The Dallas Cowboys started the 2024 NFL Draft with a home run move. They were scheduled to pick 24th overall but traded back with the Detroit Lions, adding the 73rd pick in Round 3 in the process.
Dallas then took Tyler Guyton at No. 29, filling one of the largest holes on the roster. Not only was Guyton a solid selection, but he could have been the choice at No. 24 and that would have been a win.
The Cowboys, however, managed to land him and then used the 73rd pick on Kansas State guard Cooper Beebe. A sure-fire starter, Beebe is expected to move to center, meaning they essentially picked up two starting offensive linemen with the 24th pick.
From there, they made two surprise picks with Marshawn Kneeland in Round 2 and Marist Liufau in Round 3. Dallas then found a potential gem in Round 5 with Caelen Carson before taking a few swings to close things out.
With all the dust settled, here are three draft picks who might not make the 53-man roster this year.
3. Nathan Thomas, OT, Louisville: Round 7, Pick 233
Dallas made two early picks on the offensive line with Guyton at No. 29 and Beebe at No. 73. Both should be starters long-term but they weren't done there. At No. 233 in the final round, they took a flier on Nathan Thomas from Louisville.
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 334 pounds, Thomas played tackle for the Cajuns but could slide inside to play guard at the NFL level. Ideally, the Cowboys would like to see what he can do at tackle first since their depth inside is arguably better with Asim Richards, T.J. Bass, and Brock Hoffman all showing they can play.
At tackle, they have Chuma Edoga and Matt Waletzko. That's an easier path for him to make the team and he feels like a lock if he proves capable of playing on the edge. If he has to slide inside, things become much more muddied for the rookie.
2. Justin Rogers, DT, Auburn: Round 7, Pick 244
The Cowboys needed defensive tackle depth after letting Neville Gallimore and Johnathan Hankins leave in free agency. They did spend a first-round pick on Mazi Smith last year but a terrible plan to have him lose weight essentially ruined his rookie campaign. Smith is expected to play the 1-tech again and add as much weight as he can under Mike Zimmer.
There's more than enough reason to believe he will be just fine — especially since Zimmer knows what he's doing and Smith manhandled linemen with ease at Michigan when he was allowed to be himself. But what they don't have is any depth at all at the nose tackle spot.
That's why it wouldn't have been a surprise to see them add someone earlier than Round 7, which is where they took Justin Rogers from Auburn. Rogers has the size at 6-foot-3 and 346 pounds but his production left a lot to be desired. He should be able to beat out Carl Davis but don't be shocked to see undrafted free agent Denzel Daxon give him a run for his money.
Daxon was overlooked at Illinois but that was due to Johnny Newton and Keith Randolph, Jr. on the same line. He was highly effective against the run, posting three or more stops in seven games last year. Daxon is another big body at 6-foot-2 and 335 pounds and might be able to fight his way onto this roster, which would be at the expense of Rogers.
1. Ryan Flournoy, WR, SE Missouri State: Round 6 Pick 216
The offensive line was always the No. 1 target for Dallas heading into the draft. But there were a couple of skill positions that needed to be addressed as well. Running back was high on the list, yet they somehow left the weekend without adding anyone in the draft — and when they made some moves in undrafted free agency, they still left fans puzzled.
Wide receiver was another position where the Cowboys needed to add some depth after cutting ties with Michael Gallup this offseason. They needed to make the move with Gallup but they also should have reservations about handing the WR3 job to Jalen Tolbert full-time. He did play well at times in 2023, but is still growing and hasn't asserted himself as a consistent threat.
Still, Dallas felt good enough in his progress to wait until Round 6 to address the position. This is where they brought in Ryan Flournoy from Southeast Missouri State. At 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds, Flournoy offers ideal size and has adequate speed to get the job done. He's said to lack focus at times and can struggle with press coverage, but it's easy to see what the Cowboys like about him.
That said, Flournoy won't be handed a spot. Dallas added a couple of undrafted free agents — Cam Johnson from Northwestern and Casey Crooms from Minnesota. Johnson is a possession receiver at 6-foot and 205 pounds.
Johnson is a possession receiver at 6-foot and 205 pounds. He moved around throughout his collegiate career and might benefit from stability if he can latch on with Dallas. Crooms spent four years at Western Michigan before heading to Minnesota. He seems like a long shot but flashed throughout his tenure in the MAC.
They'll compete with him for a spot behind Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin. There will be a max of two open spots with Jalen Brooks also in the mix.
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