Another season ended in disappointment for the Dallas Cowboys. They were able to fight their way to the No. 2 seed which afforded them a home playoff game. Since they were undefeated at home during the regular season, there was a strong belief they could handle their business against Green Bay. Clearly, that proved to be too much to ask as they were embarrassed on a national stage. Again.
Now heading into the 2024 offseason, they’re again going to try and figure out how to take the next step. They'll also be implementing a new defensive scheme with Mike Zimmer replacing Dan Quinn. With the coaching moves behind them, let’s take a look ahead to the draft with this post-Super Bowl mock.
Round 1: Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
Tyler Biadasz has been the starting center for the past four seasons and while he’s been serviceable, he hasn’t been great. Entering free agency, Dallas could look to bring him back — or they could look for an upgrade. Considering the struggles they had with pass rushers up the middle — as well as trying to run the ball — it makes sense to go for the upgrade.
In this mock, they land that with Jackson Powers-Johnson from Oregon. Listed at 6-3 and 320 pounds, he’s similar in size to Biadasz but has more flexibility. Before 2023, Powers-Johnson was a reserve who played every position outside of left tackle — he even played defensive tackle at one point when the position was thin. Once he settled as the starting center, he proved to be a dominant force.
Known for his strength and balance, Powers-Johnson is also able to move well in space. When he gets to the second level, he’s an absolute mauler. Adding him might not be the splashy pick, but he will be a long-time starter in the NFL and can help improve the overall efficiency of the Cowboys offense.
Round 2: Jonathan Brooks, RB, Texas
They already landed a new center in Round 1 and now back on the clock in Round 2, Dallas again adds an impactful offensive player. This time, it’s Jonathan Brooks, the star running back from Texas.
Brooks is arguably the No. 1 running back in this class but there’s still an expectation that none will go in the first round. Once we hit the second, Brooks could be supplanted by players such as Trey Benson since Brooks is coming off a torn ACL, which he suffered late in the season. Throw in the fact that he had just one year of production and there will be those who overthink this one.
BROOKS TO THE CRIB 🤘 @2brookss pic.twitter.com/VSx7KNbhQk
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) October 7, 2023
That plays into the Cowboys hands since Brooks is still on the board in this mock. In need of a fresh start at running back, Brooks can provide that. He’s incredibly well-rounded with insane vision and patience. If there’s the slightest hole, he will find it and get there in a hurry. And then if he gets into open space, he has the speed to take it the distance.
Dallas struggled on the ground this past season with Tony Pollard looking far less explosive than we had seen in the past. He’s likely going to sign elsewhere and while the Cowboys would be smart to add some veteran insurance, landing Brooks is a major win. The offense can continue to run through Dak Prescott but he will be able to lean on Brooks the way he leaned on Ezekiel Elliott early in his career.
Round 3: Maason Smith, DT, LSU
Dallas has spent multiple third-round picks on trying to find their next 3-tech defensive tackle with Osa Odighizuwa currently serving as the starter and Chauncey Golston playing behind him. Both have played well at times but the Cowboys still tried to move Mazi Smith — their first-round pick from 2023 — to the position as well. That was a huge mistake, especially asking him to lose weight, which meant he also sacrificed some of his strength.
Bringing in Mike Zimmer will hopefully lead to Smith returning to his normal position but that also means the Cowboys might want to start grooming another 3-tech. Enter Maason Smith from LSU.
Smith is a massive player at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds and is a true pass rusher despite recording just three sacks last year. Smith had an impressive win rate when attacking the quarterback and while he didn't get home as much as he liked, he showed off the raw athleticism and talent that will have scouts pumped up.
Having said that, he's going to need time to develop. His technique needs work and he has to get better with his hand usage. Dallas is a solid landing spot for him since he won't be asked to start right away, but he can develop into a starter down the road if they're patient.
Round 5: Nathan Thomas, OT, Louisiana
Tyron Smith continues to be a weapon for the Cowboys when he plays and in 2023, he was able to suit up more often than we have seen in recent years. Smith played in 13 games after making it in just four in 2022, 11 in 2021, and two in 2020. He also was out there in their lone playoff berth.
Now entering the offseason as a free agent, there's no true indication as to whether or not Smith will return. If he does exit, the Cowboys are likely going to need to draft a left tackle much earlier than this. But with his familiarity with this franchise, and their belief in him, it's likely he returns on another one-year deal.
In this scenario, that's what happens — but Dallas still needs to get a better reserve tackle since Smith won't play all 17 games. That's why they take Nathan Thomas out of Louisiana with their fifth-round selection. Thomas is listed at 6-foot-5 and 334 pounds, giving them yet another massive player on the front line. He's also very experienced with two years of starting experience at left tackle.
He still needs to develop but showed a lot of progress this past season, especially when it comes to pass protection. For the Cowboys, that was an issue this season, so adding two players in this draft who can improve this area is a win for the front office.
Round 6: Darius Muasau, LB, UCLA
It's bad enough to lose to a team such as the Green Bay Packers — who seem to always upset the Cowboys when it matters most. What's worse is when a star player then brings the quarterback for the Packers onto his podcast and listens to him say their defense was easy to overpower.
That's essentially what happened when Micah Parsons spent time with Jordan Love on his podcast and asked the Green Bay signal-caller to break down their game plan against Parson's team. Love dropped a "no offense" which meant he was about to tell them they sucked — which he did. He said they couldn't stop the run, pointing out they had a defensive back (Markquese Bell) playing linebacker. He added they couldn't get pressure in the middle.
Dallas should take this to heart as they re-tool their roster this offseason and hopefully that includes signing a veteran linebacker to replace Leighton Vander Esch — while also allowing Bell to move back to safety. They also need more youth, which is why this selection goes to Darius Muasau from UCLA.
Muasau is listed at 6-1 and 230 pounds and put up 166 tackles and 5.0 sacks in two years at UCLA. Before that, he was in Hawaii and racked up 270 tackles and 11.5 sacks, including 7.0 in 2021. He's well-rounded and can hold his own in coverage but most importantly for this team, he's not a liability against the run.
Round 7: Demani Richardson, S, Texas A&M
With their final pick in this mock, the Cowboys add some more depth on the defensive side of the ball, this time focusing on the secondary. One thing Dan Quinn deserves a lot of credit for was making the safety position important again as he brought in several players to bolster that unit. He even helped Donovan Wilson break out into a star player as well.
Now heading into 2024, they could require more depth. Jayron Kearse, who has been a vocal leader for this defense, is set for free agency. They do still have Wilson, Malik Hooker, and Juanyeh Thomas — as well as Markquese Bell, who should revert to safety. But adding someone to replace Kearse's spot on the roster is a must.
That leads to the selection of Demani Richardson, a senior who stands 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds. Richardson saw the field a lot for the Aggies and had 304 tackles, 15 for a loss, and four interceptions in his career. He added 3.5 sacks which is always a plus when the safety can bring the heat on the blitz.
Richardson is better against the run than the pass, making him an ideal fit as a box safety — and while he's not going to be nearly as effective as Kearse has been, that's still an area where he excelled. And an area where they will be able to use some help from the newcomer.