Jerome Miron-Imagn Images The Cowboys hit the jackpot by drafting Donovan Ezeiruaku. The Dallas Cowboys needed wide receiver and running back help coming into the NFL draft. Edge rusher, while not at the top of the list of needs, was another position that had losses during free agency as DeMarcus Lawrence, Chauncey Golston, and Carl Lawson, who combined for 13.5 sacks in 2024, were not on the 2025 roster. It was expected that the Cowboys would grab at least one defensive player within the first three rounds, more than likely on Day 2. That’s exactly what happened when Dallas trusted their board and selected Donovan Ezeiruaku out of Boston College with the 44th overall pick in the second round. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Matt Miller ranked the top 100 picks of the 2025 draft. Ezeiruaku came in at No. 14 on his list. My final overall ranking: No. 36 The Cowboys didn’t get their receiver or running back needs addressed early, but they did get a speedy pass rusher to help Micah Parsons. Ezeiruaku has excellent length (34-inch arms) and a dynamic first step with closing speed off the edge. He needs to add play power but provides great value in the middle of Round 2. Ezeiruaku will certainly need to add some offseason weight and get stronger to deal with NFL level offensive lineman. However, he comes into the league with an impressive tool bag as a pass rusher. He can win with speed. That’s his main advantage. Ezeiruaku also has a combination of moves that will help him succeed on the pro level. From the chop, swipe, spin, swim, ghost rush, you name it, Ezeiruaku can do it all. Another thing that’s impressive about Ezeiruaku is that he can rush from either side, which pairs well with a guy like Parsons on passing downs. It’s true that the Cowboys have Sam Williams, Marshawn Kneeland and Dante Fowler Jr. on the roster. The issue is that Williams is coming off an ACL tear and hasn’t taken the next step yet in three seasons. As far as Kneeland, he also missed time as a torn meniscus kept him out for five games (missed six total). So, that left Parsons and Fowler Jr. as the only sure weapons to rush the passer off the edge for Dallas. Getting a player like Ezeiruaku, who is technically sound and NFL ready as far as rushing the passer, is a huge win for Dallas.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Dallas Cowboys have announced jersey numbers for their rookie draft class. This time last week the Dallas Cowboys were in the middle of assembling their 2025 rookie draft class, and when they were all said and done, they received a ton of approval ratings. Soon enough there will be some legitimate football (so to speak) to sink our teeth into when it comes to the nine players who Dallas selected, but until then we are left to daydream as to what they are going to look like with stars on their helmets. But, Cowboys rookies do not wear stars on their helmets. It is part of the process of becoming a Cowboys player, having to earn it and all of that jazz. Something each player is issued though, obviously, is a jersey number. This is always a fun thing to see as some numbers just make sense for some players where others don’t. On Friday the mothership announced jersey numbers for their rookie draft class: Tyler Booker………………….. 52 Donovan Ezeiruaku………… 41 Shavon Revel…………………. 27 Jaydon Blue…………………… 34 Shemar James……………….. 50 Ajani Cornelius………………. 69 Jay Toia…………………………. 93 Phil Mafah………………………. 37 Tommy Akingbesote………… 72 We had known from the jump that Tyler Booker was going to wear 52 and on Thursday evening Shemar James shared a photo on his Instagram story noting that he had been assigned 50. As for the rest, it is worth noting that options are fairly limited. Consider that the Cowboys roster is currently at 91 players (they are allowed an extra thanks to an international exemption) so you don’t necessarily have a lot to choose from at this point in time. Something like Jaydon Blue in 34 or Donovan Ezeiruaku in 41 may seem awkward or strange, but it is worth noting that these can and likely will change once roster cuts happen further down the road. Which number feels best to you?

