Photo by Patrick Mulligan/Getty Images Tetairoa McMillan could be Dallas’ ideal target in the first-round. With the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine now in the books, more information is out there to help further evaluate top prospects available in this year’s draft. This event has also shaken up some of the draft rankings, which is why we will see more mock drafts start to pop up around the Internet. One that could be of particular interest to the Dallas Cowboys is from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, who predicted them landing the top wide receiver in the 2025 draft class with their first-round pick (12th overall) in his post-combine mock draft. 12. Dallas Cowboys: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona Outside of CeeDee Lamb, where is the juice coming from in the Cowboys’ offense? McMillan could provide some. With his rangy catch radius and ball skills, he is a quarterback-friendly target who is open even when covered. Tetairoa McMillan sliding into the Dallas Cowboys lap at No. 12 could possibly be a dream come true. The 6’5″, 210-pound WR would be a perfect pairing for CeeDee Lamb and give Dak Prescott another go-to target in the passing game. But, this scenario also presents the perfect trade down opportunity if they want to acquire more draft capital. McMillan is probably one of the few players teams would be willing to trade up for this year. In a weak WR draft class, the former Arizona WR is still considered the top-ranked player at the position despite not competing at the combine. For teams looking for a new WR1, he’s one of the few players in this draft class who fits the bill. Depending on how for Dallas would be willing to trade down, they could acquire anything from a fourth-round to a second-round draft pick, or some combination in that pick range. This could create an interesting dilemma for the Cowboys. On one hand, McMillan would give the Cowboys another receiving weapon with a WR1 ceiling. On the other, Dallas could choose to trade down in order to acquire more draft capital to fill more of their roster needs. An argument could be made for either scenario.

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images The NFL Combine adjusted how we view certain draft prospects. With this year’s NFL scouting combine signed, sealed and delivered, it’s time to look at how the prospects did. Plenty of risers have made themselves known, but also a handful of prospects seriously underwhelmed. Here are our top five risers and fallers from the combine that could have been prospects of interest for the Cowboys. Risers Shemar StewartDefensive LineTexas A&M Stewart came into the combine already carrying a moniker of being an athletic freak and has some serious talent as an edge defender. He completely dominated the testing phase and made the biggest impact during the week-long event, finishing with a perfect RAS Score of 10.00. At 265 pounds, Stewart pulled off an impressive 1.58s 10-yard split that was polished off with an even more impressive 40-yard dash time of 4.59s. On the jumps, Stewart was even more eye-popping and hopped a vert of 40”, then exploded a broad jump of 10’ 11” which is insane. Add his measurables and also some smooth drills, and Stewart fits a need at defensive line for Dallas and ticks a whole host of boxes to fit right in. Keep an eye on his name during the 30-visits and Dallas Day. Bhayshul TutenRunning BackVirginia Tech Tuten showcased exceptional speed at the combine, recording the fastest 40-yard dash among running backs at 4.32 seconds (98th percentile). His athleticism was on full display with a 1.49s 10-yard split and had vertical and broad jumps that were both in the 98th percentile. His skill set and speed has the potential to contribute immediately and should have caught the attention of the Cowboys’ scouting department. With running back a need and Tuten sitting currently with a fourth-round grade, selecting him early with a third-round pick would be a great selection for Dallas that has no pick in Day 3 until the fifth-round. Matthew GoldenWide ReceiverHouston Golden solidified his status as a first-round prospect by leading all wide receivers with a 4.29-second 40-yard dash. His speed and playmaking ability could provide the Cowboys