This is my second crack at a mock draft for the Cowboys using Fanspeak's On the Clock simulator (the first mock can be seen here). The big change since my first mock was Greg Hardy's signing, which helps alleviate the need for a defensive end. It doesn't eliminate it entirely though, given the possibility of Hardy getting hit with a suspension to begin the season. A running back to replace DeMarco Murray remains a big priority but fortunately for the 'Boys, this draft class is very deep at running back. If Melvin Gordon isn't available at the tail end of the first round, there are plenty of nice consolation prizes available later on. Other needs include the secondary (corner and safety), linebacker depth, and a tackle to understudy Tyron Smith and Doug Free and possibly serve as Free's replacement in 2016.

All that said, here's my second kick at the mock draft can:

Round 1 (pick 27): Jalen Collins, CB, LSU. Gordon was still on the board (he ended up slipping to the Jets early in the second round in this mock) but I elected to go defense this time. Cowboys fans would probably tear their hair out at the thought of another first round corner from LSU given how Mo Claiborne has worked out, but Collins is his own guy. He's got the size and speed you want in a starting cornerback, and while his technique is rough and his college resume is skimpy, he does appear to have the instincts to get better in a hurry. To be honest, I'm not sure he's first round value, but wanted to see how the rest of the draft would play out going CB here.

Round 2 (pick 60): Jay Ajayi, RB Boise St. As it turns out, it wasn't that different, just swapping the order of the RB and CB picks from my first mock. I've actually got Ajayi at the top of the second tier of RBs in this draft class on my personal board and the Cowboys have a good pipeline going with Boise St, so this pick makes a lot of sense for them. Ajayi has good size, nimble feet and likes to lower the boom and initiate contact. Those are traits that make him a very good fit running behind the Cowboys' tremendous O-line. There are some ball security and blitz pickup questions, but they don't rise to the level of being red flags. If Ajayi ends up in Dallas, he has to be considered as a late first round fantasy pick.

Round 3 (pick 91): Grady Jarrett, DT, Clemson. Same pick as the first mock. Jarrett's maybe a little undersized for an interior lineman, but you can get away with that as a 3-technique in the 4-3, and he gives every indication of being a Rod Marinelli kind of player. His scouting reports are littered with phrases like "squatty ball of power" and "a headache for opposing linemen", with high praise given to his motor, instincts and ability to disrupt the pocket. Oh, and he's got NFL bloodlines and NFL mentoring out the wazoo, so he should be ready for whatever the pros can throw at him.

Round 4 (pick 124): Cedric Reed, DE, Texas. The Cowboys almost certainly aren't going to get a good DE in the first round, so taking a chance on a guy who was a projected first rounder before having a mediocre senior year makes sense. Reed's struggles in his final season as a Longhorn can be explained by a meniscus injury he played through all year, plus some extra weight he added to his frame (not a good combination). His play picked up at the end of last season, and he looked more like the disruptive force he was in 2013. Given his size and wingspan, if he's healthy and back up to full speed Reed can make an impact on the rush and with his ability to deflect passes at the line. That would be a heck of a find in the fourth round.

Round 5 (pick 155): Chris Conley, WR, Georgia. Apparently the theme of this mock is guys who lack impressive college production, which is not exactly reassuring, but that's the path this particular draft has led me down. Conley didn't show much during his tenure in Georgia's run-heavy offense but then tore up the combine and put some helium in his draft stock. I'd actually be surprised if he lasts this long, but given that he wasn't on anyone's radar at all prior to the combine, it's not completely out of the question. NFL size, NFL speed, a willingness to make an impact on special teams, and it's not like Devin Street showed much last season. As a BPA pick, sure, why not.

Round 7 (pick 211): Tayo Fabuluje, OT, Texas Christian. He was my fifth round pick in the last mock, but lasted to the seventh here so I nabbed him. Fabuluje's got NFL size with surprising athleticism and nimbleness, plus strength and power, but he barely played in college due to redshirting and transfers, and there are some concerns about his commitment to the game after sitting out 2013. Assuming his interviews go well though, he's exactly the kind of player who could prove to be a huge bargain after a year or two in an organization that can mold his raw tools into game skills. Doug Free is a decent right tackle, but the Cowboys need to groom his eventual replacement now, and a line bookended by Tyron Smith and Fabuluje could be truly scary down the road for opposition pass rushers.

Round 7 (pick 218): Jeff Luc, LB, Cincinnati. Luc was generally considered to be a stiff, muscle-bound linebacker who might only be a special teams guy, but after showing some fluidity and athleticism in Senior Bowl workouts and then popping a sub-4.60 40-yard at his pro day, Luc may have done enough to show he can play in the NFL after all. He's not going to be an asset in pass coverage, but could be a contributor as a big-hitting, run-stuffing ILB.

I think I like the top of the class in the first mock better, as Gordon plus D'Joun Smith looks better than Collins and Ajayi to me (despite being lower on most draft boards my gut says Smith will be better than Collins straight up), but picking up Reed in the 4th helps close the gap between the two classes, and Conley could prove to be a very astute pickup if the worst-case scenario of Dez Bryant heading elsewhere in 2016 comes to pass.