Dallas Cowboys 7-round mock draft: Addressing the O-line holes and RB on Days 1-2 (2024)

Exactly two weeks until the NFL Draft, you have undoubtedly seen a number of Dallas Cowboys mock drafts, perhaps even doing some of your own with the many draft simulators. We’ve been doing them often, including a couple of weeks ago; they’re one of the more popular things to pop up in social-media discussions right now. The point of mock drafts, some would argue, isn’t to guess the exact player the team will draft but more so to explore strategy and examine the approach that may be on the table. Which positions will be targeted or prioritized above others? Is a particular draft slot too valuable or is trading back a more favorable option?

We’re going to use this version of The Athletic’s Cowboys’ mock draft to take that angle. We’re going to use Pro Football Network’s draft simulator but instead of just making a pick and explaining the reason for it, we will offer the different directions the Cowboys could go with the selection. One caveat with approaching the mock draft in this manner is that we’ll play it straight, making the seven picks the Cowboys have in hand and avoid dabbling in the trade winds. It’s likely — arguably wise — for the Cowboys to entertain trades if they can to add another pick or two in the top 100 but trade opportunities on draft day are a mystery and contingent on much more than the Cowboys alone.

Let’s dive in!

Round 1, Pick No. 24

Given the current state of the roster, it’s fair to assume that the Cowboys’ first selection will be an offensive player — more specifically, an offensive lineman. Trading back from No. 24 to the late 20s or even early 30s, will likely be intriguing for the Cowboys, given draft capital they could get. There are a lot of holes on the roster and not a lot of premium draft picks in hand. But looking at the players available here on our mock, trading back and missing out on one (or more) of these players may be too big a risk.

It would be surprising if JC Latham was still around at No. 24. The general consensus about the offensive tackles appears to be that there is a clear top five. Tyler Guyton is kind of a tweener between top tier and second tier, and then there is the second tier. Latham is universally placed in that top five. The interesting thing here is that neither Latham nor Guyton, both guys who are available, played left tackle in college. Following Tyron Smith’s departure and the desire to keep Tyler Smith at left guard, the Cowboys will be looking for an anchor on the left edge of the offensive line.

There’s no question Latham ranks ahead of Guyton but how does a projected switch from right to left tackle change perceptions? Latham played left tackle in high school and was open to playing it at Alabama, even though Nick Saban opted to keep him on the right. Guyton’s raw tools make him a fascinating prospect and may remind some of his potential predecessor, given Tyron Smith’s stature and position coming out of USC more than a decade ago. Guyton struggled at left tackle in Senior Bowl practices but that’s a small sample.

Then, you have the top two centers in the draft available, too. From the outside, the reluctance to take a center this early isn’t because of any doubt about Jackson Powers-Johnson’s game or Graham Barton’s ability. This class is just deep at the position, so it creates a tendency to want to use the higher pick on the position (offensive tackle) that’s more top heavy than the one that is deep. The Cowboys have a need at both positions and may just fall in line with that thinking. But we don’t know how much their scouting department and front office could be in love with a player. Once upon a time, Travis Frederick was viewed as a reach and he panned out just fine. A big part of this selection is to trust the scouting, especially at a position like offensive line, where the Cowboys have shown solid ability to evaluate talent.

In the end, Latham is just too good of a prospect to pass up, if available. Even if trading back a few spots was a possibility in this exercise to gain an extra third- or fourth-round pick, it may have been hard to do if it means losing a player like Latham.

Final pick: JC Latham, OT, Alabama

Round 2, Pick No. 56

Center and running back are two other sore spots on the roster. The Cowboys could use help at defensive tackle and linebacker, too, but getting an instant impact defensive tackle in the second round is a pipe dream and the need at linebacker pales compared to the outlook at center and running back. So, let’s stay on the offensive board.