with a deep-threat option, complementing their existing receiving corps and filling the loss of Brandin Cooks was brought in to be a downfield threat. Texas WR Matthew Golden was a ⭐️ at the NFL Combine. Could he be the No. 1 WR taken? pic.twitter.com/HQIrPvU8hX — DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) March 3, 2025 Jahdae BarronCornerbackTexas Barron’s versatility in the defensive backfield was on display at the combine. Having played both cornerback and nickel positions at Texas (playing the “Star” role), he possesses adaptability that the Cowboys’ defense could really utilize this season. His ability to perform in multiple roles makes him a valuable asset for teams seeking depth and flexibility in their secondary. With questions on Trevor Diggs’ health and Jourdan Lewis’ free agency, taking a skilled and multifaceted defensive back like Barron would be a smart move. Likely best suited to the slot or nickelback position in the NFL, at worst Barron fits in nicely as Lewis’ replacement. Texas CB Jahdae Barron on his formal combine meeting with the Cowboys pic.twitter.com/tGPnBjgNlo — Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) February 28, 2025 Jihaad CampbellLinebackerAlabama Campbell’s athleticism and performance at the combine have elevated his draft stock on a monumental scale. He clocked a 4.52-second 40-yard dash, ranking as the third-best time of the day. Interestingly, the two athletes who outpaced him both weighed more than 10 pounds less. Just as important for Campbell were the on-field drills where he moved very fluidly and proved he has some pass rush upside. His potential to enhance the Cowboys’ linebacker corps makes him a prospect worth considering, especially with the fact that DeMarvion Overshown will miss the majority of the season and Eric Kendricks is likely to move on with the departure of Mike Zimmer. That leaves Marist Liufau as the only linebacker on roster who took significant snaps last season. Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell showing he’s one to watch. 4.52u 40 : #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork : Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/0UILXnX7S1 — NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2025 Fallers Tyler BookerGuardAlabama Booker was considered as the top guard prospect in the draft before the combine, but his struggles were apparent all day and his athletic testing gave a dangerously low RAS Score of just 3.93. What was just as concerning was his issues during the various drills, showing balance and technique problems which will have led to a reevaluation of his draft value. His underwhelming performance has already resulted in a slide down draft boards for most teams, Dallas more than likely following that trend. The hope for some fans was Booker could be the future replacement for the recently retired Zack Martin. Now, Will McClay and company will need to reevaluate and find a suitable inside offensive lineman in later rounds. Will HowardQuarterbackOhio State The Cowboys are in the market for a backup quarterback in this year’s draft. Stephen Jones let the world know of this fact last week. One player of interest before the combine would have been Will Howard from Ohio State. Despite a stellar collegiate career, Howard struggled with accuracy during the combine, missing multiple passes, including deep throws. Take into account Howard was throwing to open receivers with no defense on the field or pressure in his face adds to this concerning revelation. This unexpected performance led to widespread criticism and could affect his draft position. For any Buckeye fans wanting to see their National Champion quarterback play in Dallas, be prepared to feel deflated. Yikes: Ohio State QB Will Howard has gone viral for what fans are saying is the worst combine performance of all time. Howard’s draft stock pic.twitter.com/98iG2bLLY7 — Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 2, 2025 Jamaree CaldwellDefensive LinemanOregon Caldwell’s lackluster testing and concerns about his physical attributes, such as limited length, have negatively impacted his draft outlook. His performance at the combine did little to alleviate these concerns and his stock will take a huge hit after watching what he put together.

