Dallas Cowboys Draft O-Lineman, Weapons in ESPN 7-Round Mock

The Dallas Cowboys badly need reinforcements after a humbling free agency. What positions must they prioritize during the NFL Draft?

The Dallas Cowboys have elected to, by and large, sit out of NFL free agency. Yet, owner Jerry Jones called the Cowboys “locked and loaded” and Super Bowl expectations haven’t left the building.

Simply put, there’s a lot of work to do, and if the Cowboys aren’t going to sign anyone of note, they’re going to have to execute in April’s NFL Draft. 

In ESPN’s latest seven-round mock draft, Matt Miller took a stab at what Dallas has been hesitant to do – improving the roster in what could be quarterback Dak Prescott’s last year with America’s Team.

Jan 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Amarius Mims (65) and offensive

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With the 24th pick in the first round, Miller has the Cowboys taking Georgia tackle Amarius Mims.

“Mims is easy-moving with elite agility, length and power,” Miller said. “He has only started eight games in college after waiting his turn behind 2023 first-rounder Broderick Jones and missing time last season with an ankle injury, but those eight games of tape are beautiful.”

Durability and experience are the two knocks on Mims. Generally, though, that lack of playing time means a prospect is going to be raw and take time to develop. Aside from some small-sample bias, that may not be the case. Mims’ film is strong, and it seems like he’s going to be a Day 1 starter from the jump. With Tyron Smith out of the picture, that instant impact could be found in Dallas.

His Round 2 selection was Texas running back Jonathon Brooks. He can replicate the big-play threat running back Tony Pollard epitomized in 2022. 

However, Brooks’ consistency eluded him, and it’s possible that – like Pollard – a committee may be the best fit for him. The Cowboys haven’t secured that just yet, but he’d bring an explosive element to the offense that the ground game couldn’t provide last season.

With their final top 100 selection, Miller has Dallas taking another offensive talent, Washington receiver Ja’Lynn Polk. With adequate after-the-catch skills, Polk could pair well with Brandin Cooks while CeeDee Lamb eviscerates defenses from the slot.

The Cowboys wouldn’t pick again for another 87 picks, but at No. 174, they took Penn State center Hunter Nourzad. Replacing Tyler Biadasz is a big ask, and the Nittany Lion may not be asked to take on from the jump. However, Dallas has found competent starters out of Day 3 picks before (like Biadasz) and there are few better landing spots for rookie linemen.

Their next pick is Auburn defensive tackle Justin Roger. He’s a nose tackle through and through, measuring in at 330 pounds. He wins with his mass and pure strength and profiles as insurance for former first-round pick Mazi Smith.

Texas Longhorns running back Jonathon Brooks (24).

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Remember that hypothetical running back committee we discussed earlier? At No. 233, Dallas finds a potential solution. Georgia running back Kendall Milton is everything Brooks isn’t in terms of his playmaking capacity, athletic profile, and third-down ability. However, he’s a physical runner who can be a pain to tackle and projects better between the tackles than Brooks.

With its final pick, No. 244, Dallas adds to its linebacking depth while presumably giving the special teams unit an extra body as well. Florida State linebacker Kalen DeLoach can fly to the football, boasting a 4.47 40-yard dash. Yet, in many ways he resembles linebacker prospects like Zaire Barnes. He’s legitimately undersized for an off-ball linebacker, meaning he doesn’t need to just have incredible testing numbers. They have to translate to the gridiron seamlessly.