Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Notable headlines surrounding America’s team. Jerry Jones teases big Cowboys move fans are clamoring for after NFL Draft – Sayre Bedinger, The Landry Hat Adding another WR feels like a necessity. Jerry Jones understands the team still needs to do something at the wide receiver position and he’s teasing something potentially big. Cowboys might have big wide receiver move bubbling beneath the surface Those are some interesting words from Jerry Jones right there. It gives credence to the report that the Cowboys were potentially looking into making a trade with an AFC North team for a veteran receiver, and Dallas reportedly was going to take Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan if he would have been available at 12 overall. Even though that didn’t end up being the case, the need remained. The Cowboys didn’t just pivot to the next-best receiver on their board, and ultimately the only receivers that have been brought in are undrafted guys. So how much longer are we going to have to wait? Will the Cowboys be able to make a deal for someone soon? Nobody in NFL Free Agency is really going to move the needle all that much at this point, but a trade for someone of note — someone like George Pickens — would potentially shake things up in the NFC East for the Cowboys. Cowboys’ draft grades show consistently high marks, including rare A+ from PFF – Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire If you put weight into draft grades, Jerry Jones and Will McClay did well with this one. USA Today: B+ Link It might not have been exactly what the fan base was hoping for – Jeanty – but owner Jerry Jones and his front office generally do a pretty solid job this time of year. Aside from being a bully on the field, first-round G Tyler Booker not only fills a need but could provide fresh leadership in the locker room in time. Second-round DE Donovan Ezeiruaku and third-round CB Shavon Revel Jr. were certainly worthy of being taken a round earlier than they were. Fifth-round RB Jaydon Blue brings sub-4.4 speed if not the background to suggest he can shoulder the load on the ground. Receiving depth behind WR CeeDee Lamb still looms as a significant question. New York Post: B A touchdown-scorer was needed, but the Cowboys are trying to recapture their great line of the 2010s with three first-round picks since 2022 (Booker, Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith). Revel is a bargain if his torn ACL rehab checks out. Ezeiruaku reminds some of the departed DeMarcus Lawrence. Cowboys’ 2025 draft was one of the best, but skill players still lack – Mario Herrera Jr, Inside The Star Looking past the glaring hole, Dallas crushed the draft. Out of their nine draft selections, only two were offensive skill players, both chosen in the later rounds, suggesting what we all fear: that the Cowboys are content with the players already on the roster. Once again, it appears that the weight of the passing game will fall mostly on the shoulders of WR CeeDee Lamb and a bunch of players who don’t want to win the WR2 job. Building the Foundation With their first-round pick, the Cowboys selected Alabama guard Tyler Booker at #12 overall. Booker, known for his exceptional pass protection, having not allowed a sack in his final collegiate season, was brought in to strengthen the offensive line and provide better protection for quarterback Dak Prescott. Moreover, Booker’s size and strength at the point of attack in the running game is what excited OC Klayton Adams and offensive line coach Conor Riley. Dallas is ecstatic to have drafted a player of Booker’s caliber immediately replace the retired Zack Martin. Cowboys secure a fierce group of edge rushers by selecting Donovan Ezeiruaku- Dan Rogers, Blogging The Boys Eberflus has talent to work with off the edge. Nobody will blame them for going after pass rushers, as it’s one of the premium positions in the NFL. Load up and go! That’s the Operatus Mundi of most roster builders at the pro level. But what makes this weird is that the Cowboys keep doing this despite entering the draft deep at the position. They’ve had guys like DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory, Dorance Armstrong, and Dante Fowler on the team, yet they keep adding more edge rushers to the roster. And it’s good because those guys eventually left in free agency. Fowler is back this year, and the team added free agent Payton Turner, again keeping some decent depth on the end. Their edge rushing room entering the draft looked as follows: Micah Parsons Marshawn Kneeland Dante Fowler Sam Williams Payton Turner And now they have Ezeiruaku, giving them six total. At first glance, this might not seem like the best use of premium draft resources, especially when they have so many other needs, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, three players on that list above have expiring contracts after the 2025 season. The free agents, Fowler and Turner, only signed one-year deals, and Williams is on the last year of his rookie contract. Technically, four of them have expiring contracts, but we’re not counting Parsons because a long-term extension should be right around the corner. That means that while the team is set right now, this group becomes scarce after this season, leaving Parsons, Kneeland, and the recently drafted Ezeiruaku.

Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The Cowboys’ future at edge rusher appears to be taken care of for now. The Dallas Cowboys did it again. For the third time in four years, the Cowboys have taken an offensive lineman in the first round. We all know about it. It’s brought up a lot, we get it. The Cowboys love guys in the trenches. But what isn’t talked about as much is how the team has done the same thing with defensive ends in round two in each of those same drafts. 2022: Round 1 = OL Tyler Smith, Round 2 = DE Sam Williams 2024: Round 1 = OL Tyler Guyton, Round 2 = DE Marshawn Kneeland 2025: Round 1 = OL Tyler Booker, Round 2 = DE Donovan Ezeiruaku And if you count Micah Parsons in 2021, they have used one of their top two picks on a defensive end in four of the last five drafts. One might say they love guys in the trenches on defense even more. Nobody will blame them for going after pass rushers, as it’s one of the premium positions in the NFL. Load up and go! That’s the Operatus Mundi of most roster builders at the pro level. But what makes this weird is that the Cowboys keep doing this despite entering the draft deep at the position. They’ve had guys like DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory, Dorance Armstrong, and Dante Fowler on the team, yet they keep adding more edge rushers to the roster. And it’s good because those guys eventually left in free agency. Fowler is back this year, and the team added free agent Payton Turner, again keeping some decent depth on the end. Their edge rushing room entering the draft looked as follows: Micah Parsons Marshawn Kneeland Dante Fowler Sam Williams Payton Turner And now they have Ezeiruaku, giving them six total. At first glance, this might not seem like the best use of premium draft resources, especially when they have so many other needs, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, three players on that list above have expiring contracts after the 2025 season. The free agents, Fowler and Turner, only signed one-year deals, and Williams is on the last year of his rookie contract. Technically, four of them have expiring contracts, but we’re not counting Parsons because a long-term extension should be right around the corner. That means that while the team is set right now, this group becomes scarce after this season, leaving Parsons, Kneeland, and the recently drafted Ezeiruaku. The second thing is that the Cowboys are coming off a year where they were struck unusually hard with injuries, with defensive ends taking the brunt of it. Williams missed the entire season Lawrence missed 13 games Kneeland missed six games Parsons missed four games That’s a lot of edge rushers out of action. Entering the year, the team seemed equipped to handle the free agency losses of Armstrong and Fowler, but fate had other plans, and the Cowboys were left high and dry at the position. Chauncey Goltson and Carl Lawson finished second and third on the team in sacks behind Parsons. The Cowboys will not have that problem this season, and they should have a strong core for future seasons. Ezeiruaku has the talent to find work right away. He has deceptive footwork and employs a sudden eurostep to attack the unsuspecting blocker from either side. When tackles try to get their hands on him, he’ll use his long arms to swat away any resistance. And when you think you might have him contained, Ezeiruaku still gets by you because he is one of the most bendy edge rushers in this draft class. He dips his body and accelerates around the edge. He’s just one of those pass rushers who slips by you before you can even blink. It’s quite impressive. Another edge rusher may not have been number one on the need list, but that’s okay. The Cowboys didn’t let need keep them from taking a strong talent. Ezeiruaku should be able to work himself into the rotation this year and have a more impactful role in subsequent seasons. His physical traits, fundamentals, and mental makeup should help this guy maximize his potential and give the Cowboys a fierce pass-rushing group now and for years to come.

Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images The Cowboys added an insurance policy at cornerback throughout the draft. The cornerback position group of the Dallas Cowboys is one of the biggest mysteries on their roster. On one hand, they have two All-Pro players on the roster, Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland. On the other hand, the future of those two players is murky, and everything beyond them is a great unknown. Let’s break it down. The Trevon Diggs situation Diggs was sensational in his first three years in the league. He was viewed as a second-round steal for the Cowboys and flashed his great talent early before a fractured foot ended his rookie season. His second year in the league was remarkable as he finished with 11 interceptions. It was the most picks in 40 years, when Everson Walls also had 11 picks in 1981. After three good years, the Cowboys signed him to a five-year, $97 million extension, but the ink hadn’t dried on the contract before bad luck struck. Two games into the season, Diggs tore his ACL in his left knee. It gets worse. Diggs returned last year, but his knee was never right, and after muddling through most of the year, his season was once again cut short because of his left knee. The concern is more serious now. He underwent surgery again to repair cartilage, and his 2025 season timeline to play is unclear. Additionally, the cause of this setback has been up for discussion including how Diggs handled his rehab during his initial injury, creating strife between him and the Cowboys organization. Diggs’ 2025 salary is injury guaranteed, and the Cowboys will have given him $42 million over the past three seasons despite getting limited returns. How he recovers this year will loom large on his future with Dallas, as none of his remaining $55 million is guaranteed, and the team could release him next offseason with only a $5.8 million dead money hit. This dilemma brings us to the next complicated matter, which is… The DaRon Bland situation Bland was another draft-day steal, only this time coming in the fifth round. And like Diggs, he had an amazing second year in the league with nine interceptions. He also set a new NFL record with five pick-sixes en route to his own All-Pro season. How lucky can the Cowboys get? Last year, Bland missed the first part of the year with a foot injury. He only played seven games, and his interception totals went from nine to zero. It wasn’t because he played poorly, as he was solid down the stretch. The puzzling thing about Bland is that even though he was statistically sensational in 2023, there were elements to his game that keep him from being in the upper echelon of corners. However, other teams might view it differently should he hit free agency next offseason. What are the Cowboys to do? Should they try to get a deal done before the start of the season? Should they wait and see, and keep the franchise tag option open to prevent him from hitting the open market? There are a lot of other factors that will go into making that decision and those factors include Diggs’ recovery, Bland’s true skills, and what the team might have in their new third-round draft pick, Shavon Revel Jr. We’ll get to him in a moment. The depth situation The Cowboys were hit hard with injuries last season. Because of that, seven corners played at least 100 snaps last year – Jourdan Lewis (872), Diggs (685), Bland (436), Amani Oruwariye (286), Caelen Carson (252), Josh Butler (160), and Andrew Booth (118). Last year’s snap count leader, Jourdan Lewis, left in free agency. Last year’s rookie, Caelen Carson, did not have a good rookie season. This leaves a lot of questions about the Cowboys’ depth at corner, which could be an issue early without the presence of Diggs. Revel in the glory of a fallen draft pick The Cowboys selected one of the top corners in the draft in Shavon Revel Jr., but there’s only one problem. He’s coming off a torn ACL injury himself. For that reason, he fell to the third round, which makes him an absolute steal if one has the patience to lower their expectations for his rookie season. The Cowboys are saying they do. Talent alone, he’s a first-round corner. He has exceptional length at 6’2” with a wingspan of nearly 80 inches. He’s a menace in press coverage and is physical with those long arms to disrupt routes. He also has excellent acceleration and top-end speed to cover a lot of ground in a hurry. And despite being a slender guy, he’s a very aggressive player. He will come at you fast and use that momentum to stop runners in their tracks or even toss them to the ground. While his interception production is low, he is a pass-break-up master with the skills to create his own No Fly Shavon (sah-vone). A lot to prove – and the talent to back it up. Next step for @ECUPiratesFB DB Shavon Revel Jr.? ➡️ 2025 #NFLDraft : 2025 #NFLDraft – April 24-26 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC : Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/2aY6LKIghh — NFL (@NFL) April 5, 2025