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images Who wants to see the Dallas Cowboys trade down? The Dallas Cowboys have the 12th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. It will be the first time in four years that they will pick inside the first 24 picks of the draft. Only once over the last nine drafts have they picked in the first half of the first round and that was in 2021 when they selected Micah Parsons 12th overall. Typically, the Cowboys are picking near the end of the round, but due to their losing season last year, they are moving on up. They rarely get this type of opportunity, so hopefully they can really make it count. What the Cowboys do at 12 is a big mystery. They are sitting in a position to possibly land one of this year’s blue chip players. And if they find themselves on the clock and their sixth or seventh ranked player is still there, bingo! A great Day 1 of the draft they will have. But what if that is not the case? What if they get to pick 12 and all the top guys are gone, and they have a cluster of players to choose from who are all graded out similarly. Then what? If that is the case, the Cowboys should give serious consideration in trading back in the first round. They should still be able to get a player they want and grab some extra draft capital in the process. That is exactly what they did last year when they moved back in the first round from 26 to 29 and scored an extra third-round pick that they used to select Cooper Beebe (73rd overall). They also did this in 2021 when they moved from 10 to 12 and again picked up an extra third-round pick used to select Chauncey Golston (84th overall). If the Cowboys decided to move back, here is an idea of what they could get in return according to the NFL Trade Value Chart created by Drafttek. The 14th overall pick + an early fourth-round pick The 16th overall pick + a mid third-round pick The 21st overall pick + a mid second-round pick Do any of these trade options interest you? The Cowboys are a team that has elite talent at the top of the roster who command high prices. Those costs will get even higher when Micah Parsons and Tyler Smith get their soon-to-be coming extensions. And with Osa Odighizuwa already retained, there’s a lot of pie already allocated. With all these added costs, the Cowboys must rely on many young guys playing on low-cost rookie deals. Acquiring extra draft capital will help them address more areas on their roster. The Cowboys don’t have a fourth-round pick this year, nor did they have one last year, but they have something even better. They have better draft capital. They can turn quality into quantity and turn things into better picks than they had a year ago, thanks to that very powerful 12th overall pick. Of course, all of this is predicated on the assumption that there isn’t a huge blinking light flashing for them when pick 12 rolls around, but if that light’s not there, they should be willingly working the phones on Day 1.

Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. Zack Martin emotionally-charged Cowboys’ retirement speech: ‘I gave it everything I had’ – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com The future Hall of Famer bid an emotional goodbye to football. Martin reflected on his time with the Cowboys as a player and his impact on the Dallas community. “What a privilege it is for the Dallas Cowboys to have you having been the player you’ve been, and the only team you’ve ever played for in professional sports,” said owner and general manager Jerry Jones before comparing him to the greatest offensive lineman in NFL history. “We’re honored … and we all know the great Larry Allen is someone we’re proud of. I wanna tell you right now, having known him personally and being involved in every kind of serious decision he was involved in, you guys are twins. “You’re twins. And you’ve had the same deep-seated respect for your fellow teammates and for what you were trying to contribute for the team to win. We all know everybody calls Larry the greatest, well, now we’ve got a debate coming on.” As a list of current and former teammates filed into The Star in Frisco to honor him — e.g., Dak Prescott, Tony Romo, Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and many, many others who shared a field with The GOB — the solemn celebration featured everything from tears flowing to laughs ensuing as Martin and the Joneses remembered the drama of the 2014 draft that landed the former in Dallas at the expense of quarterback Johnny Manziel. “It was an absolute privilege to run out of the tunnel every Sunday and give this city everything I had,” he said, clearing his throat often out of emotion. “I know many of you may have seen this decision coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Football has been a huge part of my life. “It’s what I know. It’s what I love. It’s what has shaped me for as long as I can remember. I did not make this decision lightly. It comes after a long thought and prayer. But the time has come for my football journey to reach its end.” Jerry Jones brought to tears speaking on Dallas Cowboys legend – Ali Jawad, Sports Illustrated Zack Martin wasn’t the only emotional person on stage at his retirement press conference. It was 11 years ago that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones walked out of the war room at the Valley Ranch headquarters because he felt his team and son executive VP Stephen Jones made the wrong decision during the 2014 NFL Draft. Rather than selecting the exciting and crowd-drawing Johnny Manziel, the Cowboys selected a guard named Zack Martin with the 