The 2017 Draft Class is not only intriguing but unique. Most draft projections are predicting a deep pool of defensive talent with a number of talented tight ends highlighting the first couple of rounds. What this year’s prospects offer and what the Dallas Cowboys need align handsomely. Outside of Sean Lee, it is no secret that Dallas lacks household names on defense. With picks at 28th and 60th Dallas will look to retool the recently vacated defense (Carr, Claiborne, Wilcox) by developing homegrown talent.

With that being said, Dallas was fortunate enough to have their quarterback of the future fall into their lap last year by taking Dak Prescott in the fourth round. With the Mississippi State byproduct at the helm for the entirety of the 2016 season the Cowboys offense soared and for the first time became two-dimensional. Prescott proved he was able to not only manage the offense with fierce confidence but also showed his ability to efficiently evade NFL pass-rushers. Dallas’ newly acquired mobile quarterback forced opposing defenses to respect the running threat of both Ezekiel Elliott and Prescott. The opposition often times elected to play a safety up in the box or use a spy middle linebacker to make Prescott think twice before scrambling for extra yardage. This opened up the possibility of the home run, allowing the Cowboys to utilize the deep threat.

Besides star wide receiver Dez Bryant, the Cowboys greatly lack another player who can take the top off a defense. Or even somebody who will catch a pass beyond twenty yards of the line of scrimmage for that matter. Fellow receivers, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley both bring valuable skill sets to the table but do not pose much of a threat down the field. Future Hall of Fame tight end, Jason Witten is an excellent possession receiver and run blocker. But at 34, Witten’s best days are most likely behind him and the time of finding his successor is finally upon the Cowboys.

Cue University of Mississippi tight end, Evan Engram.

Best Receiving Tight End in College Football || Ole Miss TE Evan Engram 2016 Highlights ᴴᴰ

Engram thoroughly impressed scouts at the Combine and has been drawing comparisons to that of NFC East rival Jordan Reed and Aaron Hernandez. Fellow tight end prospects OJ Howard and David Njoku all project to be taken earlier in the first round. Engram performed better than all other tight end prospects during combine workouts. To be frank, Engram is essentially an oversized and overly beefed up wide receiver. After running a 4.42 second 40 yard dash many scouts moved him up to the late first round. Engram’s speed ranks him as the fastest tight end to ever participate in the NFL Combine. In addition, the soft hands he showed during his workouts make him perhaps the best receiving tight end this draft class has to offer. Engram has the ability to lineup on and off the line of scrimmage while posing as a dangerous vertical threat. With Dez Bryant as the solidified number one receiver, the addition of a young and explosive tight end could be a nightmarish matchup for opposing defenses.

Ole Miss TE Evan Engram Combine Compilation

By drafting Evan Engram with the 28th overall pick the Dallas Cowboys would be stockpiling an already stacked offense. The league's best offensive line will give Dak Prescott the time he needs to find either Bryant or Engram, one of whom are bound to be in single coverage. If all else fails, Prescott will be able to dump it off to scrappy Cole Beasley or Jason Witten for a decent completion. And let's not forget the Cowboys have the league's leading rusher in the backfield, Ezekiel Elliott. The Dallas Cowboys will have the most prolific offense the NFL has to offer by picking Evan Engram.