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The 2025 NFL Draft has concluded, with the Dallas Cowboys making nine picks. Originally scheduled for ten, the Cowboys went into day three with the bulk of their picks still remaining, and did some wheeling and dealing to move up in the fifth round and target even more defensive help with Florida linebacker Shemar James. Day three was also the point the Cowboys waited until to address running back, which came as a surprise, but they double-dipped with Texas’ Jaydon Blue at 149th overall and Clemson’s Phil Mafah at 239th in the seventh. The single biggest surprise from this Cowboys draft is that they left wide receiver completely untouched. Some runs on the position ahead of their picks in each round may have forced their hand here, but Dallas did a terrific job sticking to their board and finding high-value players, mainly by trusting first-year DC Matt Eberflus to bulk up his side of the ball. Both of the Cowboys day two picks went to defense, as well as three of their six on day three with another double-dip at defensive tackle in the seventh. Jay Toia and Tommy Akingbesote became something of last-ditch picks to address an underrated position of need, at very least from a depth and bodies standpoint, giving the Cowboys more size on the defensive interior. One of the great initial things to seemingly come out of this draft is also the way the Cowboys created competition. The Cowboys newest rookies will push existing depth players to the roster bubble, especially those that were brought in under previous coaches, almost none of which are still here. The Cowboys also have some clear winners from the existing roster who seemingly got a vote of confidence based on the team’s drafting. Let’s take an early look at who some of these Cowboys’ roster winners and losers are following the draft. Winners: WRs Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy and Jonathan Mingo The Cowboys positioning in each round did not fall favorably for them to target a receiver with any of their four picks in the top 150. Tet McMillan was gone before their first round choice, Matthew Golden went later in the first, and Luther Burden was drafted before they pivoted to defense in the second round for Donovan Ezeiruaku. There was a total of 20 wide receivers drafted after the Cowboys third-round selection, but by this point the team must have felt none could play right away and make the impact they need. By doing so, the Cowboys put a lot of faith into an existing receiver group that lost Brandin Cooks this offseason. Obviously they could still add a vet WR through free agency or a trade. The biggest names to keep in mind here are Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy, and Jonathan Mingo, because they have all been on the roster for part of the time the Cowboys offensive play caller in Schottenheimer has been on staff. Tolbert has yet to show much over his three years with the team that inspires confidence he can be much more than a third receiver alongside an established primary and secondary option. The Cowboys have their primary target in CeeDee Lamb, and even drafting a receiver 12th overall wouldn’t have changed this, but having to put Tolbert in the current conversation for WR2 is not the best of circumstances. Still, Tolbert emerges from this draft as a winner, at least because he will have a clear path to see the field and find a new role in Schottenheimer’s offense. This is a player that got better with the most consistent reps of his career a year ago, and still fills an obvious need for speed at the skill positions for Dallas. From the somewhat limited nuggets of information we have about how Schottenheimer wants to scheme the Cowboys offense moving forward, using consistent formations that look the same but present a wide array of concepts to the defense is a priority. This would align the Cowboys closer to teams in the way they help their quarterbacks with these looks. A staple of playing offense in this way is the ability to dictate the matchups receivers, backs, and tight ends get in