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images On a 1-10 scale how excited would you be about Amari Cooper returning to the Dallas Cowboys? The Dallas Cowboys assembled their draft class last week and as excited as we are about some elements of it, we remain interested in what the team is going to do at the wide receiver position. As has been well discussed by this point, the Cowboys did not draft a single receiver which was hardly something that people predicted would be the case. The front office has maintained a level of belief in players like Jonathan Mingo and Jalen Tolbert to serve as a proper WR2 opposite of CeeDee Lamb, but they have also noted that there are other methods of acquisition that they could still explore. This past week word emerged that Dallas has interest in Amari Cooper of all people. Obviously Cooper had a stint with the Cowboys before and it ended in a rather infamous way with the front office dealing him for a fifth-round pick (there was also technically a swap in the sixth, but you get the picture). For our Friday discussion here at BTB we want to know if this really happened, how excited would it make you? If the answer is very, is that because of Cooper specifically or because the position is so barren? Let us know in the comments below!

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images The Cowboys news has arrived Donovan Ezeiruaku says Cowboys are getting a versatile ‘dawg’ in him – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com Donovan Ezeiruaku, and his family, have to dump the Eagles. Donovan Ezeiruaku was born in Williamstown, New Jersey and grew up in a family of Philadelphia Eagles fans. After the Cowboys selected him with the 44th overall pick in the NFL Draft last week, he’s forced them to abandon that fandom. “All that is gone,” Ezeiruaku said. “I’ve got an uncle who was a Philly fanatic, and he’s going through it right now because he’s got to throw away all his Philly gear in his mancave downstairs. It’s serious.” While his uncle and the rest of his family is processing their transition to becoming Cowboys fans, Ezeiruaku is still processing living out every football player’s dream and getting accustomed to his new home. “It’s pretty cool, I think I’m still kind of processing being grabbed, orientational stuff,” Ezeiruaku said. “But it’s pretty cool actually being here and seeing a little bit of the practice, I’m excited.” Ezeiruaku arrived at the Star in Frisco on Thursday alongside his new rookie teammates ahead of the Cowboys’ rookie minicam, which begins on Friday. The group is still in the early parts of getting to know one another, but they all share a common trait. “You can tell we’ve got a little edge to us, that competitive edge,” Ezeiruaku said. “It’s been pretty good, we seem pretty cool, feeling each other out, but it’s been good.” Health of Trevon Diggs, Shavon Revel vital to Dallas Cowboys’ cornerback success – Nick Harris, Star-Telegram The cornerback situation is still a little iffy because of healthy issues. Revel, who was regarded by league scouts as a likely first round talent going into the 2024 season, suffered a torn ACL in September and missed the rest of his senior year and the entirety of the pre-draft process. While the Cowboys did get solid value for a likely day one starter at cornerback, Revel’s injury adds yet another question mark at the position group heading into the season. “That’s a big question for me,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said after picking Revel. “This is the best medical we got about being ready. In other words, he’s better than the guys that we’re counting on being ready that we’ve got on an injury situation. Feel good about it. Feel very good about it.” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said he expects Revel to begin training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list before hitting the field for the first time while the team is in Oxnard. “We will get him in here and see where he is,” Stephen Jones said. “[The doctors] feel optimistic. This kid’s very motivated. This man’s very motivated, and there’s obviously an opportunity here. He is young, if he exceeds expectations and starts to practice up during the process of training camp, but we also know it could be later than that.” On the flip side, Diggs is recovering from a bone chondral surgery he had done in January that could require as much as eight months of rehab. It’s the second straight offseason that he is rehabbing a knee injury after tearing his ACL in October 2023. “He’s working hard,” Jerry Jones said. “That’s very important because if he will be very good and diligent as to his rehab process, then he’ll get back quicker.” “When he does getback, [he will be] sounder than if he has not worked as hard. He’s more subject to injury. He’s learned that one time. My point is, I have a lot