Cowboys' Worst-Case 2023 NFL Draft Scenarios

The Dallas Cowboys have done pretty well in the draft in recent years with picks like Micah Parsons and Tyler Smith.

The Cowboys' last two first-round picks have become building blocks of the franchise. Parsons is a legitimate superstar already, while Smith proved he is a good starter at left guard last season with the opportunity to eventually move out to tackle.

The Cowboys have to continue hitting on early picks to build a Super Bowl contender, though. They are among the teams in the league paying market price for their franchise quarterback.

Those teams have to continue to find good players who will remain valuable on team-friendly rookie deals for four years.

Of course, the Cowboys only have so much control over how the draft plays out before they are on the clock. Here are some of the bad scenarios that could come to pass with the Cowboys entering the draft with the 26th pick.

Taking Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 26

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 31: Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jahmyr Gibbs (1) runs during pregame warmups before the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Kansas State Wildcats on December 31, 2022 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Texas running back Bijan Robinson is a popular mock draft selection for the Cowboys. It makes some sense. With Ezekiel Elliott gone and Tony Pollard set to play on the franchise tag, Dallas doesn't have a long-term plan in place.

Robinson is the fourth overall player on the Bleacher Report big board. If the running back position wasn't so devalued in the draft, it would be impossible for a player of Robinson's caliber to fall to the Cowboys at No. 26.

It still might not happen. There are plenty of possible destinations before Jerry Jones and Co. are on the clock.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles stand out as possible teams who could be interested before them.

That would leave Jahmyr Gibbs as the next best back available on our board. That doesn't make him a good choice for the Cowboys in the first round, though.

Gibbs is a 5'9", 199-pound back with home run potential and burst combined with the hands and athleticism to be a weapon in the receiving game. If that sounds familiar to Cowboys fans, it's because it's a lot of the same terminology you would use to describe Tony Pollard.

That's the problem. There's too much overlap between Gibbs and Pollard as players, and the Cowboys' first-round pick would be better spent on other needs.

Passing on Michael Mayer

AP Photo/Darron Cummings

Notre Dame's Michael Mayer (87) runs past Boston College defensive back Jaiden Woodbey during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

The Dallas Cowboys need another high-quality target for Dak Prescott. They also need a tight end. Those two players don't necessarily have to be the same person, but if Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer is on the board, it could be.

The Cowboys didn't get a great season out of Dalton Schultz and let him walk in free agency. Taking a slot receiver in the first round shouldn't be out of the equation, either. They would do well to add a credible threat to the receiver group which now includes CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Brandin Cooks.

Mayer is the No. 1 tight end on B/R's big board, but he's been falling in mock drafts recently. Early in the draft cycle, it was hard to find many mocks that didn't include Mayer in the mid-to-early first round. Now, he seems to have lost some ground to Dalton Kincaid and even Darnell Washington.

The Cowboys shouldn't let him slide past No. 26, though.

First-round tight ends are usually a luxury, but Mayer has the skill set to take this offense to the next level. His potential as an every-down tight end who could be an elite receiving option and good blocker makes him a perfect fit for Dallas.

Letting him slip by would be a mistake.

Taking Drew Sanders at No. 26

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FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - NOVEMBER 05: Drew Sanders #42 of the Arkansas Razorbacks looks over the offense during a game against the Liberty Flames at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on November 5, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Flames defeated the Razorbacks 21-19. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Drew Sanders is one of the most intriguing defensive prospects in this year's draft. And there are a few reasons to think that Jerry Jones might be interested in adding him to the Cowboys roster.

For starters, the Arkansas Razorback shares an alma mater with Jones. Then there's the fact that he's similar to Micah Parsons coming out of college in that he has the versatility to play as an off-ball linebacker or line up on the edge.

According to PFF, Sanders played 710 defensive snaps in the box but lined up on the defensive line 108 times in his final season. However, he played there exclusively in 2021 with 270 snaps.

Ironically, he was much more productive as a pass-rusher in his last season. He racked up 9.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss.

The problem is that Sanders so closely mirrors Parsons' skill set that it doesn't make actual sense for the team that has Parsons to draft him. They already have a young edge defender in Sam Williams who could develop into a star, and the first round is too early to take Sanders if he's just going to be an off-ball linebacker.