The Dallas Cowboys are beginning a new regime under Mike McCarthy and possess the No. 17 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. With a glaring need at safety, Xavier McKinney would be the perfect first-round target for the Cowboys.

Over the past three seasons, Dallas has relied on Jeff Heath to be their playmaker on the backend of their defense. Heath is a feel-good story as he was once an undrafted rookie out of Saginaw Valley State that signed with the Cowboys in 2013.

After spending a few years as a special-teams contributor, Heath eventually became a full-blown starter in 2017. In his three seasons as a starter, Heath has accumulated 219 tackles, 17 deflections, and four interceptions.

While he's been a decent starter for the Cowboys, Heath is going to be an unrestricted free agent. With that being said, there's a decent chance that Dallas is going to replace him through the draft.

In the event that the Cowboys are targeting a safety in this year's draft, they should find themselves being fans of McKinney. Some people compiling mock drafts believe the Cowboys are going to set their sights on Grant Delpit.

As good as Delpit is, McKinney is a more well-rounded safety coming into the NFL. At Alabama, McKinney has been a defensive leader on Nick Saban's defense over the last two seasons.

Throughout his time at Alabama, McKinney has displayed a fearless mindset as he's shown he isn't afraid to make plays against the run. In addition, McKinney is extremely instinctive and intelligent in coverage.

During his final two years in college, McKinney combined for 169 tackles, six sacks, 15 deflections, six forced fumbles, and five interceptions. Just looking at his numbers, you can see the difference that McKinney makes when he's on the field.

Within the past few years, safeties that can play multiple positions have become a coveted commodity in the NFL. As an illustration, Jamal Adams, Derwin James, and Minkah Fitzpatrick are dominating with their versatility. Furthermore, Tyrann Mathieu is a veteran that's proved how beneficial it is to have a versatile safety.

Taking all of that into consideration, McKinney is next in line to be a game-changing safety. His tackling skills coupled with his playmaking ability make him an every-down player for a defense.

The Cowboys are going to have a countless number of options with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. When the Cowboys make their first-round selection in April, McKinney should be the name that is ultimately called.