The Cowboys reached the playoffs in 2023 after going 12-5 but fell short in the Wild Card round with a loss to the Packers. Dallas’ roster has taken some major hits this offseason, and the Cowboys have plenty of positional needs heading into the NFL Draft that will need to be sorted in order of priority.
Star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has yet to come to a contract extension agreement with Dallas as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, and quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract will also end after the 2024 season. The future holds plenty of questions for this franchise, but owner Jerry Jones wants to “get it done with less” this season.
Here are our predictions for the Cowboys’s draft plans.
2024 Mock Draft: Cowboys
Key Offseason Additions
The Cowboys signed linebacker Eric Kendricks and defensive back CJ Goodwin during the 2024 offseason.
Key Offseason Losses
The Cowboys released wide receiver Michael Gallup this season. Their defense took a big hit in the offseason as DEs Dante Fowler and Dorance Armstrong Jr. and DTs Neville Gallimore and Jonathan Hankins were snapped up in free agency. Running back Tony Pollard is headed to the Titans, and center Tyler Biadasz signed with the Commanders after earning Pro Bowl honors in 2023.
Cowboys’ First Three Picks
The Cowboys badly need help in their offensive line and will opt to grab some young talent early in the draft to help beef up their pass protection. With Pollard gone, they will also be looking for a running back who can make an immediate impact on the field in 2024. The current contract standoff between Lamb and the Cowboys could also prompt Dallas to look for a high-ceiling wide receiver to work into the depth chart behind Lamb this season.
Round 1, Pick #24 — Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL, Oregon
The Cowboys will almost certainly go for a center or interior offensive lineman in the first round. Duke’s Graham Barton is another option here, but Powers-Johnson is likely going to be the best option on the board at this point in the draft. He won the Rimington Trophy for the best center in college football in 2023, and has the size and strength to quickly jump into the next level.
Round 2, Pick #56 — Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas
Brooks was a standout for Texas in 2023, and anyone who watched him play this season knows just how fast and explosive he is. Brooks is a dangerous weapon, but his draft stock took a hit when he tore his ACL in November and was unable to finish out the 2023 season. Brooks continues to rehab from the surgery and did not participate in the drills at the combine, but finished the 2023 season with over 1,100 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
Round 3, Pick #87 — Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington
Polk was somewhat overshadowed at Washington by Rome Odunze but could have been a WR1 at plenty of other top-tier programs this year. He finished the season with over 1,100 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Polk is a solid route-runner with good jump ball skills, though he is on the slower side among his fellow receivers in this draft class.