It has been 13 years since the Dallas Cowboys had a top five pick in the NFL Draft. Back in 2003, Big D selected CB Terrance Newman with fifth overall selection. Fast forward to 2016, and Dallas finds themselves in the same position, but a very favorable situation.

Jerry Jones and company have assembled a good football team over the past four years. A lot of this success is due to the draft choices made, especially in the trenches on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Jones has taken a step back, and started to see the big picture of this franchise.

With a top five pick this year, fourth to be exact, Dallas can go in many directions. They could trade up to the top spot and take Florida State DB, Jalen Ramsey. Or maybe they want to stay put and hope Oregon’s DE, Deforest Buckner, falls to them. Or maybe, just maybe, they have their eye on somebody that they would be able to select a few picks back. That then would imply Dallas would trade back in this year’s draft.

Above, is a weighted scale of each pick in the draft. It shows what every pick is worth, and how much it would cost a team to move up if they wanted to.

Let’s be hypothetical for a moment. Say the Los Angeles Rams, who desperately need a QB, feels there are teams trying to trade up to select Jared Goff or Carson Wentz, which ever isn’t selected by Cleveland. To move up to the fourth pick, Los Angeles would have to give up their first (15), second (43), and third (76) round picks. Obviously if they are serious about moving up, Dallas could call the shots. It’s rare to see a team give up their top three draft choices, so Dallas could as for the Rams first and second round choice this year, and a first round for next year.

Of course there will be calls from many teams at different spots in the draft to move up, but the likely teams that would trade with Dallas will be San Francisco, Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Los Angeles. With either of these teams, the Cowboys will be able to get extra picks for the 2016 and possibly the 2017 NFL Draft.

Dallas is set at almost every position. Many are calling for this franchise to draft a QB like Goff or Wentz, and have them sit behind Tony Romo for a few years like Aaron Rodgers did with Green Bay. The problem with that logic is the window is closing. Veterans like Tony Romo, Jason Witten, and Sean Lee (injuries) are getting older and may only have a few years left in this league.

With Dallas trading back in the draft and acquiring more picks, that allows them to still take a good QB if they want to in rounds two or three. Of the possibilities, are Connor Cook from Michigan State and Christian Hackenberg from Penn State. Both QBs have the physical skill set to succeed in this league, and learning behind Romo could only benefit them.

This team needs a homerun hitter on offense or defense in the first round though. The  four biggest names are Jalen Ramsey, Deforest Buckner, Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliott. Is it possible all four of these players are there when Dallas is on the clock? Of course. Are the chances slim? Very. Ramsey and Buckner are almost a lock to go top 3. Elliott and Bosa on the other hand will be available when Dallas picks at 4 all the way to San Francisco at 7and maybe further.

In the offseason, Dallas signed Alfred Morris, but he is hardly the answer at RB for Big D. Over the past two years, Morris has declined, and history tells us it’s only farther downhill from here. On the other side of the ball, Greg Hardy wasn’t re-signed and second year pro Randy Gregory is suspended for the first four games of the season. That leaves this defensive front terribly thin, even with the signing of Cedric Thornton from Philadelphia.

Ezekiel Elliott is a perfect fit for the Dallas Cowboys offense. Having an explosive and elusive runner like Elliott, running behind that massive and mauling offensive line would keep defensive coordinators up at night.

On the other side, Joey Bosa would be a nice fit in Rod Maraneli’s defensive scheme. Bosa, who stands at 6’5” and 270 lbs, is a massive body with a freak level of athleticism. He fits the build of another DE in the state of Texas (JJ Watt).

The Dallas Cowboys would be smart to trade back in this year’s draft, while acquiring more picks and still getting the guy they want. This team can’t go wrong with the selection of Elliott or Bosa, and by acquiring extra picks for this year’s and possibly next year’s draft, Dallas can fill holes that will be left in the near future by players whose careers will be hung up.