Here’s how the Cowboys could move around in the first round of the draft.
The Dallas Cowboys could be leaning heavily on the NFL Draft if that’s where owner Jerry Jones wants to focus his “all-in” approach. The team approach for free agency is how it’s always been—modest, with some tier-two players sprinkled in.
The 2023 class has been criticized for not meeting expectations as rookies, and the first three picks (Mazi Smith, Luke Schoonmaker, and DeMarvion Overshown) will now be recovering from surgeries before training camp. That means the Cowboys would have more pressure to hit grand slams with Will McClay and the scouts in the batter’s box.
Will McClay and the Jones family have done a great job drafting instant-impact players no matter what round, with CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, Jourdan Lewis, DaRon Bland, Jake Ferguson, Dak Prescott, and others. While last year’s rookies rightfully deserve more time to develop, there’s no question Dallas needs contributors from their 2024 class.
The Cowboys currently have seven draft picks (No. 24, No. 56, No. 87, No. 173, No. 216, No. 233, and No. 244) in every round except for one, which was their fourth-round pick that went to the San Francisco 49ers in the Trey Lance trade. If Dallas wants to make its presence felt in the first round of the draft, whether to trade up for a blue-chip player or trade back to acquire more picks, here are some trade partners that could make sense.
(*I’ll be using the Pro Football Focus Mock Draft Simulator to come up with these scenarios*)
Trade-Up:
Scenario #1 – Cowboys trade up with the Los Angeles Rams to Pick No. 19.
(Trade Terms: DAL receives No. 19 and No. 213 / LAR receives No. 24 and No. 87)
This scenario would be a lofty price and probably too much for the Cowboys’ liking. However, it wouldn’t be the most surprising move in the world if they feel confident in adding more players in free agency to make a move like this.
The reason for going up to the Los Angeles Rams at 19 would be for a few players. Dallas would be making this move to jump in front of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, and Philadelphia Eagles—all teams that must address their center position.
Jackson Powers-Johnson and Graham Barton are on the board with the Rams on the clock. If the Cowboys want to draft what they could consider the best center in the class, Los Angeles would be the ideal team to trade with. Giving up a third-round pick is a tough pill to swallow, but getting an instant starter at center will go a long way for Dallas’ offensive line woes.
When the team selected Travis Frederick in 2013, he came into the league as one of the best at his position, even though no one expected him to be. JPJ and Barton are considered better prospects than Frederick, and with Dallas looking to improve their rushing attack, either would be an ideal fit. Not to mention, potentially stealing a player from the Eagles right from under their noses is appealing.
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Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Trade-Down
Scenario #2 – The Cowboys trade down with the New England Patriots to Pick No. 34.
(Trade Terms: DAL receives No. 34, No. 68, and No. 229 / NE receives No. 24)
It could be more advantageous for Dallas to trade down in this draft rather than up. The middle of this class has great players in almost every round, so the Cowboys collecting more picks to do damage is a quick way to fix their current problems.
A reason why trading back with the New England Patriots could be possible is based entirely upon what they do with third overall. In this scenario, the Patriots don’t select a quarterback and decide to trade out from the pick. With Dallas on the clock at No. 24, they’re calling to come back up and choose Micahel Penix.
With the Cowboys accepting the offer, they are leaving Powers-Johnson, Barton, Tyler Guyton, Jordan Morgan, and Zach Fraizer on the board. The line of thinking would be, between picks 25 through 34, one of those players would be there at the start of the second round. It turned out they were.
Dallas selects Morgan, the tackle from Arizona, at Pick No. 34 and would have an extra third-round pick to play with. Playing out the rest of the four-round mock draft, the Cowboys end up with Morgan, linebacker Junior Colson, defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat, and center Sedrick Van Pran. That haul of players should make fans feel much easier about 2024 and inject some juice into the roster immediately.
Trade-Down
Scenario #3 – Cowboys trade down with the Baltimore Ravens to Pick No. 30.
(Trade Terms: DAL receives No. 30 and No. 93 / BAL receives No. 24)
In this scenario, the Baltimore Ravens are desperate. The Cowboys take advantage of their need to compete right away and get their third-round pick in return for moving down six spots in the first round. Even though Dallas doesn’t have a fourth-round pick, getting another top-100 pick is too good to pass up.
The Cowboys did lose out on some good players between picks 24 and 30. The Ravens took Graham Barton, Guyton to the Packers, Johnny Newton to the Bucs, JPJ to the Cardinals, Adonai Mitchell to the Bills, and Chop Robinson to the Lions.
This is a scenario where the Cowboys may have to reach on their first-round pick, but with them picking so close to the end of the round, it won’t matter as much if they view the player as a second-round grade. Here, Dallas pulls another Travis Frederick stunner and selects West Virginia center Zach Fraizer at No. 30.
Dallas met with Fraizer formally at the NFL combine, and if he is a top 30 visit over the next month, that will further confirm their potential interest in the prospect. With the next three picks, Dallas selects running back Jonathan Brooks, offensive tackle Patrick Paul, and defensive tackle Michael Hall, with him being the pick from Baltimore.
In four picks, the Cowboys improve their rushing offense and defense. Paul might not be a day-one starter, but he could compete in training camp to see if he or Tyler Smith are the better options at left tackle. Hall would pair well with Mazi Smith at defensive tackle and protect the Cowboys if they can’t re-sign Osa Odighizuwa in 2025.
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