobb, DL Christian Covington, DL Kerry Hyder.

Coupled with resigning a long list of their own free agents: DeMarcus Lawrence, Tavon Austin, Cameron Fleming, JP Ladouceur, Justin March-Lliard, Daniel Ross, Jamize Olawale and the return of TE Jason Witten.

This places the Cowboys in the always desirable position of selecting the best player available on the board heading into this year’s NFL Draft.

To this end, noted positions of need on the squad are safety, tight end, wide receiver, defensive tackle and running back.

With the priority being SAFETY and TIGHT END.

• Here are some names Cowboys fans should get familiar with, it’s a good chance a few of them will become Cowboys in this year’s NFL Draft, and more importantly, key contributors to future, winning Cowboys teams.

SAFETY

Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Florida --

He has the ability to play multiple secondary positions. In three seasons at Florida, Gardner-Johnson (6-0, 208) totalled nine interceptions, three INT returns for touchdowns, 12 pass breakups, 161 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.

Juan Thornhill, Virginia --

A 6-foot, 210-pound playmaker whose interception numbers improved each of the last three seasons. He had six interceptions and seven passes defended in 13 games as a senior.

TIGHT END

Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M --

He had a monster junior season for the Aggies, finishing with 48 catches for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns in 13 games. The semifinalist for the John Mackey Award (college football’s top tight end) is listed at 6-4, 250 pounds.

Isaac Nauta, Georgia --

An elite recruit coming out of high school, Rivals ranked him the No. 1 tight end in the 2016 recruiting class. In three college seasons, Nauta (6-4, 240) finished with 905 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

WIDE RECEIVER

Deebo Samuel, South Carolina --

Samuel is the type of talent the Cowboys would likely have to take at 58, if still available. During his senior season, the 6-foot, 210-pound receiver caught 62 passes for 882 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also had four career kickoff return touchdowns in college.

Andy Isabella, UMass --

The 5-9 speedster caught 102 passes for 1,698 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior. He was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award (college football’s top wide receiver).

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois --

Over the last two seasons, Saunders (6-2, 310) recorded 129 tackles, 25 tackles for loss and 14 sacks in 23 games.

Isaiah Buggs, Alabama --

In 15 games last season, Buggs (6-5, 286) finished with 52 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. He played two years at Alabama after transferring from junior college.

RUNNING BACK

Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M --

The Aggies’ 2018 offensive MVP had a breakout year with 1,760 yards and 18 touchdowns on 271 carries. Williams (5-9, 200) also caught 27 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown last season.

Darrell Henderson, Memphis --

In 13 games last season, he rushed 214 times for 1,909 yards and 22 touchdowns. In three seasons, the 5-9, 200-pound Henderson caught 63 passes for 758 yards and eight touchdowns.

TRADE WINDS ARE BLOWING

A successful offseason also allows the Cowboys the option of entertaining trade offers, or even making a few offers of their own. According to K.D. Drummond of The Cowboys Wire, rumours continue to swirl that the Cowboys may be attempting to trade back into the first round if certain players start to fall down the draft board in the first round.

One such talent is Iowa TE T. J. Hockenson. If he should start to free fall, expect Jerry Jones and Co. to pull the trigger on trading up to grab him, most likely this year’s second round pick #58 and a first round pick in 2020.

Hockenson is looked at as one of the best tight end prospects to come out of the draft in some time. Don’t let the limited body of work fool you. He’s a plus-blocking tight end in a run-first offence.

His athleticism screams out once the film comes on, and his savvy as a receiving option shines through.

Hockenson has the ability to be the heir to the Witten throne in Dallas, and maybe one day as the most complete TE in the game.

So like the Cooper trade before, it’s worth the investment considering the potential huge upside for years to come.

• Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm, on KISS FM 96.1.