of hope that his actual rehab and experience from the time before [in 2024] is really helping him out, and I think it has.” Troy Aikman: Cowboys’ top draft pick Tyler Booker has ‘it’ factor – Staff DMN Tyler Booker has a fan in Troy Aikman. What did you think about the Cowboys’ draft this year? Aikman: “Well, from what it looks like anyway, I thought it was fantastic. Looked like they filled a lot of needs with some players with good value that can step in and play pretty early. … We won’t know for a few years, but by all accounts, it looks good. “I will say that Tyler Booker, for instance, didn’t know anything about him, saw the highlight tape after he was drafted. But when they interviewed him, boy, I’ll tell you what, I’ll be shocked if this guy’s not a player. As a former player, as someone who has been in locker rooms and seen guys and been around some really great offensive linemen, you can just tell when a guy has it. And this guy, by all accounts, certainly has it.” What about your dealings with Brian Schottenheimer? What are your overall impressions of him? Aikman: “Yeah, I like Brian a lot. I’ve known him a long time. … I don’t think anyone saw that happening when [Mike] McCarthy left, that Brian Schottenheimer would, in fact, get the job. But I like him a lot, obviously, has great pedigree. I would expect that we’re going to see a style of offense, and by all indications on the personnel decisions, much like his dad, you know, a little bit of Marty ball — power running game, play-action pass. I think all that’s good. I think we’re seeing the better teams go to that style, but I like Brian a lot. You know, you never know what you don’t know, and no one’s ever prepared to be a head coach. And so how it shakes out is anybody’s guess. I wish him well. “ … Brian Schottenheimer is going to be judged by the same measurements as what Ben Johnson is and every other head coach in this league. If he wins, people are going to love him. They’re going to say it was a great hire. If he doesn’t, they’re going

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images We are doing our best to predict the 2025 Dallas Cowboys schedule. With the 2025 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, there is one major football event left before the mini-break before training camp: the release of the regular-season schedule. Today, we take a shot at predicting what the Dallas Cowboys schedule could look like. Week 1: Dallas Cowboys AT Washington Commanders (Sunday Night Football) The Cowboys open their season on the road for the fourth time in the last five years. Dallas travels to Washington to face the Commanders, who figure to be one of the better teams in the entire league. Week 2: Arizona Cardinals VS Dallas Cowboys Dallas kicks off their home schedule with a matchup against Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals. Week 3: Dallas Cowboys AT New York Jets Dallas hits the road again as they play their first of two games at MetLife Stadium, facing off against the New York Jets. Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images Week 4: New York Giants VS Dallas Cowboys The New York theme sticks around for another week as Dallas hosts the New York Giants. Week 5: Dallas Cowboys AT Las Vegas Raiders (Monday Night Football) The Cowboys play their second primetime game of the season in Week 5 as they take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football. Week 6: Dallas Cowboys AT Carolina Panthers On a short week, Dallas faces another test on the road, traveling to Carolina to take on the Panthers. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images Week 7: Minnesota Vikings VS Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys return home to face one of the more underrated teams in the league, the Minnesota Vikings. Week 8: Dallas Cowboys AT Denver Broncos One of Dallas’ toughest tests on the schedule comes in Week Eight as the Cowboys travel to Mile High to take on the Broncos. Week 9: BYE Week It’s not as late of a bye week as the Cowboys would like, but it’s a nice break before some big pre-Thanksgiving games. Week 10: Kansas City Chiefs VS Dallas Cowboys The most anticipated game of Dallas’ regular season comes in Week 10, as the Cowboys face the juggernaut Kansas City Chiefs. Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images Week 11: Philadelphia Eagles VS Dallas Cowboys (Sunday Night Football) One of the most competitive rivalries in football is renewed as Dallas hosts the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles on Sunday Night Football. Week 12: Dallas Cowboys AT New York Giants Dallas hits the road for the first time since Week 8 as they take on the New York Giants. Week 13: Los Angeles Chargers VS Dallas Cowboys (Thanksgiving) Like they did in 2017, the Cowboys host the Los Angeles Chargers on Thanksgiving Day. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Week 14: Green Bay Packers VS Dallas Cowboys (Thursday Night Football) Dallas plays on back-to-back Thursdays as they host the Green Bay Packers in a game that could have plenty of playoff implications. Week 15: Dallas Cowboys AT Detroit Lions (Sunday Night Football) The road does not get any easier for the Cowboys as they continue their late-season NFC North theme, facing the talented Detroit Lions. Week 16: Washington Commanders VS Dallas Cowboys 15 weeks between matchups, the Cowboys host the Commanders in their final home game of the regular season. Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Week 17: Dallas Cowboys AT Chicago Bears Dallas draws the unpopular task of playing in Chicago in late December as they face off against the up-and-coming Chicago Bears. Week 18: Dallas Cowboys AT Philadelphia Eagles The Cowboys wrap up their season in Philadelphia, taking on the division rival Eagles.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Cowboys are officially declining the fifth-year option on cornerback Kaiir Elam. Very early in the offseason roster construction process the Dallas Cowboys made it a point to solidify their roster with veteran trade acquisitions. All told the team made three of them prior to the NFL Draft. One of the trades that Dallas executed involved the acquisition of cornerback Kaiir Elam thanks to the Buffalo Bills. All it took for Dallas to land Elam was a compensatory pick on Day 3 and given his high pedigree it stands to reason that he was worth a flyer, particularly at a position of need. Coincidentally the pick in question became another cornerback as Buffalo selected Ohio State’s Jordan Hancock at 170 overall. The pedigree in which Elam came from himself was the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Bills took Elam then at number 23 overall, just one spot before Dallas took Tyler Smith, which means that he has completed three years of service in the NFL. As this is the case for the former first-rounder the Cowboys had to decide this offseason if they wanted to pick up Elam’s fifth-year option, something they already did for Tyler Smith. Given that they have never seen him even play for them it always made sense that they were unlikely to do so and now that news is official. The #Cowboys are not picking up the fifth-year option of corner Kaiir Elam, acquired in a trade with Buffalo this offseason. This was largely expected, as the option would have paid him around $12.7M for 2026. — Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) May 1, 2025 With Elam’s option being declined it means that he is set to enter the final year of his contract with the Cowboys. Obviously the team could broker an extension at any point, although doing so early in the process is not exactly their style, but it seems logical to expect them to want to see what he has to offer. The future of the cornerback position is in a state of flux at the moment with DaRon Bland also currently set to enter the final year of his contract and questions surrounding Trevon Diggs. For what it’s worth the group did pick up a third-round pick in Shavon Revel Jr. who may answer some long-term questions down the road. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that what the position as a whole looks like a year from now could surprise us all.

Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images Dallas may have been waiting until this week to sign certain veteran free agents. Here’s why. The Dallas Cowboys sure do love their compensatory draft picks. The front office has often licked their lips when discussing additional firepower on draft weekend, and even how they factor in the compensatory formula with their offseason strategy. It wouldn’t be surprising, then, to see the team make a move in the next few weeks. According to league rules, as of this past Monday afternoon, any free-agent signings no longer count toward the calculation of next year’s compensatory picks. Before Monday, any free agents whose previous contracts had expired could negatively impact the Cowboys’ eventual haul of extra draft capital. Also a reminder on the comp pick formula, per Over The Cap: signings made after 4 pm EST on the Monday after the NFL Draft (so, today) will not be included.