16th overall pick out of Notre Dame. “The reason you’re sitting in the middle, I think, is because they wanted to separate me and Stephen [Jones] because I still have knots on my chin from him kicking me under the table when we were sitting there discussing that draft day,” Jones said jokingly with Martin sitting between the two at his retirement presser. Now fast forward 11 years, nine All-Pros, and Pro Bowl selection’s later, an emotional Jones could only sit and listen as he enjoyed every bit of the moment of reflection while the future hall of fame Martin was delivering his retirement speech. “This room today, I think, is gathered for an appreciation of a person who has taken all the things this [organization] stands for, Jones said. “All that we’re interested in, why we get up, and why we spend our time focused the way we do. If you sum up all the things this room is interested in. Tony Romo, sitting over there, many of your former colleagues, former players who played with you, are here. But if you take the common interest that we have in this room, that’s why we are here to recognize you for a great career. Just as he [Zack Martin] was concise and efficient in his remarks that covered so many, many accomplishments.” “The player you are, the person you are, the leader you are, your unique inner play with the part of our time together has been exemplary, unsurpassed, yet very competitive and very strong,” Jones said. Cowboys Big-Name Cap Moves Clear Way To Sign Super Bowl Linebacker – Anthony Goss, AthlonSports.com Let’s just, for a brief moment, fantasize about Dallas making free agency moves. Dallas has gotten active in the days leading up to the start of free agency. They made the deal for Odighizuwa, but also brought back C.J. Godwin, Juanyeh Thomas and Brock Hoffman. These were all in response to the bigger moves made behind the scenes. The Cowboys have “flipped the switch” on Dak Prescott’s and CeeDee Lamb’s contracts, restructuring them in ways that now open up more cap space for the team to use potentially this offseason. Some of those resources will go into an expected contract extension for Micah Parsons, but also open up avenues for the team to build through free agency if they choose. As they explore the market, there are needs to be filled across the board, but could the Cowboys try to beef up their defense with another linebacker? Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton is set to hit free agency and could be an option for Dallas. Bolton turned in another solid season in 2024 with 106 total tackles and three sacks, also recovering two fumbles. He may not drive an extremely high price in free agency, so if he wants out of Kansas City, the Cowboys have good reason to show interest. Cowboys restructure Prescott and Lamb deals, but any impact on free agency is murky – Schuyler Dixon, Associated Press Jerry Jones tries to temper expectations for free agency. The Dallas Cowboys created nearly $57 million in salary cap space by restructuring the contracts of star quarterback Dak Prescott and his top receiver, CeeDee Lamb. It remains to be

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The pass rusher market saw a big-time deal drop on Wednesday which will certainly be relevant in Micah Parsons conversations. The NFL pass rusher market saw a new name rise to the top on Wednesday, something that the Dallas Cowboys are going to have to pay serious attention relative to Micah Parsons. It was reported that the Las Vegas Raiders were taking care of Maxx Crosby with a three-year deal worth $106.5M. From an AAV standpoint this puts Crosby at $35.5M per year and north of Nick Bosa’s AAV of $34M. Crosby is now the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback. Las Vegas Raiders are signing Pro Bowl DE Maxx Crosby to a three-year, $106.5 million extension that includes $91.5 guaranteed, making him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history, per sources. For the third time in four years, the Raiders are addressing the contract of… pic.twitter.com/TKdIQdqqia — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 5, 2025 As noted, the Cowboys are likely paying attention to this as they are going to have to get a deal done with Micah Parsons sooner or later. It would stand to reason that sooner would the choice here, but Jerry Jones went on record on Wednesday after Zack Martin’s retirement press conference to say that sooner doesn’t have to be the case as far as free agency is concerned. Still though, the Cowboys are acting a little bit differently in terms of action. Between Tuesday and Wednesday they cleared over $55M in salary cap space with restructures to the Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb deals, that has to theoretically be earmarked for something. With Parsons it is still all a negotiation, and he likely has things that he wants from an extension with the team. Jerry also touched on that on Wednesday. Jerry Jones speaking on what could prevent the Cowboys from getting a deal done with Micah Parsons ahead of free agency, as he’s pleaded for publicly in recent months: “Those are a part of his cards. To talk about time and to be available for time, those are part of the cards to… — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) March 5, 2025 It should be noted that a Parsons extension would also save the Cowboys salary cap space as they could convert his 2025 cap number to the league minimum and spread things out over the future. This is why we advocated for them to take care of Lamb and Prescott as soon as possible last year and even back in 2022. For what it’s worth, the Crosby