Dallas Cowboys 2025 draft: Fixing the roster through the draft

Hoe the Cowboys can fix their roster holes in the draft

The Dallas Cowboys have many roster holes going into the season and with the NFL Draft just around the corner this would be a great place to restock and rebuild. Let’s try fixing the roster by looking at the ideal prospect to take in each round and make this the “best-fix” solution draft. All players taken have to be realistic here (we used the Mock Draft Database), and it’s no trades as we try and find the best player for each pick given what the team has to play with.

ROUND 1 (12)

Tetairoa McMillan
WR
Arizona

The Cowboys lose Brandin Cooks and need a viable WR2 to complement CeeDee Lamb. The team has a great collection of WR3’s and WR4’s but lacks a true number two or a possession type receiver on the outside. McMillan is the best X-receiver in the draft and fills a huge need on the Cowboys offense. Since the departure of Dez Bryant this team has missed having that big, physical boundary receiver on the outside and they don’t get much better in this year’s class than the Arizona prospect. The wide receiver talent-shelf drops off fast this year, so grabbing a position of need that has a low amount of depth in the draft makes this a smart move to get in early.

ROUND 2 (44)

Omarion Hampton
Running back
North Carolina

For some scouts, Omarion Hampton is the best running back and that doesn’t seem crazy when you break it down. Ashton Jeanty dominated last season and did so in the Mountain West. He did face a solid defense at the end of the season in Penn State and go watch that game, it will leave you asking questions. Add the fact Jeanty has 750 carries under his belt in college, you have to be concerned about the wear-and-tear already. Hampton offers a solution in the second round, and a very talented solution. He blew the combine out the water, finishing with a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.61, that’s about as perfect as you can get. His 10-yard split and broad jump were both in the 97th percentile which shows his explosiveness which is seen often on tape. He’s an immediate three-down starter and his violent running style and insane contact balance will punish defenders for years to come.

ROUND 3 (76)

Wyatt Milum
Offensive Tackle
West Virginia

So far it’s all offense, but don’t panic defensive help is coming up. The offensive line is the foundation of any team and last year the Cowboys foundation was best described as rocky. Running the ball was a hard task for most of the season and the right hand side of the line really struggled in that regard. By taking Milum here it solidifies the line and gives the team options. Should Guyton stay on the left then Milum offers a solution at right tackle to take over from Terence Steele who really had issues in run-blocking last season. Or maybe the coaches choose to push Guyton to his natural position and play Milum on the left. The good news is Milum has played snaps on both sides, and in his last three years playing at West Virginia he allowed zero sacks. He also finished last season with a run-blocking grade of 89.2 and a pass blocking grade of 92.5. He’s a steal in the third round.

ROUND 5 (149)

David Walker
Defensive End
Central Arkansas

With no fourth round pick it’s a long wait for the Cowboys first pick on Day 3. The best way to start is with a small school guy that’s going a little under the radar. Sure, competition level is a concern with David Walker, but he was insanely productive at Central Arkansas. He left the Bears with a career of 152 pressures and 37 sacks over a three-year period, that’s some wild production. But he proved in the Senior Bowl he could hang with the big guys and actually looked like one of the stars during the week. The Cowboys love Senior Bowl standouts and Walker ticks that box immediately. Adding to his appeal is his combine results where he looked great during the on-field workout. But at 265 pounds he ran a 40-yard time of 4.69s (88th percentile), made a vertical of 35” (84th percentile), cranked out 26 reps on the bench (84th percentile), and finished his agility drills that ranks in the 77th percentile. He fills a huge need for Dallas, all nicely bundled with the 150th pick.

ROUND 5 (171)

Kobe King
Linebacker
Penn State

The Cowboys added to the linebacker position through a trade and free agency, and it helps to fill the void left by Eric Kendricks while DeMarvion Overshown will miss time during the 2025 season. Marist Liufau has given fans optimism and played great in Overshown’s place, but this Cowboys defense needs all the help it can get at run stopping. King is a rock solid run-stuffing MIKE linebacker and that’s exactly what Dallas needs for the future. He may not flash great speed or agility, and he has struggles in pass coverage, but as a run defender you won’t find much better in Day 3 than King. He made 97 total tackles last year along with nine tackles for loss and three sacks.

ROUND 5 (174)

Kyle McCord
Quarterback
Syracuse

Stephen Jones announced the team is in the market for a quarterback in the draft, and Cooper Rush has now signed with another team. Kyle McCord had a great 2024 season which was capped off by proving his skills at the Shrine Bowl and easily being the standout player during the week. He finished last season ranking first nationally in pass completions (391), passing yards (4,779), and ranked fifth in the nation in passing touchdowns (34). Sure there’s some work to do, mostly with his decision making. But he can sit and learn while being groomed for the future.

ROUND 6 (204)

Mello Dotson
Cornerback
Kansas

With Jourdan Lewis gone the cornerback position needs players and depth. Mello Dotson primarily lines up as an outside cornerback, but with question marks on Trevon Diggs with his health, Dotson could certainly help out. He has a great sense of where to find the ball and his production speaks for itself. In the last three years, Dotson has racked up 11 interceptions, four pick-sixes and 24 pass breakups. Those are wild numbers. His issues lay in athleticism which is why you’ll find him this far down in the draft. He’s not fast and lacks functional strength. He’s a guy that needs some work with the strength and conditioning team, then you have a solid cornerback for years to come.

ROUND 6 (211)

Nazir Stackhouse
Defensive Tackle
Georgia

With Osa Odighizuwa signing his contract extension, inside defensive line need is down a little, not completely though. The team still needs numbers and a solid nose tackle behind Mazi Smith. Nazir Stackhouse doesn’t just have a great defensive tackle name, he’s a solid run stopper. At 6’4” and 327 pound, he’s an object that is hard to move. He’s strong, anchors better than most in this year’s class and is a very smart player. He helped Georgia to two national championships and in the last three years he registered 84 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 44 defensive stops. He earned a run defense grade of 83.1 by PFF and this far down in the draft he makes for a great value pick. The reason he’s deemed a sixth-round talent is no pass rush. But let’s get the run defense fixed, sack numbers was not the problem last year.

ROUND 6 (239)

Tahj Brooks
Running back
Texas Tech

What better way to add to the firepower provided by Hampton and Javonte Williams than with a complementary back like Brooks. Another violent, downhill runner that may not be athletically gifted but will carve up defenses with his sharp cuts and instinctual running. He’s a safe runner with defenders finding it hard to dislodge the ball and he has a great knack of always finding yards on broken or well-defended plays. He’s like a viscous bowling ball knocking everything down in his path.

ROUND 7 (247)

R.J. Mickens
Safety
Clemson

There are some questions at safety with both Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson. Both have concerns with their production and how their future looks in Dallas. Wilson is in a contract year so covering him both this year and what ever happens beyond is a smart plan. Getting an athletic free safety to learn off a guy like Hooker for a year would be a great move here with Mickens. His 40-yard time of 4.49s (84th percentile) shows functional speed, but his vertical of 41.5” (98th percentile) is something the Cowboys defense will want to tap into. He’s explosive, has great change-of-direction skills and has shown good versatility at the safety position in Clemson. He needs coaching on pursuit angles and tackling, which is why he’s ranked so low. But he gets that down then Dallas could be onto something with Mickens.