#Cowboys pic.twitter.com/t5baE6XR3h — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) April 29, 2025 Not all free-agent activity affects the formula. Re-signing your own, as they did with Osa Odighizuwa, KaVontae Turpin, and others doesn’t matter. Nor does signing players who were released by their former teams before the end of their contracts, such as Miles Sanders. Also, the deal has to be big enough to make a meaningful difference. So the budget-friendly signings of veterans like Javonte Williams and Robert Jones probably won’t cost them next year. This is far from the only reason, or even the primary one, that teams wait until after the draft to sign additional veterans. Mainly, they’re trying to patch up any holes that didn’t get addressed by the new rookies and fill out their 90-man offseason rosters. At this stage, many of the remaining unsigned free agents probably aren’t expecting much in these later stages of the offseason. That said, a couple of high-profile wide receivers like Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper may not be willing to play for peanuts, and that’s where this shift in the compensatory rules is most relevant. Dallas went into the draft needing another starting WR and didn’t even throw a late-round pick at the position. It is now their clearest and most present danger for the upcoming season, putting the top remaining free agents into more fervent conversation. Not having to worry about the compensatory formula removes one deterrent for the decision-makers. There are plenty of others given their ages, declined production, and of course Cooper’s previous run in Dallas which ended poorly. But if they believe either veteran can come in and offer a better option than Jonathan Mingo or Jalen Tolbert, then that’s what really matters now with ever-dwindling options. Another option with no bearing on compensatory picks is a trade, and those who aren’t high on Allen or Cooper would rather see the Cowboys swing a deal for a new WR2. The Jones family alluded to trade talks before and during the draft, and there’s a report that Dallas was talking with Pittsburgh at one point about George Pickens. So all of this free agency talk may be for naught if this is the route they eventually take. At the very least, should they continue to add free agents, the Cowboys no longer have to worry about hurting their 2026 compensatory picks. With WR still a glaring need after the draft, and additional depth needed at other spots as well, the team’s offseason business is far from over. We’ll see how Dallas takes advantage of this additional freedom in the coming weeks.

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports Do you feel better, worse or the same about the Cowboys draft class after a week to sit on it? It has been a week since the 2025 NFL Draft first started which means that we have all had time to think about every single thing that the Dallas Cowboys did and did not do. Maybe you loved the class from the start or perhaps you had questions at the very beginning. However you did or did not feel it is certainly possible that a week(ish) has changed your mind in one direction or the other. Perhaps not! It is possible that you felt an initial level of conviction that you are still holding strong to, good or bad. The purpose of our discussion on this fantastic Thursday here at BTB is to find that out. We want to know how are you feeling about the 2025 Dallas Cowboys draft class a week since it first began to be built? To be clear it is fine to feel the same, but whatever you feel let us know in the comments down below!

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The Cowboys news is delivered Jake Ferguson explains tweaks to training regimen for 2025, more: ‘I know what it takes’ – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Jake Ferguson is in a contract year. And Ferguson’s plan going into what will be the most pivotal year of his young NFL career? “Yeah, I think it’s almost like every other year, maybe a little bit more, but I know what it takes,” Ferguson said. “ I was [in the] Pro Bowl one year and, last year, not the year that I wanted to have. Just going through, going back and reassessing myself after this season, just knowing what it’s gonna take. I’m cutting out some of the bad things in my life —whether it be food, whatever it may be — and I am really locking in with Dak and making sure I’m keying on all the offensive keys with the new coaching staff. “I’m just making sure that turnover is seamless.” Schottenheimer’s goal is the same, and the buy-in has been immediate from the entirety of the locker room to this point. Despite the sweeping changes within the coaching staff and the fact it is Schottenheimer’s first year as a head coach, there’s an air about him that permeates your defenses and incessantly reminds you that he is not only a bright football mind bred under the tutelage of the legendary Marty Schottenheimer. He’s also a leader of men, an adorer of the game and a coach who relates to his players in a way not many coaches can tout. “it’s all about relationships. and you know. I don’t think I’ve ever had a head coach come down and every single time I’m in the cold tub, he’ll be talking to me,” Ferguson said of his early impressions of Schottenheimer the head coach. “To me, personally, just the first couple days of him being named, that’s what he was doing, and that meant a lot. You can tell he loves the game of football and he loves the guys he coaches. “To