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2011 NFL Mock Draft: SB Nation's Latest

Brian Galliford has SB Nation's pre-Senior Bowl (for which Holly Anderson has all of the vitals) mock draft up, and there are a few interesting changes that impact the Cowboys. After being linked with Nebraska corner Prince Amukamara last week, Dallas is projected to take A&M's Von Miller, who will be at the Senior Bowl.

9. Dallas Cowboys: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M. Dallas desperately needs to address its secondary, but may need to trade up if it wants a top-flight corner. Miller would add speed to their front seven; the idea of blocking up Miller and DeMarcus Ware on the same down is quite formidable.

Amukamara is slotted at seven to the 49ers, while LSU DB Patrick Peterson slides to five. This all makes the Cowboys' Week 17 win that dropped them three slots hurt a little worse, as Peterson would be a dream option for what ails Rob Ryan's defense.

On the other hand, observers also pointed to the front seven - and a faltering pass rush in particular - as equal culprit for a pass defense that fell to the bottom of the league. Someone like Miller, if he could be a more consistent and versatile threat than Anthony Spencer opposite DeMarcus Ware, could go as far to prop up the defense as a high end corner. My question will be whether Jerry Jones can come to grips with replacing yet another first rounder before the player even hits free agency. Marcus Spears already appears to be on his way out, and Bobby Carpenter was dumped last summer.

Other movement of note:

Nick Fairly sticks at number one. Robert Quinn, who was linked with the Cowboys in the first version of this mock draft, is all of the way up to number two. Marcell Dareus makes it a clean DL sweep of the top three spots. The QBs are projected to straddle Dallas, with Blaine Gabbert at eight and Cam Newton at 12. Julio Jones falls back below the Cowboys to 10. The Cowboys will be rooting for both QBs and both WRs to rise high on draft boards.

Photographs by jamesbrandon, jdtornow, phlezk, flygraphix, mcdlttx, tomasland, and literalbarrage used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.