coverage. If the Cowboys can hone in on this for Tolbert and get his vertical speed working against linebackers and safeties more consistently, it could be the key to seeing the former third-round pick make another leap. As for both Jalen Brooks and Ryan Flournoy, the Cowboys may not find a lot of dynamic speed and explosive play ability from either, but these are big targets that present wide catch radiuses for Dak Prescott. Both receivers have their best potential in the red zone, where Dallas was 31st in the league only ahead of the New York Giants in scoring touchdowns last season. If using Prescott’s mobility is going to be another focus for the redesigned offense, moving him out of the pocket to layer throws to the likes of Brooks, Flournoy, and even last year’s trade acquisition Mingo, can become bread and butter plays. This is an offense that will have to work hard to create run-after-the-catch situations for their receivers, but has some of the potential to do so on the depth chart. The Cowboys also ended the draft without making any of the “substantiated” trades Jerry Jones hinted at coming into it, and wide receiver is a position they’ve shown a propensity to target in trades before. Not just with Mingo a year ago, but obviously Amari Cooper in 2018 when things were looking bleak at receiver prior to that trade. Fans may think things are equally bleak on the current depth chart at WR, but at minimum this team has young talent still on the rise in multiple receivers for the first time in a long time, all of which became winners after the draft without a single new rookie to compete with. Losers: OL Nathan

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Cowboys seem to feel confident in the idea of Jonathan Mingo as WR2. The 2025 NFL Draft has come and gone and the Dallas Cowboys did not address one particular area of need/concern. Among the millions of Cowboys fans who did mock drafts, it would be shocking to find one that didn’t contain drafting a singular wide receiver. In fact, if you saw one I’m sure you laughed at how preposterous that idea was. The notion of doubling down at wide receiver even made a lot of sense, so for Dallas to get skunked was just a meeting of unfortunate variables and circumstances. Depth is necessary, but more than that the top of the position is in need of help as CeeDee Lamb is the only legitimate option of the entire group. WR2 is a very real concern. In their press conference following Saturday’s culminating rounds, Jerry Jones noted that the Cowboys could still elect to add to the receiver position. He mentioned that “the train has not left the station” which could suggest veteran help might be found somewhere down the road. Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones on addressing the WR position moving forward: “It definitely was a big time thought, and the train has not left the station.” — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) April 26, 2025 That makes sense. If this team adds a Keenan Allen, or dare I say, an Amari Cooper, then we would all allow ourselves to let Lucy line the proverbial ball up for another go at a field goal attempt. We are not asking for much in this way. But the Cowboys could always elect to sit where they are. That would not be surprising to anyone who has paid attention to this team for even a short amount of time. A reason for Dallas feeling like they are good could be that they feel they “drafted” Jonathan Mingo this cycle given that they spent what would have been their fourth-round pick on him at the trade deadline last season. Jerry also hyped up Mingo in the press conference and mentioned him as a player who could “make a jump” this coming season. Jerry Jones said the Cowboys could look at add to the wide receiver room with a veteran. He also mentioned Jonathan Mingo, who was acquired with a fourth round pick last year, as a player they can make a jump in 2025. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) April 26, 2025 It is fine for the Cowboys to hope that Mingo “makes a jump” but at a certain point we are dealing with a sunk cost fallacy. Just because capital was spent to acquire him does not mean that you should dig in on this. The sample size for him last season was small and did not feature Dak Prescott. That is fair to say. But counting on him, or Jalen Tolbert for that manner, is not exactly a responsible decision based on the facts at hand of who they have been for this team. Help is needed. The Cowboys seem to realize this on some level, at least. Hopefully they do something about it.