deal does not seem to be something that is going to move the Cowboys to act faster than they feel comfortable. Can confirm the Cowboys have restructured Dak Prescott’s deal per team sources. As Micah Parsons told me this week, his agent is handling things with Cowboys but when I asked the team if there is a rush now to get a deal done in midst of Maxx Crosby contract I was told “not… — Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) March 5, 2025 The pass rusher market could still see some bumps as Myles Garrett and Trey Hendrickson lurk as other names to watch for new deals. It always stood to reason that Parsons was going to come in north of Bosa and probably even north of what Crosby just got, even if he is on record in saying he will take less for the Cowboys (his agent likely disagrees with that). The obvious next step is to swallow the pill and get it done as soon as possible.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The latest news from around the division. Darius Slay landing spots: Best fits for veteran CB with Eagles releasing him after Super Bowl win – Tyler Sullivan, CBS Sports Philadelphia has their first notable cap casualty of the offseason. The Philadelphia Eagles are releasing veteran cornerback Darius Slay, according to CBS Sports lead NFL Insider Jonathan Jones. This ends a decorated five-season stint with Philadelphia, which included three Pro Bowl nods and, most recently, a win in Super Bowl LIX. The writing was on the wall for Slay’s tenure to come to a close with the Eagles this offseason since the 34-year-old was entering the final year of his contract. On top of entering what would’ve been a lame-duck year, there was also no guaranteed money left on his contract, which further emphasized either his release or a restructuring of some sort. The club has since opted for the former, and Slay will now enter the open market. As ESPN reports, the Eagles will be releasing Slay with a post-June 1 designation, which means the organization will clear $4.3 million off its salary cap this offseason. Slay joined the Eagles in March of 2020 when the club executed a trade with the Detroit Lions, who drafted him in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State. During his time in Detroit, Slay established himself as one of the league’s top corners, earning three Pro Bowl nods and a first-team All-Pro honor in 2017 after co-leading the league in interceptions. This past regular season, Slay started in all 14 of his games played, notching 49 tackles, 13 pass breakups, and one forced fumble. In coverage, he allowed an 81.9 passer rating and a 54.7 completion percentage when targeted. During Philadelphia’s playoff run to a Super Bowl LIX title, Slay started all four postseason games and totaled five pass breakups and an interception. Newest Washington Commanders’ star Deebo Samuel breaks silence on weight issues – Darius Hayes, SI.com The Deebo Samuel trade has brought up conditioning issues. Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel has responded to concerns about his weight, which have followed him throughout his career. The Commanders’ newest offensive weapon faced speculation that he entered the 2024 season nearly 20 pounds overweight, an issue that had been on the 49ers’ radar since he arrived in the NFL. Matt Barrows of The Athletic noted that Washington had also been aware of the challenges tied to Samuel’s conditioning. “I’m not going to say the number, but I asked what was Deebo’s high point weight-wise last season, and it meshes with what you said a couple of weeks ago. It got really high, and there may have been reasons for that—not able to work out because of pneumonia, not able to work out because of injuries. But that’s a concern. I think the 49ers had that concern the minute he showed up in Santa Clara in 2019, and it never fully went away.” Samuel, never one to stay silent on criticism, took to social media to clarify the issue. He revealed his weight reached 225 pounds last season, attributing the increase to a battle with pneumonia and injuries that limited his ability to train. “225 to be exact… Can’t wait till this season start. Fresh start new Bo.” Matthew Stafford Rejected Lucrative Offer From Giants, NFL Host Says – Karl Rasmussen, Sports Illustrated It seems New York still made a valiant push to land Stafford, but lost the bidding war. The Matthew Stafford sweepstakes came to an end over the weekend when the veteran quarterback agreed to a new deal to remain with the Los Angeles Rams. Various teams had expressed interest in trading for Stafford and subsequently signing him to a new contract, but ultimately he opted to remain in L.A. Among the teams that were in pursuit of the 37-year-old were the New York Giants, who are in the market for a quarterback after parting ways with Daniel Jones last year. While they missed out on Stafford, it wasn’t for lack of trying. According to NFL Network host Rich Eisen, the Giants not only matched the Rams’ trade demands for Stafford, they also offered him a more lucrative contract than the deal he signed with Los Angeles. Despite that, Stafford chose to return to the Rams. “I heard the Giants and Raiders’ interest in Matthew Stafford was quite real, and it was hairy at certain junctures last week. And I heard the Giants hit the number… and they hit the trade comp, too. They were in,” said Eisen on The Rich Eisen Show. “The Giants even hired [Stafford’s] brother in law, Chad Hall, on the coaching staff. And so, they really made a run.” “I think at the end of the day, the Staffords like looking at the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean, and it’s, when it all comes down to it, it’s the best spot for him [to win],” said Eisen. Precisely what New York was willing to part with in order to land Stafford remains unclear, but Eisen indicates that they met the Rams’ asking price and also offered the veteran quarterback a hefty contract, though they still came up short.