NFL Draft Grades – Dallas Cowboys
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Dallas Cowboys Upcoming 2025 Draft Picks (10)
Walt’s Mock Selections as of 4/23/2025 -View Current Mock Draft
Round: 1
Dallas Cowboys: Tetaiora McMillan, WR, Arizona
The Cowboys made the mistake of heading into the 2024 season with CeeDee Lamb as their only viable receiver. They’ll need to give Dak Prescott another weapon. Tetaiora McMillan has mismatch size for the NFL. He’s a freak athlete who will make tons of big plays in the pros. *** OTHER 2025 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: *** 1. Ashton Jeanty, RB – This seems to be Jeanty’s floor. Dallas could trade up for him if he makes it past the Raiders. 2. Will Johnson, CB – It’ll be difficult to pass on Johnson if he’s available.
Round: 2
Dallas Cowboys: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
Dallas has nothing at running back. If Jerry Jones misses out on Ashton Jeanty, he could trade up for one of the next running backs in the second round. Quinshon Judkins is a tough runner who was productive for Ole Miss before transferring to Ohio State.
Round: 3
Dallas Cowboys: Jeffery Bassa, OLB, Oregon
The Cowboys have a big void in the middle of their defense that must be addressed. Jeffery Bassa was a solid contributor for Oregon. He’s an instinctive and quick linebacker.
Round: 5
Dallas Cowboys: Jalen Rivers, OT, Miami
The Cowboys have some major issues on the offensive line that must be addressed. Jalen Rivers is a versatile blocker who played both tackle and guard at Miami.
Round: 5
Dallas Cowboys: Kaden Prather, WR, Maryland
The Cowboys will likely target two or three receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft, given their dire need at the position. Kaden Prather is a huge receiver who runs well for his size.
Round: 5
Dallas Cowboys: Jamaree Caldwell, DT, Oregon
The Cowboys need someone to challenge the disappointing Mazi Smith. Jamaree Caldwell is a monstrous run stuffer.
Round: 6
Dallas Cowboys: Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College
The Cowboys need to add multiple offensive linemen to make sure Dak Prescott remains healthy. Ozzy Trapilo was a reliable blocker for Boston College. He’s a very tall right tackle prospect.
Round: 6
Dallas Cowboys: B.J. Adams, CB, Central Florida
The Cowboys will be looking to add some cornerback depth late in the draft. B.J. Adams is a tall cornerback, but had trouble staying healthy last year.
Round: 7
Dallas Cowboys: Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas
The Cowboys could pursue another cornerback and someone who can help on special teams to begin the seventh round. Cobee Bryant is coming off a solid season. Two years prior, he missed most of the season with an ankle injury. Follow @walterfootball for updates. Also, you can Support Us on Patreon here! Also, if you haven’t visited the site in a while, you may have noticed the new look. Yes, after nearly two decades, we’ve finally re-designed our site to be more modern. This was not done on a whim, but rather out of necessity because of what occurred during the 2023 NFL Draft. Our site crashed during the entire first day of the draft, which was disastrous for our revenue stream because we make more money during the draft than any other time. The site crashed because a line of code conflicted with the old format of the site, so we had to transition to this new look. Because we lost so much money during the draft, I want to point out that you can really help support the site by paying for the ad-free version of it. It’s $7.99 per month, but you’ll get a super-fast site with no ads. My developer will be adding new features to paid subscribers as well, so look for that in the near future. If you don’t want to pay, please spread the word about the site through word of mouth. That would also be a big help!
Round: 7
Dallas Cowboys: Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
Running back is a big weakness, so the Cowboys could draft multiple players at the position. Devin Neal is strongly build and can accelerate quickly.
Round: 7
Dallas Cowboys: Rivaldo Fairweather, TE, Auburn
A late-round tight end makes sense with Jake Ferguson entering free agency after the 2025 season.
Past Grades and Selections
2024 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
A+ This was a sharp move by the Cowboys. With Troy Fautanu gone, the Cowboys liked Tyler Guyton and Graham Barton the most as candidates for No. 24 overall. They could have taken either there, but they moved down five spots and acquired most assets, and yet they still got their man. This was excellent drafting after last year’s debacle.
B I assume the Cowboys would have drafted Jonathon Brooks here if they could. Instead, they’ll take a running back in the third round. Marshawn Kneeland makes sense as a new edge rusher, as I expected him to go in this area. He wasn’t overly productive in college, but he made a name for himself during the pre-draft process.
A- Any offensive lineman makes sense for the Cowboys, who lost some talented blockers this offseason. Cooper Beebe is a rock-solid interior lineman who can definitely improve the blocking unit. I thought he could have gone in the second round, so I like the value.
A The Cowboys lost Leighton Vander Esch, so they had to find a new linebacker. Marist Liufau is a potential solid replacement, as he has terrific athleticism, speed, and upside. I thought he’d go earlier than this, perhaps even the second round, so I love the value.
A- No receiver, no running back, but a great value at the end of the fifth round. Caelen Carson has some speed concerns, but was a prospect who could have been considered in the third round. He’s a tough and gritty cornerback who could emerge as a starter in Dallas.
A- Finally, an offensive play-maker for Dak Prescott. Ryan Flournoy really helped himself with a strong Senior Bowl week to match his production at his small school. This is a solid pick, as Flournoy could have gone much earlier on Day 3.
B The Cowboys landing another lineman makes sense, though you’d think they’d draft a running back at some point. Nathan Thomas was projected around this area. He played tackle in school, but may have to move to guard in the pros.
B+ The Cowboys were poor versus the run last year, especially in the loss to the Packers in the playoffs. Adding a 346-pound nose tackle like Justin Rogers makes sense here in the seventh round.
