Last year, Cowboys owner and General Manager Jerry Jones packaged his first-round pick and his second-round pick to move up to No. 6 overall and select cornerback Morris Claiborne. Don’t expect Jones to make a similar type of trade this year.
Jones told reporters today that if the Cowboys are going to make a trade in this year’s first round, they’re likely to trade down from their 18th overall pick.
“I’m implying trading down,” Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News. “It’s probably more likely that you’d see something like that than you would [trading] up.”
This year’s draft is widely viewed as lacking truly elite players at the top of the first round but containing impressive depth, and Jones suggested that there isn’t much difference between pick No. 18 and a pick in the 30s.
“There’s enough depth in this draft that you sure want to keep your ears open for trades, because you could very well get as good or better player at another level,” Jones said. “And we will have our minds open. We won’t be doing a lot before the draft, fielding many calls. It’ll probably be happening right there on draft day.”
Jones will be hoping for his phone to ring when the Cowboys are on the clock.