Cowboys' Worst-Case 2024 NFL Draft Scenarios
The Dallas Cowboys front office may have frustrated their fan base with a slow 2024 offseason to this point. The Cowboys have been one of the most quiet teams of the offseason so far.
That adds at least a little extra pressure for the Cowboys to come away with a draft class that generates some excitement when the draft goes down at the end of the month.
Unfortunately for Jerry Jones and Co. they only have so much control over how the board will fall when the draft kicks off on April 25.
Whether it's finding themselves at the end of a run on a specific position, they reach on a position or they make an ill-advised trade, these are the worst-case scenarios for the Cowboys with just a few weeks left before the draft.
Missing out on the Offensive Tackle Run in Round 1
1 of 3
It's good news for the Cowboys that this draft is absolutely loaded with high quality offensive line prospects. They have a clear need to find an early starter at either left guard or left tackle.
With Tyron Smith headed to the New York Jets, the Cowboys coaching staff should either be looking to move Tyler Smith back out to left tackle where he played as a rookie or they should be looking for a tackle in the first round.
Smith has clear potential to be an All-Pro guard. If they can find a worthy tackle prospect, it would make sense to keep him on the inside where he could follow in the footsteps of previous great Cowboys guards like Zack Martin and Larry Allen.
In a normal draft, it would be hard to expect to land that kind of tackle prospect with the 24th pick in the draft. However, there are six tackle prospects who rank in the top 37 prospects on our big board.
There are still scenarios that the Cowboys could miss out on one of those tackle prospects. Joe Alt, Olu Fashanu and JC Latham could all be top 10 picks. They went in the first 13 selections of our most recent mock draft.
In total, all six prospects ranked in the top 37 go in that first round projection and the Cowboys wind up with Amarius Mims. That would be just about perfect considering his immense upside and the potential value at No. 24.
However, the Steelers, Eagles and Bengals could all be threats to draft a tackle ahead of the Cowboys but didn't in our scenario.
If all three go with tackles it would create an earlier-than-expected run that would leave the Cowboys in the dark.
Reaching on a Running Back
2 of 3
If there's a team in the league that should understand the shifting value of running backs in the league it's the Dallas Cowboys.
They saw the questionable value of Ezekiel Elliott's massive contract extension a few years ago. They showed some of the wisdom they gained after watching Tony Pollard's production plummet last season and opting to let him go to the Tennessee Titans this offseason.
All of that experience would be for naught if the Cowboys turn around and draft a running back too early.
There's no first-round prospect in this year's class. The top running back prospect on our board is Audric Estimé. The powerful Notre Dame back also doesn't go until the third round in the scouting department's "what they would do" mock draft.
In that mock draft, the Cowboys ignore their need at running back for the first three rounds of the draft but still wind up with Georgia tackle Amarius Mims, West Virginia center Zach Frazier and Oregon wide receiver Tony Franklin.
Addressing the offensive line and grabbing a third receiver who could blossom into a good No. 2 alongside CeeDee Lamb is a good return with their first three picks. Reaching with their second or third-round pick on this draft class could be a regrettable mistake.
Drafting Jackson Powers-Johnson in the First Round
3 of 3
Jackson Powers-Johnson is a good player. He's the No. 1 ranked center on the scouting department's big board and he's likely to have a successful career.
He's also one of the safest picks in this year's draft.
But safe isn't necessarily what the Cowboys need. This is a team that should be pushing to make a deep run in this year's playoffs. It's fair to wonder if using a first-round pick to find a starter at center when they have a need at left guard or left tackle is a good use of the resource.
As good as Powers-Johnson is, there are other starting caliber centers in the class who will go later. Zach Frazier, for instance, "projects as a long-term, dependable starter at the pivot," per B/R scout Brandon Thorn's scouting report.
There's a lot of pressure on this year's Cowboys team. Mike McCarthy has yet to take this team on a deep playoff run and Dak Prescott is in the final year of his contract.
Finding a starting left tackle would be something that moves the needle. Even pulling a surprise pick and adding some firepower to the offense could push this team to the next level.
Upgrading over what Tyler Biadasz gave this team at center last season would be nice. But it's also not going to push them to the next level.
Center is a need that should be addressed outside of the top 32 picks.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
