While Dak Prescott may be the Cowboys’ franchise guy, the team still has major question marks at the position.
The Dallas Cowboys are being tipped to draft a new quarterback in AprilCredit: Getty
Louisville’s Tyler Shough is being projected to land with the CowboysCredit: Reuters
Prescott missed half of the NFL season this year with an injury, and the team didn’t get much help from backup quarterbacks Cooper Rush and Trey Lance.
Rush started eight games in 2024, passing for 1,844 yards with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. He was 4-4 in his eight starts.
Lance appeared in four games in 2024 and started one of them.
In those appearances he passed for 266 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
Shough had a solid season for Louisville in 2024, helping the team play to a 9-4 record.
He passed for 3,195 yards with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions over the season.
Standing at 6’5, 225 lbs, Shough is a physical specimen, but there are some factors holding him back in the draft.
One of those is that he played last season as a sixth-year senior.
Shough is already 25 years old and would turn 26 at the start of the 2025 NFL season.
He is already older than Drake Maye, CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Bo Nix.
Shough did put in a good performance at the Senior Bowl though, which is helping raise his draft stock.
A good performance at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis could further boost that stock.
Even if the Cowboys do retain one of Rush or Lance, taking a flyer on a guy like Shough could be a good option for the team.
Prescott could get hurt again at any time, and the Cowboys need a competent quarterback to keep them productive if he is out.
Both Rush and Lance are set to hit free agency when the new league year begins in 2023.
With a potential vacancy at the backup quarterback position, the Cowboys are likely going to look at the 2025 NFL Draft to fill the opening.
USA Today’s KD Drummond has the Cowboys taking a shot on an underrated quarterback late in his latest mock draft.
Drummond projects the Cowboys selecting Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough in the sixth round of the draft.
The Cowboys own 10 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft and will likely use one of the on a quarterback, even if it isn’t Shough.
They should be able to beef up their team and return to playoff contention this offseason.