The Beast, Dane Brugler’s expansive guide to the NFL Draft, is here.
The Dallas Cowboys will make the 24th pick in the NFL Draft on April 25 in Detroit. The Cowboys own seven total picks in the seven-round draft.
Cowboys’ draft picks
ROUNDPICKOVERALLNOTES
1
24
24
2
24
56
3
23
87
5
39
174
Compensatory
6
40
216
Compensatory
7
13
233
From Raiders
7
24
244
Full draft order
Every pick in the seven-round NFL Draft.
GO DEEPER
NFL Draft 2024 ‘The Beast’ Guide: Dane Brugler’s scouting reports and player rankings
NFL Draft details
• Round 1: April 25, 8 p.m. ET
• Rounds 2-3: April 26, 7 p.m. ET
• Rounds 4-7: April 27, noon ET
All rounds will be televised on ESPN/ABC and NFL Network and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.
About the Cowboys
• Head coach: Mike McCarthy (fifth season)
• General manager: Jerry Jones (and owner since 1989)
• Last year’s record: 12-5, lost in wild-card round of playoffs
Scoop City Newsletter
Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox. Sign up
Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox. Sign up
Buy
The biggest offseason move for the Cowboys was probably not firing McCarthy. Dallas has gone 12-5 in three consecutive seasons, but have just one playoff win to show for it. During this free-agency period, they’ve seen multiple players leave (Tyron Smith, Tony Pollard, Tyler Biadasz, Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler) and cut receiver Michael Gallup and linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, who then retired. They have questions along the offensive line, running back and the defensive front, for starters. They still have a lot of talent, but have a lot of lingering questions right now.
Cowboys’ key position needs
Running back: It was a position of need last year at this time when they moved on from Ezekiel Elliott. Now, it’s even more of a need with Tony Pollard leaving in free agency. Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and fullback Hunter Luepke are on the roster, but that trio combined for only 118 carries last season. Pollard had 252. Without a notable veteran addition, running back has to be considered as early as the second round. It’s difficult to see the Cowboys improving their run game without a notable addition at the position.
Center: With Tyler Biadasz now in Washington, center is expected to be addressed in the draft. The Cowboys found Biadasz in the fourth round in 2020. Dallas seems confident that it can find similar production in this year’s draft class. A scenario to consider is similar to 2013 when the Cowboys traded back in the first round to gain an extra third-round pick. They drafted center Travis Frederick at No. 31 overall. They don’t have a fourth-round pick this year, so moving back in Round 1 could impact what they do at center, either in the first round or with a third- or fourth-round pick they acquire.
Offensive tackle: Despite Tyron Smith’s durability concerns in recent years, his presence on the roster gave the Cowboys confidence that, if circumstances stayed ideal, they had a Hall of Fame talent protecting the blind side. With Smith’s departure in free agency, the Cowboys no longer have the perfect solution on the roster, even in ideal circumstances. The team has been clear that it would ideally like to keep Tyler Smith at left guard, even though he can play left tackle, if needed. If the Cowboys can land a Day 1 starter at left tackle in the draft, not only would it provide a long-term solution for the team but it would also allow Dallas to play Tyler Smith where it would like to.
Defensive tackle: The run defense was a significant issue for the Cowboys last season and the linebackers caught a lot of the blame for that because of the lack of true linebackers on the roster and personnel allocation. However, the issues at run defense begin up front with the interior of the defensive line. Mazi Smith routinely got pushed around and was slow getting off the ball. There was essentially no depth behind Osa Odighizuwa. Even if Smith improves, the Cowboys can use depth to put in rotation.
Cowboys draft analysis
Cowboys and ‘The Beast’ 2024 NFL Draft Guide: Analyzing Dallas’ first 3 draft picks
Cowboys NFL Draft big board, 2.0: 20 prospects who fit Dallas on first two days
After free agency, before the draft: How does Dallas’ roster compare with rest of NFC East?
Evaluating the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive roster: Major issues and depth competition
Evaluating the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive roster: How many spots to fill and how they can do it
The Athletic’s latest mock drafts
April 11: Saad Yousuf’s newest 7-round mock
How Cowboys can address O-line needs
April 8: Nick Baumgardner’s 3-round mock
Dallas gets OT, DT and a needed RB in this one.
April 4: Bruce Feldman’s projects Round 1
Targeting an offensive lineman early is the popular route
March 28: Cowboys 7-round mock
Saad hits O-line hard early, gets a third-round RB
March 21: Beat writer mock draft 2.0
Tyron Smith is gone, so Saad targets offensive tackle in Round 1.
March 18: Cowboys 7-round mock
Jon fills as many needs as possible, starting with the O-line and a trade.
March 5: Dane Brugler’s post-combine mock draft
Brugler has Dallas trading down and still getting help on the offensive line.
Feb. 22: Beat writer mock draft 1.0
In what will become a theme for the Cowboys during mock draft season, Jon goes big.
Cowboys’ last five top picks
2023: DL Mazi SmithNo. 26 — The Cowboys were hoping Smith would make a difference against the run, but the lineman from Michigan struggled to get meaningful snaps as a rookie. He made three starts, collected 13 total tackles, one sack and three tackles for loss. He’ll be one of the team’s most-watched players during OTAs and training camp.
2022: OL Tyler SmithNo. 24 — Who’s Tyler Smith from Tulsa, people said after the Cowboys made him their first-round pick. It didn’t take long for Smith to make believers of pretty much everyone. He lined up at guard next to left tackle Tyron Smith and proved to be a huge asset. The thought was he would eventually take over for Tyron Smith at tackle, but he was so good in Year 2 (All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection), that keeping him at guard looks like the long-term spot for him.
2021: LB Micah ParsonsNo. 12 — Three years into his NFL career and it’s unanimous: The Cowboys got a steal in getting Parsons at No. 12. He was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021 and has finished second or third in Defensive Player of the Year in each of his three seasons. Dan Quinn turned the “linebacker” into a move-around nightmare for defenses and now Parsons is considered one of the game’s top pass rushers — he has 40 1/2 sacks in three seasons.
2020: WR CeeDee LambNo. 17 — Did the Cowboys need a receiver? No, they already had Amari Cooper. But taking the best player available has turned out well. Lamb is coming off a season with 135 receptions, 1,749 yards and 12 TDs. He’s established himself as one of the game’s top receivers.
2019: DT Trysten HillNo. 58 — This one never worked out. In parts of four seasons in Dallas, Hill played in 25 games, managed just 27 tackles and four tackles for loss. The Cowboys waived him in 2022. Safety Donovan Wilson (sixth round) is the only player remaining on the roster from that eight-member draft class.
(Photo of JC Latham: Brian Rothmuller / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
2024-04-15 03:28:38
#Dallas #Cowboys #NFL #Draft #guide #Picks #predictions #key