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images Here is our official 2025 Dallas Cowboys undrafted free agency tracker. The 2025 NFL Draft has officially come to an end and the Dallas Cowboys have a new group of players to work into the roster. Before they can begin any kind of work though, the Cowboys will add to their rookie class by way of undrafted free agency. This process, if not obvious, involves the college players who were not drafted. The Cowboys have a strong history with undrafted free agency and have found players like Tony Romo, Miles Austin and Dan Bailey to name a few. Current players like Brandon Aubrey, KaVontae Turpin and Terence Steele were UDFAs, so you never know what you are going to find. We will be tracking all reported UDFA signings for the Cowboys as they trickle out so make sure to keep this page updated. There will be an initial flurry right after the draft ends, but the process can linger a little bit. Last Updated: Saturday, April 26th at 8:30pm ET Signings Kentucky DB Zion Childress (via Jeremy Fowler) Oregon WR Traeshon Holden (via Brody Smoot) Texas Tech WR Josh Kelly (via Justin Melo) Auburn TE Rivaldo Fairweather (via Nick Harris) Syracuse DB Alijah Clark (via Syracuse) Syracuse LB Justin Barron (via Syracuse) Virginia TE Tyler Neville (via Ryan Fowler) Stephen F. Austin CB Bruce Harmon (via Nick Harris) Eastern Kentucky DB Mike Smith Jr. (via Arye Pulli)

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Saturday was a good day for the Cowboys The Cowboys came into Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft with seven picks and left with six players. Let’s summarize Dallas’ activity in the final rounds. The worst part of the day was starting at the top of the fourth round and knowing the Cowboys wouldn’t be picking again until the middle of the fifth. They’d previously given up this year’s fourth to acquire WR Jonathan Mingo from the Panthers last season. And it became extra painful when so many running backs were taken before Dallas was back on the clock. Thankfully, all the good ones weren’t gone. #149 (5th) – Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas Dallas kept it in-state with the Houston native and Longhorn speedster. One of the fastest backs in the class, Blue had third-round grades from some and offers versatility as a runner and receiver. He should immediately challenge for the lead role as long as he can improve ball security, which was a major knock coming out of college. Here’s a sample of Blue’s speed from last December: JAYDON BLUE, HOW DO YOU DO?!?! A 77-YARD TOUCHDOWN TO MAKE IT A TWO-SCORE GAME VS. CLEMSON pic.twitter.com/cCzmh6V5W2 — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 22, 2024 #152 (5th) – Shemar James, LB, Florida A few spots later, Dallas moved up from 174th to 152nd (sacrificing the 211th pick) to select the former Gator. While they’ve added some run-stuffing linebackers in free agency this offseason, the Cowboys were still hurting for more guys in the rotation. James has ample athleticism to defend in the passing game but needs to further develop his technical skills, as most Day 3 picks do. #Florida asked a lot of LB Shemar James, especially in coverage. Carrying the No. 3 receiver up the seam, covering tight ends in man to man coverage, and rushing the passer as a blitzer. Ran a 4.69 40 but has some excellent change of direction. Like him a lot as a Day guy. pic.twitter.com/FdP9JbE56a — Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) March 25, 2025 #204 (6th) – Ajani Cornelius, OL, Oregon Dallas surprisingly added another piece to the offensive line with Cornelius. While he played right tackle at Oregon, Cornerlius is projected more as an interior blocker in the pros. He has the size and athleticism to move around the line but needs significant work improvement to handle any OL duties at this level. He fits the mold, like first-round pick Tyler Booker, as the Cowboys move toward a power run game under Brian Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams. #217 (7th) – Jay Toia, DT, UCLA A true nose tackle, the 342-lb Toia could walk into an immediate role as a run-stuffer for the Cowboys’ defensive line. He’s hard to move but also not the best mover, which may limit how much he can get on the field. But with Dallas’ current lack of DT depth, he stands to challenge for a key role early. #239 (7th) – Phil Mafah, RB, Clemson The Cowboys added some thunder to Jaydon Blue’s lightning with Mafah, a 234-lb bruiser from the Tigers. While not a creator with the ball, he’ll eat what’s served to him by the blocking up front and finishes plays aggressively. At the least, he should provide a much-needed option for short yardage and goal line plays. BUH BYE Phil Mafah hits the gas and goes 8️⃣3️⃣ yards for the score! @accnetwork x @ClemsonFB pic.twitter.com/oP8JBwG4qy — ACC Football (@ACCFootball) September 8, 2024 #247 (7th) – Tommy Akingbesote, DT, Maryland With their last pick, Dallas again addressed its DT depth concerns with Akingbesote. An all-around tackle with size and athleticism, the former Terrapin is seen as a raw prospect with solid developmental potential. For a seventh-round pick, he has a decent shot at making the Cowboys’ roster with only other late-round and undrafted prospects like Justin Rogers and Denzel Daxon to contend with.

Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images Here are our grades for what the Cowboys did on Saturday With the 149th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected running back Jaydon Blue from the University of Texas, adding a dynamic playmaker to their backfield. Cowboy Blue @Jaydonblue23 | @TexasFootball #CowboysDraft | @Fanatics pic.twitter.com/8EnrpJLCfb — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) April 26, 2025 In the 2024 season, he rushed for 730 yards and had eight touchdowns on 134 carries, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. He also contributed as a receiver, catching 42 passes for 368 yards and six touchdowns, showcasing his versatility. Fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue gives the Cowboys a running back who rushed for 730 yards and 8 TDs while also catching 42 passes for 368 yards and 6 TDs last season. He’ll add big play ability to a Dallas RB room that includes Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, Deuce Vaughn and Malik… — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) April 26, 2025 Known for his explosive speed and acceleration, Blue ran a 4.38 40-yard dash (95th percentile). His ability to contribute both in the running and passing game makes him a valuable asset for the Cowboys, especially as they look to add depth and versatility to their offensive arsenal. Blue’s home-state roots and dynamic skill set could make him a fan favorite in Dallas. His biggest issue – fumbles and ball security. He has seven fumbles on 200 rush attempts over the last seasons. Pick Grade: B With the 152nd overall pick, Dallas selected linebacker Shemar James from the University of Florida, acquiring the pick through a trade with the Arizona Cardinals. They gave away picks picks 174 and 211 in order to bag the run-stopping linebacker, but regardless this is an interesting move. James is well-regarded for his athletic ability, especially in open-field situations, and his potential role on special teams. With his size (6-foot-1 and 226 pounds), he showcases a blend of speed and physicality, effectively using his hands to shed blocks and displaying agility as a blitzer. Nonetheless, there are ongoing concerns about his instincts, pursuit angles, and consistency in tackling. Despite these areas for improvement, James’s athletic profile and versatility make him a valuable addition to the Cowboys’ linebacker corps, especially as the team seeks to bolster depth and special teams performance and holds good value here on Day 3. Pick Grade: B- With the 204th overall pick, the Cowboys selected offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius from the University of Oregon, aiming to bolster their offensive line depth and develop future starters. Cornelius, who started his college football journey at Rhode Island before moving to Oregon, demonstrated impressive consistency by starting 50 games at right tackle, including 28 consecutive starts with the Ducks. He has the ideal size and strength for an NFL lineman which immediately ticks boxes. His performance in pass protection is particularly impressive as he allowed just three sacks on 1,067 pass-blocking snaps during his time at Oregon. Although he primarily played tackle in college, the Cowboys will likely shift him to guard to utilize his physicality and aggressive style. His strong work ethic and versatility make him a promising asset for the Cowboys’ future offensive strategies. Pick Grade: B- With the next pick at 217, Dallas selected defensive tackle Jay Toia from UCLA, aiming to improve their interior defensive line depth that was in desperate need of this type of player. Toia is known for his stout frame and ability to clog running lanes. During his senior season in 2024, he recorded 25 tackles, including two for loss, and one sack over 12 games. He offers very little in terms of pass-rush and those skills really require further development. But his strength and persistence make him a valuable asset against the run, something Dallas needed addressing after last year’s issues. Joining a defensive front of Mazi Smith and Osa Odighizuwa, Toia will look to compete for a rotational role, providing the Cowboys with a reliable presence in the trenches. His addition proves Brian Schottenheimer and company are committed to improve their defensive line and address the massive issue on defense at stopping the run. How can that be anything less than a B grade here. Pick Grade: B With the 239th overall pick Dallas went back to running back and took Phil Mafah from Clemson. He’s a powerful and experienced runner and will