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports The Dallas Cowboys restructured Dak Prescott’s deal and created even more salary cap space. The Dallas Cowboys flicked their magic wand on Wednesday afternoon and created over $35M in salary cap space thanks to a restructure of Dak Prescott’s contract. Sometimes it really is that easy. The Cowboys have restructured Dak Prescott’s contract, opening up $36.6 million in cap space, per source. That’s $56.6 million created in the last two days with the CeeDee Lamb move, too. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) March 5, 2025 This news comes just one day after the Cowboys flicked their wand over CeeDee Lamb’s deal and created $20M in salary cap space. As Todd Archer did the math on, that is $56.5M created in a 24 hour period (approximating here). Again, that easy. To be clear here, these are moves that were very predictable. They were not predictable as of late, they were predictable the moment that the deals were negotiated late last year. This is all by design and is a common occurrence in the NFL. Restructures are mechanisms that the team employ and have nothing to do with the players in terms of decisions. No money is lost from the players, this is all about the accounting of things relative to the salary cap as noted. OverTheCap now has the Cowboys with the eighth-most salary cap space (actual and effective) in the NFL. That is more than enough to be active next week. OverTheCap Time will tell whether or not the Cowboys are gearing up to do something specific or if they are clearing this for other purposes. Jerry Jones threw cold water on the idea of being active in free agency after Zack Martin’s retirement press conference, but it is possible that it was some sort of gamesmanship. Next week will be… something.

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Combine standouts who could have caught the Cowboys attention. The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone. While some prospects took advantage of this event to boost their draft stock, others either did little to move the needle or saw their draft stock take a hit. Here are some of the top performers from the combine we think probably caught the Dallas Cowboys attention and should now be on the radar for the draft. The prospects listed below all play a position of “need” for the Cowboys and as such are players they should have their eye on. Iowa State WRs Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Iowa State has a pair of impressive receivers who the Cowboys could have their eye on after testing well in Indianapolis at the combine. Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are both expected to be Day 2 selections and either could upgrade the aerial attack. Higgins was compared to Texans WR Nico Collins after impressing with a 4.47 40-yard dash, a 39 inch vertical, and a 10’9″ broad jump at 6’4″, 214-pounds. Noel was compared to Emmanuel Sanders after recording a 41.5″ vertical, a 11’2″ broad jump, and an impressive 4.39 40-yard dash. Each one would bring something little different to Dallas’ passing game, making them both someone to keep an eye on. Texas WRs Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images The Texas Longhorns have a couple of wide receiver prospects the Cowboys could have their eyes on. Both Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond tested well at the combine and either could be of interest to them to upgrade their aerial attack if paired with CeeDee Lamb. Golden was considered a fringe first-round prospect prior to the combine, but after running a 4.29 second 40-yard dash may have locked himself into a Top 20 pick. While Bond didn’t break the 40-yard dash record time like he predicted, he still put up a very respectable 4.41 time and hit an impressive 24.5 mph on the gauntlet drill. RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images There are rumors some teams have Omarion Hampton as their top-ranked RB in the 2025 draft class and after his performance at the combine you can see why. At 221-pounds, he put up elite testing numbers in nearly every event. He had a 38 inch vertical, a 10’10” broad jump, and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds. Those testing numbers may make him a first-round lock and someone the Cowboys could target in a trade down scenario. RB Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Like Omarion Hampton, Quinshon Judkins proved to be one of the better size/speed running backs in Indianapolis. A bigger back at 221-pounds, Judkins impressed with his 4.48 40-yard dash, a 38.5 inch vertical jump, and his 11-foot broad jump. He is a powerful runner who was part of a RB tandem and Ohio State, but has the skill set of a starter at the next level. He’s someone to keep an eye on for the Cowboys in the second or third round. RB Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Bhayshul Tuten is a compact, explosive running back who really put on a show at the combine, putting up elite testing numbers. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash time among RBs clocking in at 4.32 seconds and recorded the best vertical jump at 40.5 inches. He also ranked fourth with a 10’10” broad jump. His speed and vision would make him a good fit as a potential Day 3 target.

