Predicting the First-Round Picks for Each of the Cowboys' NFC East Rivals

The NFL Draft can be a bittersweet experience for fans. After spending months dreaming of which prospects can join their favorite franchise, they often don’t walk away with their top choices — this is especially true for Dallas Cowboys fans since their front office has been known for going against the grain.

What makes this worse is when a divisional rival goes into the weekend and finds a way to improve their roster with superstar additions. With two NFC East foes making picks in the top 10, that could be the case in 2024. With that being said, here’s a prediction of what each rival team will do during Round 1.

Commanders, Pick No. 2: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

Dan Quinn inherited a roster in need of an overhaul and he has a chance to make a huge splash with his first selection. The Washington Commanders added a lot of talent in free agency and still have the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. After trading Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks, they’re expected to land a new quarterback.

The debate will come down to LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye of North Carolina. In the end, look for them to pull the trigger on the explosive Daniels.

While he’s less refined than Maye, Daniels has been working on his pocket presence and has shown plenty of progress. Even without being a technician in this aspect, Daniels could be a great fit under new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Considering the struggles Dallas had with him and Kyler Murray, this feels like a concerning selection.