now be added to Dallas’ backfield rotation. Mafah is known for a physical running style and ability to gain tough yards between the tackles. During his senior season in 2024, he rushed for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns on 216 carries, averaging 5.2 yards per attempt . Over his four-year collegiate career, Mafah amassed 2,887 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns, ranking ninth in Clemson history for career rushing yards and tied for tenth in rushing touchdowns. The addition of Mafah is a great thunder to Blue’s lightning with these two running backs drafted today. Mafah’s addition provides the Cowboys with a reliable, downhill runner who can contribute in short-yardage and goal-line situations, a huge issue from last season. Pick Grade: A With the Cowboys final pick of this year’s draft they went back to the defensive tackle position and selected Tommy Akingbesote from Maryland. This pick adds a developmental prospect with significant upside to their defensive line. Akingbesote possesses impressive physical attributes, including 33.5-inch arms (63rd percentile) and 82 5/8-inch wingspan (83rd percentile), which he utilizes effectively to engage and shed blockers. In his senior season, he recorded a career-high 32 tackles, five tackles for loss, and two sacks. While he may require time to refine his technique and adapt to the professional level, Akingbesote’s size, strength, and work ethic make him a promising addition to the Cowboys. Pick Grade: C Overall Day 3 Grade: B+ Dallas Cowboys full 2025 draft class: Alabama OG Tyler BookerBoston College DE Donovan EzeiruakuEast Carolina CB Shavon Revel Jr.Texas RB Jaydon BlueFlorida LB Shemar JamesOregon OL Ajani CorneliusUCLA DT Jay ToiaClemson RB Phil MafahMaryland DT Tommy

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The Dallas Cowboys have another new offensive lineman in Ajani Cornelius With the 204th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected OL Ajani Cornelius. The Cowboys beef up their offensive line with another draft pick. A scouting report: Overview A durable lineman with NFL traits and four years of starting experience, Cornelius lacks standout flashes on tape. He has been a full-time right tackle but lacks protection talent to stay outside as a pro. He has access to physical tools but needs to play with better bend and hand quickness to help stabilize his play. He can cover up defenders with size but is frequently out-leveraged at the point of attack. His average body control and slide quickness should be mitigated in smaller spaces but those issues will still be concerning against explosive interior rushers. The traits should make him a Day 3 target, but his ceiling might be as a backup. Strengths Good heft in lower half with broad waist and long arms. Rolls hips into angle blocks and runs his feet. Clean skip-pulls to get around the corner as a lead blocker. Able to set a late anchor if needed. Big hands gain wrist control at the point of attack. Long arms can buy him time when the punch is timed well. Weaknesses Subpar foot quickness and body control in space. Tardy with hand strike and beaten to placement. Drive power and contact balance sapped by tall pad level. Doesn’t play with enough control of hands/feet in protection. Gets knocked backward and into the pocket by power. Mirror can get pretty raggedy against counters. Cowboys 2025 draft picks: Round 1, pick 12 – G Tyler Booker (Alabama) Round 2, pick 44 – DE Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) Round 3, pick 76 – CB Shavon Revel (East Carolina) Round 5, pick 149 – RB Jaydon Blue (Texas) Round 5, pick 152 – LB Shemar James (Florida) Round 6, pick 204 – OL Ajani Cornelius (Oregon) Round 7, pick 217 Round 7, pick 239 Round 7, pick 247 Cowboys needs: WR: The Cowboys need an offensive complement to CeeDee Lamb with Brandin Cooks leaving in free agency. RB: The additions of Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders won’t stop the team from searching for a potential RB1 in this draft. CB: Trevon Diggs’ injury, Jourdan Lewis’ departure in free agency, and DaRon Bland becoming a free agent next season means the team needs help. The current depth is lackluster. DT: The 1-tech spot at the moment is Mazi Smith and not much else. Dallas should certainly look to add a draft prospect here. OL: The Cowboys have most of the line filled in, but there is a chance they want a young player to compete for the right guard position. LB: The Cowboys made some additions in the offseason to fill a thin position, but they could use another talented young player to put in the mix.