2023 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
C- With Nolan Smith and Michael Mayer available!? I don’t like this pick very much. Run-stopping defensive tackles tend to go later than expected, but Jerry Jones apparently didn’t get the memo. Smith will help stop the run, but the NFL is now a passing league. This selection would have been good if it were made in 1995, but it’s not 1995 anymore.
C+ The Cowboys are paying the price for passing on the talented tight end at the end of the first round. All of the second-round tight ends were off the board, so the Cowboys had to settle for a lesser prospect at the position. This is an OK choice, but it seems like Dallas’ draft could have gone much better.
A- DeMarvion Overshown flew all over the field at Texas. I think he could have gone a bit earlier than this, so I like the pick. Dallas needed a linebacker with Leighton Vander Esch’s troublesome neck, so I’m a fan of this pick.
B The Cowboys made a big mistake by passing on Nolan Smith and allowing him to fall to the Eagles, but they eventually got the additional edge rusher they were looking for. Villami Fehoko made nice improvements throughout his career at San Jose State.
C The Cowboys needed some offensive line depth, so Asim Richards is a logical pick from that perspective. However, I never had him in any of my mock drafts. He’s limited as an athlete, so I don’t think the upside is there.
A- I don’t like this as a match for Tony Pollard, as Deuce Vaughn is a smaller, albeit explosive back. However, he’s a great value pick here toward the end of the sixth round, as I thought Vaughn could have easily gone in the fourth frame.
B Jalen Brooks is a receiver with speed concerns and poor hands. He’s a good route runner, but there are plenty of holes in his game.
2022 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
B Grade – B Grade
This is a fine pick, but why not Jermaine Johnson to replace Randy Gregory? The Cowboys had to be a bit depressed with their top three options – Zion Johnson, Treylon Burks, Kenyon Green – all off the board, but Tyler Smith is a solid tackle who should be a decent replacement for the departed La’el Collins.
A- Grade
This is going to sound familiar. The Cowboys just drafted a talented front-seven player with character issues. They’ve done this many times, and Sam Williams is the latest such selection. Edge rush was a big need, and Williams will fill it well, provided he can stay out of trouble.
B+ Grade
The Cowboys needed a receiver after losing Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson this offseason. Jalen Tolbert is a solid pick in this range. He has a wide range of outcomes in his career, as he has big-play ability, but didn’t face much competition at South Alabama.
B- Grade
I mocked Jake Ferguson to the Cowboys, but in the fifth round. He makes sense for them despite this being a bit of a reach though. Dallas fears that it’ll lose Dalton Schultz after this season, so Ferguson could take over as the starter in 2023 and beyond, assuming that he doesn’t flop.
B+ Grade
The Cowboys are really making sure that they’re shoring up their offensive line. Matt Waletzko is someone I’ve had in the fifth and sixth round of my mock drafts, so he definitely fits the range. This is a solid pick.
B Grade
This may seem like a bland pick for the Cowboys (sorry), but it could help their secondary, which needed to improve. DaRon Bland, a fast corner, is someone I had in the sixth round, but a slight reach like this in the middle of the fifth round isn’t a big deal.
A+ Grade
Love it! Damone Clark would have been a second-round prospect if it weren’t for spinal surgery. Those are two scary words, which is why he dropped three rounds. Clark may never play in the NFL, but if he can make it back from injury, he could end up being an excellent player for Dallas.
A Grade
The Cowboys are on fire at the end of the fifth round. John Ridgeway is someone I slotted in the third- or fourth-round area, so I love this value. Ridgeway is a big player who can help stop the run, which is essential against Philadelphia.
B+ Grade
It’s no surprise that the Cowboys are addressing their need for linebacker depth. Devin Harper seems like a decent choice here in the sixth round, as I had him in this range in my updates.
2021 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
C+ Grade
Charlie Campbell, who was 8-of-8 in his 2021 NFL Mock Draft, reported a few years ago that an NFL team removed Leighton Vander Esch from their draft board because of concerns regarding his neck injury. Now, we see why that team was so worried. Vander Esch hasn’t been able to stay healthy, while Sean Lee just retired. The Cowboys needed a linebacker, and Micah Parsons is a mega talent. He has some glaring off-the-field concerns, however, so I can’t grade this too favorably.
C- Grade
Ouch. The Cowboys really wanted Trevon Moehrig and Jevon Holland, yet both safeties were snatched off the board before their pick. The Cowboys had to settle for Kelvin Joseph, a raw cornerback with character concerns. Joseph belonged in the third or fourth round, so this was a reach. That said, Joseph could meet his upside and fill a big need.
B Grade
This is an upside pick for the Cowboys, as Osa Odighizuwa is a very athletic player who can get after the quarterback. The problem is that he’s a tweener and a liability against the run. This selection has a low floor, but I like Dallas taking a chance with this selection.
A+ Grade
Jabril Cox would have been chosen in the second round if he didn’t have any injury issues. At this point in the draft, it’s worth it to take that sort of risk. This is a steal for the Cowboys, who needed a second linebacker because of Leigthon Vander Esch’s neck problems, which one team flagged him for prior to his draft.
C- Grade
The Dallas offensive line was a huge problem last year, so it’s not a surprise that the team addressed this area. It’s a bit of a surprise that they took Josh Ball at this juncture because I had him in the seventh round, so I’m not a fan of this value.
A Grade
For the second year in a row, the Cowboys spent a great value pick on receiver without needing to address the position very much. Simi Fehoko was pegged in the fourth round, so this is a steal. Amari Cooper won’t be around much longer, so Fehoko could start in the future.
A+ Grade
Here’s another great value! Israel Mukuamu was once in the first round of my mock draft. He ended up in the fourth frame of my final mock draft because of some major injury problems. He continued to fall, but Dallas could be getting a talented starter if Mukuamu can recover.
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