Cowboys Pass on Arch Manning, Opt For George Pickens Replacement in NFL Mock Draft

If the Dallas Cowboys were staring down the option of taking Texas quarterback Arch Manning in the 2027 NFL Draft, would owner Jerry Jones be able to pass up on taking him?

We couldn't say for sure, even with Dak Prescott on the team. That's because Prescott is getting up there in age at 33, and in price, and Jones loves himself a good splash and drafting a Manning would certainly qualify as such.

The Manning scenario played out in the latest mock draft from Athlon Sports' Luke Easterling. He has the Cowboys with the No. 8 pick and Manning is on the board when Dallas is up in that spot.

However, Easterling has the Cowboys going for Indiana wideout Charlie Becker instead. Manning, meanwhile, goes to Cleveland with the No. 15 overall pick.

Easterling believes the Cowboys won't want to extend Pickens, which will lead to Dallas drafting Backer as his replacement.

"I don’t expect the Cowboys to pay top dollar to keep George Pickens as their WR2 across from CeeDee Lamb, and if he ends up leaving in the offseason, they’ll need a capable replacement," Easterling wrote.

We tend to agree with Easterling about Pickens. The Cowboys will have bigger fish to fry and it just doesn't make much sense to pay a massive sum of money to yet another receiver.

Even co-owner Stephen Jones has hinted that backing up the Brinks truck for Pickens may not be feasible.

"The situation we have with George Pickens going alongside CeeDee.. I don't know of any teams that really can pay two top receivers top of the market," Jones said. "So, yeah. That's going to be a real difficult situation as we move forward. We've managed to figure out how we can do it for this year.

"Certainly, if everything works out the way we think it is, which CeeDee and George both have huge years again, then it'll be a bigger challenge next year. George is really wanting to put back-to-back years on top of one another so it'll help his market. And certainly I know at some point, as does every player in this league, will want to be rewarded with a long-term contract. So that certainly puts pressure on us to have a unique situation there."

Charlie Becker scouting report

Indiana wide receiver Charlie Becker. — Indiana's Charlie Becker (80) leaps for the ball during the Indiana versus Northwestern football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Here's more on Becker, per Easterling:

"Becker brings an impressive blend of size (6-4, 208) and athleticism to the table, with the hands and body control to win contested-catch situations, along with a knack for making big plays in clutch moments," Easterling said.

Becker posted 34 catches for 679 yards and four touchdowns last season, and he ripped off a whopping 20 yards per reception, which shows his big-play ability.

Becker is on pace to smash those numbers in 2026, as he's already up to 19 catches for 370 yards and six scores in four contests this season.

If he stays on that pace, it won't be a question of Becker being a first-round pick, but rather how high he goes in the first round.

The Cowboys would be wise to opt for a receiver in the 2027 draft if Pickens departs. Becker would be a fine option to replace him and would allow Dallas to allocate its resources elsewhere.

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