Mel Kiper: Dallas Cowboys could trade up in NFL Draft to pick Jared Goff

Early NFL mock drafts have a quick consensus on Jared Goff's NFL destination: The Cleveland Browns! As much as some of us like Hue Jackson, it's hard to really be excited about anything involving the Browns. Along with the Detroit Lions, the Browns are one of the original franchises from the old-school NFL that has never made it to the Super Bowl, and are currently on a 13 year playoff drought. Although Goff would be the starting quarterback from day 1 in Cleveland, it's probably not the greatest situation for him to start.

Thankfully, there's an alternative franchise with a much better value. 49ers fans, it might make you ill, but HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS?

Mel Kiper chatted about the possibility in a recent conference call.

"Dallas at four could jump ahead of Cleveland and take Jared Goff. Tennessee could move from one to four and still get a really good defensive back like [Florida State's] Jalen Ramsey, a versatile corner/safety, which would fill a need. Or you stay at one and take [Ohio State defensive end] Joey Bosa or Laremy Tunsil, a left tackle from Ole Miss, and you would move Taylor Lewan to right tackle."

Kiper's theory is based on the Cowboys needing a successor for quarterback Tony Romo, 35, who's recovering from a broken collarbone.

"I think it's going to be very tempting to go quarterback," Kiper said. "When you look at the team picking second being Cleveland and you're picking fourth and you've got a shot to get a player of the caliber of Jared Goff and be the heir apparent to Tony Romo, you've got to think that's at least a possibility. You could go from four to one and get yourself a quarterback and let him sit, watch and learn behind Tony."

This actually would be a perfect situation, even more so than Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay. Goff would slot into a backup position similar to Rodgers did with Brett Favre, and be groomed as the heir apparent to the aging Tony Romo. Romo will be 36 next season, is coming off an injury shortened season, and recently said on the Bill Simmons podcast that he probably has four years left in him. Dallas needs to prepare for the future, so why not land a quarterback that they can be sure can give the franchise stability at the position for an extra decade?

And unlike Rodgers, Goff wouldn't have to worry about a precipitous Day 1 drop off and could earn that important first round draft salary. Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota both earned four year and $20+ million salaries for getting picked with the first and second overall picks.

What are your feelings on Jared potentially ending up on the Cowboys?

As a niners fan of the 90s I hated the Cowboys and packers the most. As a cal fan of today, I may see cal QBs heading both! Such conflict

— TwistNHook (@TwistNHook) January 4, 2016