me, that’s something I can easily buy into. Personally, I’m just really excited and I’m happy as h-e-double hockey sticks to go in there every single day.” Mick Shots: Working On Solving Post-Draft Buts – Mickey Spagnola, DallasCowboys.com Some post-draft thoughts including some possible lingering issues, Another But: Great the Cowboys were able to draft cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. in the third round, and while there is a chance he will be ready for the start of the season, you just never know with these repaired ACLs and the meniscus he had repaired, too. His surgery was the first of October and likely will begin training camp on PUP for precautionary measures. Plus, no certainty Trevon Diggs will be ready for the season’s start. And on top of that, Caelen Carson is returning from his shoulder injury. And having traded for third-year corner Kaiir Elam is but a placeholder for now. So being on the lookout for a veteran cornerback is not out of the question. Plus, at that time in the draft, Revel was the highest player left on the Cowboys draft board. • But II: And while aware the Cowboys spent a fifth rounder for QB Joe Milton III and a seventh in return, but to me this does not automatically solve the Cowboys backup QB need. Why he’s played in just one NFL game last year in his rookie season. Sure think the Cowboys are keeping an eye out for a more veteran free agent quarterback with starting experience. Remember the “365.” • Going Blue: Who better to assess the Cowboys drafting University of Texas running back Jaydon Blue in the fifth round than Tashard Choice, the former Cowboys running back having coached running backs at the University of Texas before recently moving on to the Detroit Lions. His assessment: “Speed-wise, (Blue) is very similar to Jahmyr Gibbs, because he’s fast and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. They’ll look a little different in how they play the game, but the more Blue matures, he has a chance to be better (than Gibbs).” And that my friend is quite an endorsement. Cowboys cut RB Malik Davis, three others – Charean Williams, PFT In case you missed it. The Cowboys were one of the worst rushing teams in the NFL last season. They ranked 24th in attempts, 27th in yards and last in rushing touchdowns with Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott, both of whom are gone. The Cowboys also moved on from running back Malik Davis on Wednesday. The team announced it waived Davis, offensive lineman Jack Anderson, linebacker Brock Mogensen and offensive lineman Earl Bostick. Deuce Vaughn’s spot on the roster also is in jeopardy as the Cowboys upgraded the running back position this offseason. They signed free agents Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders before drafting Texas’ Jaydon Blue and Clemson’s Phil Mafah. There is a good chance the team overturns the entire room for 2025. Davis spent 2024 on the practice squad but did not see any regular-season action after playing 12 games in 2022 and three in 2023. He has 38 rushes for 161 yards and a touchdown in his career, while adding six catches for 63 yards. Amari Cooper to Cowboys and More Ideal Free-agent Landing Spots After 2025 NFL Draft – Alex Kay, Bleacher Report That Amari Cooper idea is still out there. The Dallas Cowboys made the surprising decision to forego selecting any wide receivers in the 2025 draft. With Jonathan Mingo and Jalen Tolbert as the top options behind superstar wideout CeeDee Lamb, Dallas desperately needs to find some reinforcements in free agency. Reuniting with veteran pass-catcher Amari Cooper looks to be Dallas’ best path forward. According to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, ”there is building team interest” in bringing Cooper back after he spent three-and-a-half seasons in Dallas from 2018-2021. It remains to be seen how much Cooper has left

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images How well do you think the Cowboys addressed their needs in the 2025 NFL Draft? What a difference a week makes! Well, at least we hope it does. That’s where so many fanbases sit following the 2025 NFL Draft, wondering how this year’s crop of rookies will help their teams’ fortunes next season and beyond. That may be even truer for the Dallas Cowboys than other franchises thanks to their heavy reliance on the draft for roster improvement. Shortly before last week’s festivities, we broke down the Cowboys’ needs after about a month of free agency. Follow the link for the details, but here was the list at that time: Running back Wide receiver Cornerback Defensive tackle Offensive tackle Defensive end Linebacker Guard/Center Tight end Quarterback Safety Special teams Since then, Dallas has added nine new players through the draft and several others as undrafted free agents. They even signed a veteran OT, Hakeem Adeniji, when everyone was too busy getting ready for last Thursday night to really notice. Now, with roughly three months to go until the start of training camp, how do those roster needs look? 12. Special Teams No surprise that an already-stacked position didn’t get any attention in the draft, or even from the UDFA signings. The Cowboys are ready to rock with this group and just have to figure out who will best fill the blocking and coverage duties from among their depth players. 