A long sought after prospect, the aura surrounding Kyle Pitts continues to amass as we approach draft day. The aptly nicknamed “unicorn” of the pass-catching class, Pitts has quietly distanced himself from Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith as this year’s clear-cut premier talent outside of under center. Pitts’ projection working both in-line and slotted out wide will soon become one of the bigger storylines on Sunday as his skill set alone is enough to keep you awake at night. We’ll get to that more later, but for an organization under an ever-present spotlight like the Dallas Cowboys, nothing is off the table when it comes to the annual selection process.

Do-it-all team owner and general manager Jerry Jones has never been one to mince words, most recently expressing his “infatuation” with Pitts, who would undoubtedly revolutionize the Cowboys offense alongside Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, and CeeDee Lamb. All things considered, it would be an embarrassment of riches for Prescott to utilize following a disastrous end to his 2020 campaign. Often criticized for his antics and media-fueled transactions, Jones enters a crucial period in his ownership on the heels of a 6-10 season. As head coach Mike McCarthy sits primed for a much-improved sophomore campaign with Prescott a full-go, Jones could and should do everything in his power to return Dallas back to the top of a rather weak NFC East as his nagging power struggle and success-driven disposition has failed to see his beloved Cowboys reach a conference title game in 25 seasons.

With 10 overall selections, Dallas is sitting pretty with only the division rival Philadelphia Eagles having more selections (11) in the entire draft. Yet, it seems unlikely the Cowboys will stand pat. Since taking ownership of the Cowboys in 1989, Jones has made 161 trade deals, 68 of which have taken place during the draft.

However, it’s as likely Trevor Lawrence slips to the Jets at No. 2 that Kyle Pitts slips to No. 10—it won’t happen. But with that, let’s take a look at the draft landscape, where a potential trade-up presents both a daunting and inherently exciting scenario for Dallas.

At No. 10 overall, the Cowboys have a slew of options. With needs outside of quarterback, the group of aforementioned pass-catchers and elite tackle talent will begin to fall as the run on signal-callers kicks off the round. With Jacksonville, New York (Jets), and San Francisco penciled in to select a quarterback, Dallas presumptively would have to go as high as No. 4 overall in a deal with Atlanta if they wanted to secure themselves the uber-talented tight end. Although it would require a massive draft haul to jump Cincinnati and Miami at No. 5 and 6 respectively, who both have been rumored to have high interest in Pitts, it would present the Cowboys with a chance to select an immediate playmaker at a high usage position within Kellen Moore’s unique offensive scheme. Despite the trio of tight ends currently on the roster in Dalton Schultz, Blake Jarwin, and Jeremy Sprinkle, Pitts is far and away the superior talent who would immediately become Dallas’ TE1.

But, would it be the right move?

It’s an overwhelming question when diving into the long critiqued history of Jones and his draft history as the button-pusher in Dallas. Sure, do the selections of Troy Aikman (1989) and Emmitt Smith (1990) represent a pretty good start to a general manager’s tenure? You could say so, but let’s not forget first-round dud Shante Carver in 1994, tight end David LeFleur in 1997 who was expected to be the next big thing at the tight end position, or Taco Charlton in 2017 who amassed just four sacks in 27 career games as a Cowboy. Those three picks stand out, and no general manager will hit on every selection, but it goes without saying that Jones’ history and flair for the dramatic have been well documented in that he opts for the “pop pick” instead of “best fit” a majority of the time. However, let’s stay inside the selection bubble as it pertains to Pitts and Dallas’ roster as a whole.

As we dive deeper, and Dallas’ roster needs become ever-apparent, the move for Pitts becomes increasingly questionable if Jones were to pull the trigger.

Dallas’ defensive unit was inept at every level in 2020, leading to defensive coordinator Mike Nolan’s firing. They were a historically bad group that was minimally addressed during the free agency period, a fault solely on the shoulders of Jones who allocated $126M of guaranteed money to keep Prescott in town but failed to add any substantial, productive talent on the defensive side of the ball outside of former Falcons safety Keanu Neal. At No. 10 overall, the duo of Patrick Surtain II and Jaycee Horn, the cream of the crop for this year’s corner class, will likely both be available. Whether Jones would truly have his choice of the two talents as opposed to just one of them remains to be seen, but adding to a depleted secondary room in a loaded division of pass-catching talent offers the smart plan of attack.

Pitts offers everything and more for what Jones has long admired on the offensive side of the ball. The flare of Michael Irvin, the supercilious personality of Terrell Owens, the hubristic Dez Bryant; Jones loves flash. However, if Dallas has sights on a return to NFL glory in the coming seasons, it’s best for Jones to rid himself of the fireworks and focus on the longevity of a once-heralded organization.