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Hopefully the Cowboys are able to bring Rico Dowdle back. The Dallas Cowboys messaging this offseason has centered on returning to being a dominant run-first offense. Most mock drafts have the Cowboys in a prime position to draft running back Ashton Jeanty as their next franchise bell cow. However, the front office could look at drafting a running back that high as a waste of draft capital, given how deep the rookie running back class looks. Before the Cowboys are on the clock, they must figure out where to attack in free agency. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer discussed the importance of evaluating their in-house free agents before looking elsewhere. One of those players is Rico Dowdle, their leading rusher from 2024. The Cowboys do not have the most money to spend in free agency (and the front office would be happy to remind fans of that), but ESPN’s Dan Graziano says it sounds like Dallas hopes to retain Dowdle and pair him with a rookie back. Dallas also will look to add a dynamic player at running back to pair with Rico Dowdle, who finished the season strong for them. From the tea leaves already out there surrounding the Cowboys’ plans for draft weekend, it’s becoming clearer they have every intention of grabbing one of these rookie runners on either the first or second day of the draft. David Moore of The Dallas Morning News also mentioned the team would like to retain Dowdle, but it could all depend on the almighty dollar. The bottom line: the Cowboys would love to pair Dowdle with a draft pick if they can make it work financially. But if it’s one or the other, the scales tip toward a draft pick. The Cowboys have other free agents who could surpass Dowdle in the pecking order for new contracts. Osa Odighizuwa was priority No. 1 and just received a new four-year deal worth $80 million. Dallas hopes to keep DeMarcus Lawrence and Jourdan Lewis as the team strives to maintain continuity while their third defensive coordinator in three years, Matt Eberflus, gets settled in. On the toss play that got Rico Dowdle over 100 yards for the first time in his career, the left side of the o-line opened like the Seven Seas #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/ARl6k7miMO — Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) November 29, 2024 Dowdle has earned every chance to assess his value on the open market. Several injuries affected the early stages of his career, but 2023 and 2024 marked the first healthy periods of his NFL journey. Last season was the best of Dowdle’s career, rushing for 1,079 yards despite spending the early part of the year in a rotating committee at the position. If his price tag exceeds what the front office is willing to pay, they will look to the draft to try and replace his value. Dallas held formal meetings at the NFL combine with Kaleb Johnson, Omarion Hampton, Jordan James, and Dylan Sampson. All four are projected to be picked as early as the late first round or could be day-three selections. Any day-three pick would cost less money than Dowdle and more team control for four years of a rookie contract. The coaches must decide whether Dowdle’s breakout season was a sign of things to come or merely a flash in the pan like Darren McFadden’s 2015 season. His strong finish to the 2024 season suggests that it aligns with the first possibility, but like everything in Dallas, the price has to be right.

