Former Oregon star DeForest Buckner is expected to be a top pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Buckner is considered one of the top-two defensive linemen (Ohio State's Joey Bosa) in the draft and there are some indications that the Dallas Cowboys could use their first-round pick (fourth overall) to select Buckner.

Finding a pass rusher is a high priority in the draft, according to Cowboys executive vice-president Stephen Jones.

"Our defensive front is still a position that we keep our eye on in terms of always trying to get better there," Jones told radio station 105.3 The Fan in Dallas Tuesday. "Ultimately we want to find a dominant type of pass rusher. Obviously that's easier said than done."

The Cowboys reportedly met with Buckner at the NFL Combine in February. They reportedly conducted a private workout with Buckner in late March and brought him in for a private visit a week later. The 6-foot-7, 298-pound Buckner is one of two defensive linemen to have had three separate contacts with the Cowboys. Bosa is the other.

However, reports have surfaced claiming the Cowboys have soured on Bosa and will pass on him in the draft.

The Cowboys have a clear need for upgrading their defensive line in general and adding a pass rusher in particular. The Cowboys entered free agency in March with only four defensive linemen under contract who played a significant amount of time in 2015.

The Cowboys didn't re-sign Greg Hardy, who was a disappointment on and off the field. Randy Gregory will miss the first four games of the regular season while serving a suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

The speculation and rumors regarding teams and the draft change almost daily, but it's fairly clear Buckner is on the Cowboys radar.

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