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One of the biggest questions for mock draft experts is how and when the Dallas Cowboys will address the transition from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defensive scheme under new defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. Dane Brugler sees the team addressing the issue head on, selecting Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson with the 18th-overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. SB Nation's Dan Kadar likes the Cowboys' depth at defensive line, however, and projects Alabama right tackle D.J. Fluker heading to Dallas instead.
Either player would give the Cowboys a much-needed boost up front. Richardson is a disruptive force at 6'4, 295 pounds, capable of helping out a middling run defense and pass rush. Fluker, meanwhile, is a pure road grader along the offensive line at 6'5, 355 pounds. A running game that averaged just 79.1 yards per game could use an infusion of size and power.
What the Cowboys do will depend on how comfortable they are with their current personnel. They would appear to have some depth in the front seven. Unfortunately, they may not get a full idea of how well that depth will adapt to the 4-3 until training camp, well after their selection has been made.