Cowboys' Players Who Will Be Most Impacted by 2024 NFL Draft Picks
Fans, front office types and the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff will be glued to the NFL draft board in just a few weeks. The 2024 NFL draft is set to kick off with the first round on April 25.
Certain Cowboys players should also be keeping a close eye on the proceedings. It's an angle that isn't always discussed a lot, but the Cowboys decisions over the three-day draft event are bound to significantly impact more than one player on the roster.
From players whose job might be on the line or might wind up with a different role to players who just need more talent around them, these three Cowboys should take a special interest in this year's draft.
OL Tyler Smith
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If you look at mock drafts from across the NFL draft coverage landscape, the majority of mock drafts have the Cowboys looking for an offensive lineman in the first round. According to NFL Mock Draft Database, Amarius Mims, Tyler Guyton and Graham Barton are the three most popular selections.
All three have a top-32 grade on our latest big board. Mims and Guyton are both talented tackles who might need some time to develop. Barton is a versatile lineman who is likely better suited inside at guard but could play any of the five positions.
Fortunately for the Cowboys, Tyler Smith's versatility makes it easier for the Cowboys to draft the best lineman available.
As a rookie, Tyler Smith moved over to left tackle when Tyron Smith went down with an injury. He played well there and showed that he could find a future home on the edge. However, he moved back inside to left guard this season and was a second-team All-Pro selection.
The Cowboys will need to make a decision whether they want Smith to play at tackle where he could be a perennial Pro Bowler or kick inside where he could be an All-Pro guard.
The player they draft in the first round could be the deciding factor. Ultimately, the Cowboys have to put the best five linemen on the field. Who they draft will tell us what they think about Smith's position moving forward.
RB Rico Dowdle
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The Dallas Cowboys backfield is going to look very different regardless of how the draft plays out. Tony Pollard led the way with 307 total touches and is now a Tennessee Titan.
Despite a ton of quality running backs on the market, the Cowboys were quiet in free agency. That leaves Rico Dowdle—who was second on the team with 106 touches—as the logical lead back going into the draft.
The good news for Dowdle is that this is a relatively weak running back class at the top. There is no Bijan Robinson or even Jahmyr Gibbs-level prospect. Audric Estimé is our top-ranked back and he's 43rd on the big board.
Still, there are a few backs in this year's group that could be the lead back in a committee. Trey Benson, Braelon Allen and Jonathon Brooks round out the list of players who have a 7.0 grade or higher.
On the scale that the B/R scouting department uses a 7.0-7.4 signifies a High-Level Backup / Potential Starter.
If the Cowboys draft one of those backs or even takes one in the third it would likely mean a shift down in Dowdle's projected role.
WR Jalen Tolbert
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When the Cowboys used a third-round pick to take Jalen Tolbert in the 2022 draft, it was assumed that he was going to become a productive element of the offense. There was a clear path to playing time in his rookie season in a good offense.
Instead, Tolbert was a non-factor in the offense, catching two passes for 12 yards while playing just 89 offensive snaps. He saw his role increase a little bit last season, playing 40 percent of the offensive snaps and coming down with 22 of 36 targets for 268 yards and two touchdowns.
The Cowboys released Michael Gallup this offseason so there's still an opening for the third receiver. CeeDee Lamb is easily No. 1 and Brandin Cooks will be No. 2 for at least this season. He's in the final year of his contract.
That sets up a potential need at wide receiver for the Cowboys. There are more pressing needs so they might not address it early. How early they draft one might be directly related to how they feel about Tolbert.
If they believe Tolbert is going to make a leap in his third year, they could put the position on the backburner. But this is a relatively deep receiver class. They could target someone like Troy Franklin, Devontez Walker or Jermaine Burton could all bring deep speed to the table and be an eventual replacement for Cooks.
That would be a signal that the Cowboys have given up on Tolbert.
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