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys news is delivered CeeDee Lamb on Cowboys Potentially Adding Receiver Through NFL Draft: “Just Looking For a Great Complement” – RG.org CeeDee Lamb weighs in on some of the receivers in the draft. Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is high on several receivers in this year’s NFL Draft. The Cowboys hold the No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and while they have a number of positions that they can fill, wide receiver seems to be the most pressing. Outside of Lamb, Dallas lacks proven viable receivers with veteran Brandin Cooks entering free agency. Jalen Tolbert is the next-best receiver flanked by a bunch of unprovens at the position. Lamb recognizes the talent in this draft, mentioning names such as Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan – a Consensus All-American in 2024 – and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka, who is known for elite straight-line speed. “I like a lot of them actually,” says Lamb in a one-on-one interview with RG on behalf of BodyArmor when asked about this year’s draft prospects. “There’s a bunch of pieces that stood out. I like T-Mac [McMillan] from Arizona for one. I like Luther [Burden III] from Missouri. The list could go on. I like Emeka from Ohio State and Tez Johnson [from Oregon].” The 25-year-old Lamb is known for being elusive and powerful after the catch and has superb route-running skills. When asked if there’s any receiver that reminds him most of him from this draft, he says he doesn’t focus on that trait – he focuses on what makes them great. “Not necessarily,” says Lamb when asked if there’s a receiver that reminds him of his style of play. Cowboys, DT Osa Odighizuwa reach 4-year $80M deal – ESPN, Todd Archer The Cowboys are making early moves this year. With free agency closing in and the deadline to use the franchise tag coming Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys were able to keep one of their own off the market, agreeing to a four-year, $80 million deal with defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. The deal includes $58 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus, Odighizuwa’s agent, Sam Leaf Ireifej, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Odighizuwa’s salary-cap number in 2025 will be $6.25 million. The Cowboys had discussions with Odighizuwa’s agent over the past few weeks and were able to reach a deal before Odighizuwa could hit the open market as well as avoid using the franchise tag. […] The Cowboys have a number of defensive players set to hit free agency in Lawrence, cornerback Jourdan Lewis, defensive end Chauncey Golston and linebacker Eric Kendricks. The club met with their agents during the combine to see if more deals can be made. So far, Odighizuwa is the only one to come to fruition. Osa Odighizuwa reacts to contract extension with Cowboys: ‘It doesn’t feel real’ – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Odighizuwa is thrilled to be back with the Cowboys. Speaking only minutes after putting pen to paper on his new multi-year deal, flanked by his agent and his mother, Odighizuwa was wearing the biggest possible smile on his big day. “It’s awesome, you know what I mean?” said the former UCLA star turned cornerstone player for teh Cowboys. “I love Dallas, love playing for this organization, love being a Cowboy — so the fact that I get to do it for another four years, and I get a very, very large pay increase to do it. “It’s not that I wasn’t already happy doing the work, but I’m just going to have an even bigger smile on my face when I come to the building [everyday].” […] “I feel like it just speaks to the hard work that’s paid off consistently, working in day and day out, and just making those deposits finally paying off,” he said, pausing for a moment to try and absorb the magnitude of the moment. “I can now look at my mom and be like, ‘You never have to work again.’ “That’s really what this has all been about, you know? So being able to do that, man, it’s still kind of registering. It doesn’t even feel real at this point. I’m just kind of soaking it in.” Cowboys K Brandon Aubrey undergoes shoulder surgery – Charean Williams, PFT Cowboys’ stud kicker had a surgery, but nothing to do with his leg. Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey underwent minor shoulder surgery, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports. He will be ready for the offseason program. In two seasons, Aubrey has made two Pro Bowls and was first-team All-Pro and second-team All-Pro. He has made 89.4 percent of his field goals, including 24-of-27 from 50 yards or longer with a long of 65. Entering the final year of a three-year contract, Aubrey is in line for a record-setting extension for his position. Three kickers have contracts that average at least $6 million a season, with Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s $6.4 million average at the top.