The Cowboys may not have the fourth overall pick of the 2017 draft, but the team still hopes to meet needs at several positions with April's selections, chief among them defensive end and cornerback. Here are some (super) early mock draft projections for the Cowboys' 2017 first-round pick (No. 28). *Note: Some of the following mock drafts were published before Dallas' draft position was finalized.

ESPN's Mel Kiper: Washington CB Sidney Jones

"At 6-1, 170, he's agile and fast with nice ball skills," Kiper wrote. "He had nine interceptions in his career. Dallas has a glaring need at defensive end, but don't count out a corner here. Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne are free agents."

Pro Football Focus' Steve Palazzolo: Michigan DE Taco Charlton

"Charlton fills a major need for Dallas, who was unable to consistently affect the quarterback this season," Palazzolo wrote. "He started to live up to his potential down the stretch, using his long frame to finish fourth among edge defenders from week nine through the end of the season.

"Over the last two years, Charlton has played about a season's worth of snaps, registering 14 sacks, 19 hits, and 62 hurries; the type of production Dallas badly needs up front."

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller: Illinois DE Dawuane Smoot (*Note: This mock draft was released before the Cowboys' draft position was finalized)

"With so much uncertainty on the defensive line in 2017 for Dallas, adding a known commodity in Smoot makes for a smart and easy selection," Miller wrote. "He's athletic, powerful and can play either weak-side or strong-side defensive end right out of the gate."

CBS Sports analyst Rob Rang: Washington WR John Ross

"For as dynamic as the offense was in 2016 with [Dak] Prescott, [Ezekiel] Elliott and Dez Bryant, the lack of a legitimate deep threat was a relative weak spot with speedsters Terrence Williams and Brice Butler seemingly dropping as many passes as they caught," Rang wrote. "Ross is a DeSean Jackson clone with the electric elusiveness and acceleration to make an immediate impact as a receiver and returner."

WalterFootball.com: Florida CB Jalen Tabor

"Jalen Tabor's stock has taken a hit, as he was once projected as a top-10 prospect," the analyst wrote. "The 20-25 range makes sense for him, but I have him falling to the Cowboys in this mock draft update. I'm sure the Cowboys would love to scoop him up if that were the case, as Tabor provides immense value at No. 28 overall. He would also fill a big need at cornerback."

MMQB.com's Emily Kaplan: Michigan TE Jake Butt (*Note: This mock draft was released before the Cowboys' draft position was finalized)

"The end of the Jason Witten era is nearing, and the Cowboys would love to find a successor," Kaplan wrote. "Though they could wait to pick a tight end in later rounds, I see the Joneses snagging one of the surest prospects in Jake Butt."

The catch: Butt comes with a pretty large question mark after he tore his ACL in Michigan's loss to Florida State in the Orange Bowl. His injury required surgery, which likely impacts his draft stock.

Even so, he tweeted that he's glad he played in the game.

CBS Sports' Dane Brugler: Auburn DE/OLB Carl Lawson

"The Cowboys have defensive needs at every level, but especially at pass rusher," Brugler wrote. "Lawson does an outstanding job using his upper body strength and lower body quickness in unison to beat blockers."

SportsDay's Brandon George: Senior bowl prospects galore ...

At the Senior Bowl this week, George noted several attendees the Cowboys will watch. Houston linebacker Tyus Bowser, Texas A&M receiver Josh Reynolds and Clemson defensive tackle Carlos Watkins cracked his list, among other notable prospects.

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