Cowboys 7-Round Mock Draft: All-In On Offense

How will the Dallas Cowboys attack the 2024 NFL Draft after their disappointing playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers? Well, as fascinating as that's going to be, we might be in wait-and-see mode regarding the Cowboys and their coaching situation.

Even though we don't know if either head coach Mike McCarthy or defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will be back in 2024, we know some areas the Dallas Cowboys are going to have to address in the 2024 offseason. And frankly, they have no shortage of areas of need.

The Cowboys weren't exactly "all in" on the 2023 season, but they have a lot of pending free agents for 2024 and big names on both sides of the ball. And that doesn't even include the fork in the road the team is at with starting quarterback Dak Prescott and his contract.

With all of that in mind, there are some clear areas of strength in this year's draft class and some clear directions the Cowboys could go based on projected departures. Let's take a look at a 2024 Dallas Cowboys mock draft scenario now that the season is sadly over.

1. First round: Graham Barton, OL, Duke

There are question marks all over the left side of the Dallas Cowboys offensive line heading into this offseason.

Left tackle Tyron Smith is a free agent and his availability over the last handful of years has led to a question of whether the Cowboys will invest in his return, or let someone else take the risk and give him a bunch of money.

If Smith leaves in free agency, that leaves former first-round pick Tyler Smith to potentially make a position switch from guard to tackle, which was expected/planned when he was originally drafted a couple of years ago anyway.

Starting center Tyler Biadasz is also a projected free agent right now, and Dallas isn't going to be able to keep everyone. That's where Graham Barton out of Duke comes into play. Barton looks like he could be a strong starter at the next level at a variety of positions, and the positional flexibility could allow the Cowboys to potentially keep their options wide open.

2. Second round: Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, Washington

One position the Dallas Cowboys absolutely need to address in the 2024 NFL Draft, perhaps with a couple of selections, is the wide receiver position.

We all know that CeeDee Lamb is one of the best at his position in the entire league. In the near future, the Cowboys are going to have to give Lamb a massive new contract. With that in mind, they are going to need role players at the position on rookie deals to help take the pressure off of Lamb and allow him to do what he does best.

For the time being, Brandin Cooks was a pretty effective placeholder, but I would argue he wasn't effective enough.

The time has come for Dallas to move on from Michael Gallup. They made a huge mistake choosing to keep him over Amari Cooper.

Jalen Tolbert hasn't developed as hoped through his first couple of seasons, which leads us to the Ja'Lynn Polk selection. Although the Washington Huskies fan base is reeling over all the departures this year, there's no doubt that NFL teams and fan bases can't wait to get their hands on some of the top prospects from this program.

Polk is 6-foot-2 and a big-play threat at the position, averaging nearly 17 yards per reception over the last two seasons.

Third round: Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas

The idea of the Dallas Cowboys getting Jonathon Brooks is very exciting, not just for the fact that he's a local product, either.

Now, the idea of the Cowboys getting Brooks may be far-fetched, because the NFL Draft community thinks the world of this guy and if he is RB1 on any NFL team's board, he's not lasting to the third round, certainly not to where the Cowboys pick...

Brooks's 2023 season was cut short by injury, but he's declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and will be one of the top backs available. The Cowboys could end up going after him long before the third round, as well. He was simply available to select in the simulation I ran.

The Cowboys will be in the market for running backs with Tony Pollard slated to hit free agency and the cupboard relatively bare behind him. Dallas could end up moving on from its RB1 in consecutive offseasons, and we also saw them go after a Texas Longhorns product on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft when they selected linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.

We could see that again in 2024 if Brooks is available.

Fifth round: Chau Smith-Wade, CB, Washington State

Before we get into the fifth-round selection, let's talk about why the Cowboys don't have a fourth-round pick. It's actually quite simple.

The Cowboys traded a fourth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for former third overall pick Trey Lance, the quarterback prospect out of North Dakota State. Lance spent the entire 2023 season sitting and learning in Dallas, which really isn't the worst situation for him at this point.

It didn't work out for Lance in San Francisco, but I like that process by the Cowboys and Lance is undoubtedly worth the risk of a fourth-round pick, especially at such a premium position.

And speaking of players at premium positions, I love the Cowboys going after more Day 3 cornerback prospects. We know that Dallas under Dan Quinn has really liked longer outside corners and defensive backs with size in general. And not to say they will go away from that with Quinn likely on the outs, but I think you've still got to keep all sizes and physical profiles on the board.

The Cowboys not only need outside corner depth, but they might be in the market for a new slot corner with Jourdan Lewis hitting free agency. I love the idea of bringing in former Washington State cornerback Chau Smith-Wade, who has gotten his hands on the ball a lot the last couple of seasons.

Smith-Wade plays a physical style and had three forced fumbles in 2022 along with 14 passes broken up and two interceptions over the last two seasons. He could be an intriguing slot replacement long-term.

Sixth round: Sione Vaki, S, Utah

When you get to Day 3 of the NFL Draft, you're not just drafting for need anymore. You're looking for guys who can add valuable depth to your roster, play special teams, and develop under your best coaches.

The Dallas Cowboys have done an outstanding job of developing safeties under Dan Quinn, and that could ultimately continue even without Quinn on the coaching staff going forward (if that ends up being the case). One of my favorite players in this draft class is Utah's Sione Vaki, a versatile young player, to say the least.

And my guess is, Vaki will impress enough NFL teams to get picked way higher than the sixth round before all is said and done, but just like in the real NFL Draft, you always roll with the punches and play the cards you're dealt. That's what I did in this simulation, and when Vaki was available in round six, I had to pounce.

This is a guy who racked up 51 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and an interception this past year at Utah, but the intrigue comes with what he does offensively...

Yes, that's right -- he's a two-way player and a very good one, at that. He had 520 yards from scrimmage and five total touchdowns for the Utes' offense in 2023 and proved his worth on both sides of the ball. He is an explosive playmaker on either side of the ball and it's going to be fun to see where NFL teams project him.

And the mock draft simulators probably need to rank him higher on their big boards...

Seventh round (first pick): Joshua Cephus, WR, UTSA

Like I said earlier, I would be shocked if the Dallas Cowboys just sat on their hands at the wide receiver position in this year's draft. They need to double-up at the position, if not take it a step further than that.

The Cowboys should learn a lesson from the team that just destroyed them in the playoffs. The Packers have invested five picks at receiver in the last two drafts, and a lot of those guys have absolutely shredded Dallas's defense.

Joshua Cephus had over 300 career catches at UTSA and 29 receiving touchdowns. He's 6-foot-3 with strong hands and intriguing developmental skills.

Seventh round (second pick): Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Miss

Where's the harm in adding a legacy to the roster, right?

We all know the legendary Frank Gore, the former NFL running back who was in the league for about 83 years.

Well, he was in the league so long that his kid is about to make it in 2024. Frank Gore Jr. is smaller than his father (5-foot-8, 185 pounds) but he's an intriguing all-purpose back with a ton of production and good tape to stand on. He would be a fun addition to Dallas's backfield rotation.

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