Cowboys Country

What is the trade value of the Dallas Cowboys' No. 12 overall pick?

The Dallas Cowboys will pick No. 12 in the upcoming NFL Draft, but what kind of value that pick actually holds could help determine their ultimate plan.
Matt Galatzan|
Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.
Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In this story:

Dallas Cowboys | News, Scores, Schedules & Standings

The Dallas Cowboys are just a couple of months out from the 2025 NFL Draft with many experts projecting them to stay put and select Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty at No. 12.

Whether or not the Cowboys plan to do that themselves, however, is another story.

MORE: Micah Parsons makes plea to Cowboys front office to attack free agency

With so many needs on the roster, Dallas could opt to trade back. That said, trading up for a player they highly covet could also be on the table. Either way, there are ways to determine what their return on such a move might be.

Fortunately, thanks to DraftTek, we know exactly what kinds of deals the Cowboys could make on Draft night, thanks to the NFL Trade Value Chart, which was designed by legendary Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson.

Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) reacts after a touchdown against the Mississippi State Bulldogs
Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III reacts after a touchdown against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. | Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Per the chart, the Cowboys pick is currently valued at 1200 points, meaning that if they desired to move up and select someone like, say, Jeanty or Missouri receiver Luther Burden III, around No. 8 with Carolina or No. 9 with New Orleans, they would also have to package their third-round pick, in order to have any chance of making that happen.

That is of course unless they also packaged a future pick to add value to the deal.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Cowboys could also theoretically trade back with another team, and acquire more draft capital, which would give them more players to add to a roster that is currently lacking in talent in multiple spots.

MORE: Cowboys predicted to pass on fan-favorite draft prospect for defensive star

One such scenario would be if Penn State's Tyler Warren were still on the board at No. 12, and the Broncos decided to trade up with the Cowboys to fill their biggest need at tight end. If that happened, the Broncos could send their No. 20 pick along with the 51st pick in the second round (totaling 1,240 points) off to the Cowboys in exchange for the No. 12 pick, the No. 150 pick in Round 5, and No. 210 pick in Round 6 (totaling (1,238.4 points).

Such a deal would give Dallas both an extra second-round pick and a sixth-round pick, and allow them to fill needs in Round 1 with a still very valuable selection at No. 20.

In other words, the Cowboys' spot at No. 12 will provide them with any number of plans to improve their roster, whether that means going all in for a player they believe can put them over the top, or trading down to add depth to the roster.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Cowboys from Dallas Cowboys on SI —

3 Cowboys who could be salary cap casualties in 2025 offseason

Cowboys add massive WR prospect, power running back in new mock draft

Cowboys' top priorities for 2025 offseason features no-brainer decision

Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb issues strong response to Micah Parsons trade talk

Super Bowl 60 odds: Way-too-early look at Dallas Cowboys' 2025 chances

Meet Abby Summers: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Rookie

Published
Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writers’ Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014, covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.

Share on XFollow @mattgalatzan
Home/News