The Dallas Cowboys had a strong showing in the 2024 NFL Draft. They addressed several concerns and made an excellent trade during Round 1, essentially turning the 24th overall selection into two starting offensive linemen.
They found value throughout the weekend and continued to make moves once the draft ended. Dallas has had a lot of success with undrafted free agency and they added a few more names to their roster once again as post-draft signings.
Maybe none of them end up making a splash or maybe they found another Markquese Bell or even Tony Romo. Before figuring that out, they have to make the 53-man roster and these 3 UDFAs have the best shot at doing so.
3. Jason Johnson, LB, UCF
Jason Johnson was a tough prospect to figure out since he's built like a coverage linebacker (6-foot, 222 pounds) but he plays like a run-stuffing backer. He started his career at Eastern Illinois before transferring to UCF in 2022.
Once at UCF, he continued to rack up the tackles with 240 over the past two years. He added 10.5 tackles for a loss and four sacks. Still, his size and coverage concerns kept him out of the draft.
Now in Dallas, Johnson has a chance to make it to the 53-man roster. The Cowboys are thin at the position and they might even consider moving Markquese Bell back to safety now that Jayron Kearse is gone.
None of this guarantees Johnson a spot but he doesn't have a ton of players to beat out, which is a positive for him.
2. Denzel Daxon, DT, Illinois
Dallas has had issues in run defense for years now. They hoped to have the problem under control after using a first-round pick on Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith in 2023, but then absurdly had him lose weight and join an overcrowded group of 3-tech tackles. Naturally, this didn't work out well, and while we hope Smith can return to the 1-tech where he belongs, he's still a question mark thanks to this tactic.
To protect themselves, and replace Johnathan Hankins, the Cowboys selected Justin Rogers at No. 244 overall. This was their final pick in the draft and as was the case with many of their selections, they got excellent value.
Rogers developed at Kentucky before transferring to Auburn in 2023 and proved to be an excellent run-stuffing nose tackle. At 330 pounds, he won't wow anyone with athleticism but he's going to clog the lanes. All that's excellent but again, the Cowboys don't know exactly what Smith will do in 2024. They also have to replace Neville Gallimore, an underrated free-agency loss.
That's why Denzel Daxon might find his way to the 53-man roster. Playing at Illinois meant he was often overshadowed by Johnny Newton and Keith Randolph but Daxon still held his own. He's a run-stuffer extraordinaire who weighs 335 pounds. Depending on how deep they go with the D-line, he might be worth keeping around as a rookie.
1. Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE, Minnesota
Tight end isn't a position of need for the Cowboys with Jake Ferguson locking down the No. 1 spot. Luke Schoonmaker didn't overwhelm as a rookie but he should remain in the No. 2 role — even if only due to his draft status. From there, Peyton Hendershot and 2023 preseason standout John Stephens, Jr. will fight for the third spot.
They could essentially keep four tight ends and if so, Brevyn Spann-Ford has a chance to steal that spot.
Undrafted out of Minnesota, Spann-Ford stands just over 6-foot-6 and weighs 260 pounds. He's not going to impress with his receiving skills but the Cowboys have plenty of tight ends who can run routes. They don't have someone who can go in-line and play like a third offensive tackle.
Most importantly, Dallas believes in his potential. This was proven when they paid him a $20,000 bonus while guaranteeing $225,000 of his initial deal.
Cowboys gave ex-Minnesota TE Brevyn Spann-Ford a $225,000 salary guarantee plus a $20,000 signing bonus when agreeing to terms Saturday evening, a person familiar with situation said. Speaks both to team's interest and Spann-Ford's strong market. Someone to watch in months ahead.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) April 28, 2024
The Cowboys had a ground game to forget in 2023 and while Tony Pollard took the brunt of the criticism, the blocking was an issue as well. That's why it was important to see them dedicate several assets during the draft to the O-line. Adding Spann-Ford as a UDFA is proof they want to continue to improve their chances of winning in the trenches.