11. Guard/Center Nobody expected Dallas to go with an interior lineman in the first round, or even before Day 3, but it really wasn’t that surprising when they selected Tyler Booker on Thursday night. Now, instead of hoping for the likes of Brock Hoffman, Robert Jones, and Saahdiq Charles to keep the line solvent, we’re looking for Booker to help push the line back to its 2014-2016 form. If that happens, it will make everyone on offense better in the same way Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, and Travis Frederick did during their prime. 10. Safety It wasn’t a big need going in and, naturally, didn’t get any attention. The Cowboys seem content with Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson as veteran starters and a young but experienced trio of backups in Juanyeh Thomas, Markquese Bell, and Israel Mukuamu. Like with Booker at guard, they could’ve made a pick here to elevate the group but were already adequately staffed for next season. 9. Quarterback Dallas had already used a fifth-round pick to acquire Joe Milton III via trade, so they had already made their Day 3 move at quarterback. With Dak Prescott and Will Grier already on the roster, the position was stocked except for another arm for training camp, something they can solve with a low-cost free agent. 8. Tight End Similarly, Dallas felt covered here going into the draft. They could’ve had Tyler Warren at the 12th pick but instead went with Booker, showing confidence in Jake Ferguson having a bounce-back year and third-year growth from Luke Schoonmaker. They did add a couple of undrafted rookies, but probably nothing more than camp bodies. 7. Defensive End While second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku was a big get for the pass rush, Dallas is still hurting for run stoppers. They’ll still be relying heavily on Marshawn Kneeland to replace DeMarcus Lawrence and Chauncey Golston. Ezeiruaku helps mitigate risk with guys like Dante Fowler (age), Sam Williams (injury, unproven), and Payton Turner (bust), and is great for the future, but didn’t move the needle much on Dallas’ immediate need here. 6. Linebacker Fifth-round pick Shemar James adds another body to the rotation and could quickly assert himself in clear passing situations. But Dallas is still about where they started with trying to cover for DeMarvion Overshown’s absence. 5. Running Back While Day 3 picks generally aren’t needle movers, at least not on the surface, the depth of this year’s RB class allows for more optimism with Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. They should compete immediately with Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, and Deuce Vaughn for carries and likely knock two of those veterans off the roster. Still, it’s hard to say that any of them will come in and become long-term answers at the position. 4. Offensive Tackle Even if sixth-round pick Ajani Cornelius plays tackle in the NFL, which is still unknown, he’s going to be a long shot to challenge for a meaningful role early. Asim Richards is probably still your swing tackle, meaning the need here didn’t really change. 3. Cornerback Shavon Revel is supposedly set to play in Week 1, if not sooner, but he’ll still be a rookie coming off a major knee injury. It gives Dallas more depth at CB but, with Trevon Diggs’ uncertainty, still leaves plenty of concern for the overall strength of the group in the early part of the season. 2. Defensive Tackle The Cowboys have more bodies now with Jay Toia and Tommy Akingbesote, but these late-round rookies can’t be immediately expected to do more than Linval Joseph and Carlos Watkins did last year. Dallas went in needing more reliable depth and, until we learn more this summer, it’s hard to say they improved the situation. 1. Wide Receiver The major story of this draft for the Cowboys was not taking any receivers despite it being a consensus top need, with some arguing it should have been their top priority. Tet McMillan was off the board by the 12th pick but everyone else was there, and throughout the rounds there were options that Dallas passed on for other positions. Going forward, the prospect of Jonathan Mingo and Jalent Tolbert competing for WR2 inspires little confidence. This is now the focal point of the remaining offseason, with rising clamor for Dallas to trade for an established receiver or at least sign a free agent like Keenan Allen or Amari Cooper.