Dallas Cowboys 2022 7-Round Mock Draft: Dallas trades back and surprises

We’re less than a month away from the 2022 NFL Draft and the Dallas Cowboys are honing in on some preferred targets. From Combine meetings, to Pro Days, to official 30-visits, all the way to Dallas Days, the names have been released and the cream is rising to the top.

While the Dallas Cowboys aren’t locked into players in which they’ve officially spoken to, it’s a pretty good indicator who they’re targeting and at what point in the draft they’re looking to address positional needs.

In this Dallas Cowboys 2022 7-Round Mock Draft simulation they trade back and raise eyebrows.

As is always the case we run our simulation through The Draft Network Mock Draft Simulator. We use scouting reports and composite rankings from TDN, Pro Football Focus, and the Athletic’s Dane Brugler. We strive to create a realistic scenario with these outlets in mind. This is not a wish list that I hope to transpire but rather a situation that could come into play (with some fairly underrepresented selections).

To set the scene: the top WRs all went off the board (except Burks) and two of the top three interior offensive linemen are gone as well

With the 24th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft the Dallas Cowboys TRADE their first round pick to Detroit for Picks 32 and 66…

Dallas Cowboys Pick 32: Bernhard Raimann, OT/OG

Central Michigan

PFF Ranking: 13, Brugler Ranking: 29, TDN ranking: 67

Berhard Raimann doesn’t rate very high on many Dallas Cowboys fans’ wish lists so this is immediately going to ruffle feathers. But the front office’s interest in the Austrian born tackle is real and cannot be disregarded (he’s a 30-visit).

The former TE turned OT has gone through a tremendous transformation and thrived every step of the way. He appears to have only scratched the surface on his potential and should be a top-end talent in the NFL in no time.

The Dallas Cowboys have indicated they want to address the offensive line early in the draft and with the absence of a viable left guard on the roster, it’s the interior offensive line most think will be targeted. But as we explained yesterday in “Why offensive tackle may be the Dallas Cowboys true target in the Draft,” drafting a tackle who can temporarily play guard could be the highest value approach the Cowboys can make.

The Dallas Cowboys are thrifty, to say the least, and the savings an OT offers at the top of the draft is considerably more than the savings an interior lineman offers. This is about value as much as need.

The need is explained in the linked article above. The situation at tackle is tenuous at best and could collapse a variety of ways at any given moment. If Dallas has an elite LT waiting in the wings they would be able to survive the worst case scenario with Tyron Smith.

And if Raimann can play inside in Year 1 (which we expect) then Dallas can fill an immediate need in short-term while insuring themselves and producing valuable long-term solutions in the process.

https://twitter.com/BrandonThornNFL/status/1511064684065087490

Bernhard Raimann is an official 30-visit and someone the Dallas Cowboys are clearly very interested in. His age (25 this year) and seasoning (only played OT 2-years) are concerns which is why he’s fallen out of the first tier of OTs. Trading back fits his draft slot better and still gives Dallas that fifth-year on his rookie contract.