3DT Vita Vea, Washington
If everything goes perfectly in the draft, Cowboys will pick the player on the position they need, who is at the time the best available out there. If the stars align, America’s Team will select a 1-tech defensive tackle. A player who would form a formidable defensive line alongside DeMarcus Lawrence and Maliek Collins.
Last year after Terrell McClain left in free agency and Stephen Paea retired, Cowboys had no choice but to move Collins to the 1-tech spot. With Collins being more adept at playing 3-tech the move made their defense less efficient. Without McClain and Paea in the lineup, linebackers were under more pressure, and with Sean Lee not always on the team, their defense looked below average. This scenario can be avoided in the future if Cowboys pick Vita Vea.
What makes him special is a unique combination of size, strength, and speed. He’s big and fast enough to be a dominant run stopper, but at the same time with his skill-set, he can be an excellent pass rusher. In the past, Vea has been compared to All-Pro DT Haloti Ngata, which tells you enough about him. So far Cowboys are not focused on drafting a DT, but if Vea comes to them at No 19 in the draft, they shouldn’t overlook him.