The Dallas Cowboys are a team in need of a young quarterback, and it’s possible the franchise found one they liked during an all-star game early in the pre-draft process.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Cowboys used their opportunity as one of the two teams coaching the 2016 Senior Bowl to handpick USC’s Cody Kessler as one of the North team’s quarterbacks.
Tidbit of the day: #Cowboys had their choice of QBs for @seniorbowl & picked #USC QB Cody Kessler to coach. They’ll grab a QB this draft.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 18, 2016
With veteran Tony Romo returning in 2016, Dallas is in good hands at quarterback in the short-term. But the future is far more cloudy, especially with Romo—who turns 36 years old this week—coming off an injury-plagued season.
The Cowboys have been widely expected to pick a quarterback at some point in the NFL draft. While No. 4 overall might be too soon—especially after the Los Angeles Rams moved up to the first pick to take a quarterback—Dallas will have many other options, including Kessler.
A three-year starter at USC, Kessler completed almost 68 percent of his passes, with 88 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. He averaged 8.2 yards per attempt, while also rushing for seven scores.
NFL.com compared Kessler to Aaron Murray, the former Georgia quarterback who is currently a backup for the Kansas City Chiefs. CBS Sports has pegged Kessler as nothing more than a seventh-round pick.
If the Cowboys don’t plan on spending a top draft pick on a quarterback, Kessler—a highly accurate and productive college quarterback for one of the nation’s biggest programs—could be an alternative option.