Like the first-round pick, this seems pretty simple. Jonathan Brooks may be the most popular second-round pick in Cowboys mock drafts — understandably so. But regardless of it being a deep center class, if Zach Frazier is staring you in the face at No. 56, there’s no need to get cute. After Barton and Powers-Johnson, Frazier is the highest-ranked center by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. In Brugler’s top-100 prospects listed in The Beast, Frazier checks in at No. 34 overall. This would be the way to go.

Final pick: Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia

Round 3, Pick No. 87

Here are the top available offensive players on the Pro Football Network board, with Brugler’s top 100 and position ranking in parenthesis:

Ja’Tavion Sanders (No. 57, TE2)
Blake Corum (No. 77, RB2)
Roger Rosengarten (No. 69, OT10)
Kiran Amegadjie (No. 87, OT12)
Braelon Allen (No. 97, RB6)

Here are the top available defensive players:

Javon Bullard (No. 53, SF2)
Maason Smith (No. 64, DT6)
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (NR, LB7)
McKinnley Jackson (NR, DT21)
Calen Bullock (NR, SF8)

There are some interesting conversations to be had about a few of these players but given the state of the roster, the glaring need is at running back and getting the Corum at this juncture is solid value.

Final pick: Blake Corum, RB, Michigan

Round 5, Pick No. 174

Without adding any draft picks, there’s a massive gap between the Cowboys picking at No. 87 and on the clock again at No. 174. We’ll pick up the pace here and narrow the considerations. The top three prospects still on the board considered for this selection were Missouri offensive tackle Javon Foster, Oregon State safety Kitan Oladapo and Notre Dame linebacker Marist Liufau.

Given the first-round pick of Latham, Tyler Smith’s versatility to play left tackle and some of the in-house depth options at left tackle, the decision was primarily between Oladapo and Liufau. The nod went to Liufau, not only because the Cowboys need warm bodies at the position but the book on him essentially is that he’s a raw talent who needs to be tamed. For a player at that position, having a relentless motor is one of the things teams hope a player comes with. Calibrating that motor to be more effective and efficient is something that can be coached up, especially as Liufau gets his feet wet in the league on special teams.

Final pick: Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame

Round 6, Pick No. 216

Because of the more glaring holes elsewhere, the Cowboys’ situation at wide receiver is flying under the radar a little bit. They’re set at the top with CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks, but what happens after that? The team is hoping for Jalen Tolbert to take some big steps, which is a reasonable hope, given how much more comfortable Tolbert looked last season after a rough rookie year. But Tolbert hasn’t proven anything yet, and neither has Jalen Brooks.

In Michigan’s Cornelius Johnson, the Cowboys would be getting a wide receiver with extensive experience playing on the outside, which is a bonus for a team that previously had Michael Gallup in that role and moved on from him this offseason. With Lamb and Cooks the focal point of defenses, Johnson could provide a solid outside presence in a sheltered role. He’s also a different type of receiver than Tolbert, so if the third-year wideout does take the next step, Johnson can still provide value as a special teamer and fourth wide receiver who could be asked to play a little higher on the depth chart, if injuries dictate it.

Final pick: Cornelius Johnson, WR, Michigan

Round 7, Pick No. 233

Ryan Watts is a local kid, from Little Elm, who played at Ohio State and Texas. He has position flex and great athleticism. If a player like Juanyeh Thomas makes the jump to regular snaps on defense, Watts could be a great talent to groom on special teams and prepare for an eventual role on defense. Pass coverage is Watts’ main area of development.

Final pick: Ryan Watts, S, Texas

Round 7, Pick No. 233

Jamree Kromah is another player late in the draft with position flexibility. Although it’s unlikely he cracks the rotation as a rookie, the Cowboys could mold him into the player who can best fit the need on the roster.

Final pick: Jamree Kromah, DT, James Madison

(Top photos of Blake Corum, Zach Frazier, JC Latham: Aaron J. Thornton, Mark Alberti, Brian Rothmuller / Getty Images)