The case for Dallas drafting another 1st-round defensive tackle

If Johnny Newton or Byron Murphy are available at the 24th pick, should the Cowboys consider drafting another DT?

Before drafting Mazi Smith last year, the Dallas Cowboys hadn’t taken a defensive tackle with a first-round pick since Russell Maryland in 1991. While they could wait another three decades to do it again, the Cowboys could have some good options with their first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. If so, what should Dallas do?

While offensive line is clearly the team’s biggest need right now, the defensive line isn’t far behind. Smith didn’t hit the ground running last year and now Osa Odighizua is entering the final year of his deal. With Johnathan Hankins and Neville Gallimore signing elsewhere in free agency, the Cowboys have only one guy they can really trust right now for next season.

Two names to watch this Thursday night are Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton out of Illinois and Byron Murphy II from Texas. Some have both ranked in the top 15 overall of this year’s prospects, but one or both could also wind up falling to Dallas at the 24th pick. Both are athletic, disruptive DTs with the potential to contribute immediately to the rotation. And if Dallas chooses to let Odighizuwa walk in next year’s free agency, they’d ideally have either Newton or Murphy ready to slide into a starting role with 3-4 years left on their rookie deals.

This isn’t to say that the Cowboys should take a DT if a comparable OL talent is also available, especially a candidate to play left tackle. But a lot can happen in those first 23 picks, and there’s a possibility that Newton or Murphy could be the best player available once Dallas is on the clock. If the next option up at OT, C, RB, WR, etc. feels like a bit of a reach, and there’s no decent option to trade down, could Newton or Murply be the best use of that pick?

Some will balk at it given the Mazi Smith pick last year, but it’s not like Smith is getting discarded in this move. The hope would be that new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer fixes whatever went wrong with Smith as a rookie and that he’s able to fill the 1-tech role on the line. If you take one of Newton or Murphy, they’d be the 3-tech in a starting duo with Smith for several seasons to come.

Again, we’re not saying that this is the best outcome for Thursday night. It’s especially not what you want if you’re mostly focused on the Cowboys’ upcoming season. But depending on how the first round unfolds, and if Dallas is taking a longer view with this draft as they have with other aspects of the offseason thus far, a DT pick could make more sense than it might seem on the surface.

Even though Odighizuwa has been more than solid as a starter, he hasn’t been an explosive playmaker. If Newton or Murphy have that kind of potential, which some believe, they could be upgrades that help bring more balance to the defensive front. Making teams pay for hyper-focusing on Micah Parsons is a good strategy for anyone running this defense, but you need guys capable of capitalizing on opportunities to do it.

Sure, the idea of Dallas going back-to-back with first-round defensive tackles seems unlikely after how long they waited between Russell Maryland and Mazi Smith. But given the Cowboys’ chronic issues against the run, Smith’s lack of immediate impact, and Osa Odighizuwa’s impending free agency, the potential is there. If one of the top DT talents falls to their pick, the Cowboys could surprise people with their choice.