Dallas has struggled to find consistent play from their linebackers for a while but it looks like they struck gold with defensive weapon Micah Parsons. The only caveat to having someone with his versatility on the team is figuring out the best ways to avoid pigeon-holing him into one spot. This unique situation leaves a massive yet small hole at the linebacker spot as when Parsons rushes the QB, there are unreliable or unproven defenders left.
Former first-round pick Leighton Vander Esch took the league by storm as a rookie but has dealt with injuries and lack of consistency in his game which saw his playtime minimized. Although he re-signed for cheap this offseason, behind him are young gun LBs Jabril Cox and Luke Gifford, both relatively unproven. Cox has more upside as he is younger, a better athlete and was one of the best coverage LBs in this past years class but got hit with a brutal injury that ended his rookie season early. Gifford has been a career special teamer thus far and can do a job off the bench but should not be relied upon as a starter this season. This creates a need for a reliable backer, allowing DC Dan Quinn the luxury of moving Parsons around. Here’s a look at options sprinkled throughout the draft’s three days.
Day 1 Option: Nakobe Dean, 5-foot-11, 229 pounds, LB, Georgia
Dean is smaller but explosive and aggressive. He does not let his stocky frame limit his ferocity as a tackler. Dean’s play style is in a similar vein to Cox’s however Dean is a three-down player from the outset with room for improvement as the see-ball-get-ball linebacker. With refinement to the technical aspects of the position and scheming to keep him away from linemen who will overwhelm him out of plays, Dean can become a great compliment to Parsons.
Day 1 Option: Devin Lloyd, 6-foot-3, 237 pounds, LB, Utah
Lloyd enters the league as someone who can play multiple linebacker positions. As well…
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