The Dallas Cowboys have significantly underperformed in 2024, and at this point, Mike McCarthy’s squad is closer to securing the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft than they are to winning the Super Bowl in February.
It is clear that the Cowboys must re-tool and reload the roster if they have any hope of being competitive during this era with Dak Prescott under center.
This year’s draft class has been panned relentlessly for its lack of high-end quarterback talent, but that shouldn’t be a problem for the Cowboys, who will not be moving on from Prescott anytime soon.
That means Dallas can look at all of the non-quarterback talent and find the player who is the best fit for their team.
If the Cowboys’ scouting department and front office can hit on its selection, it could go a long way toward getting the team where they need to be to compete for the championship as soon as next season.
Running back and rushing defense are the Cowboys’ biggest needs
The Cowboys most pressing need in the 2025 off-season is by far addressing the running back position, as Rico Dowdle is a free agent and the team has very little in their barren cupboard behind him. If Dowdle chooses to leave the team this winter, Dallas will be stuck trying to pick from the scrap heap if they haven’t addressed the position already.
The problem with addressing the running back position is that there’s very little value in taking a halfback early in the draft. The Cowboys seemingly learned this lesson the hard way when they drafted Ezekiel Elliott with a fourth overall pick midway through the last decade.
While Elliott was a talented player who electrified fans for several seasons, he wasn’t able to get the team over the barrier to achieve postseason success. Perhaps no player better exemplifies the pitfalls of taking a running back early than Elliott, and he should serve as a cautionary tale against taking a running back in the top 10, perhaps even the top 20.
Running back: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State, TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State and Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
The one player who will undoubtedly spark the team’s interest during the pre-draft process in the next couple of months is Ashton Jeanty, and he is perhaps the only player who could push Dallas away from this conventional wisdom. Jeanty is a potential generational player at the running back position.
The ideal move for the Cowboys would be trading down if their selection falls within the top 15 and acquiring additional assets and then taking Jeanty somewhere in the mid-20s.
Of course, it’s possible that this plan doesn’t work out and somebody else takes Jeanty before Dallas is on the board. It would be wise to have backup plans. Luckily for the Boys and their fans, a duo of talented running backs are coming out of Ohio State this year and are projected to be selected in the late first round or early second round.
Those players are Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. Henderson has been with the Buckeyes since his freshman year and has had a bit of an up-and-down career. He dominated during his freshman season, struggled a bit during years two and three primarily due to injuries, and has settled in a timeshare role this past season.
That’s because Ohio State brought in Judkins through the transfer portal and the two stars both dominated while splitting time toting the rock. Henderson was the higher-rated prospect coming out of high school, and has more shake to his games and big-play ability, while Judkins is the more physical of the two and is adept at running between the tackles and gaining extra yards after first contact. You can’t go wrong with either tailback and both players will likely be plug-and-play options at the next level, but Judkins will likely be selected shortly before Henderson.
Defensive tackle: Mason Graham, Michigan
The Cowboys run defense has been abysmal, and they will need to address that this off-season. Mason Graham is a physically imposing interior defensive lineman who possesses game-changing ability. Graham dominates between the tackles, sheds blockers with ease, and can get into the backfield consistently to blow up plays.
He can shut down opposing teams’ running game and make life miserable for tailbacks and tuning quarterbacks.
Rumors have also swirled around a potential trade of superstar linebacker Micah Parsons due to the team’s increasingly unsustainable financial picture. Although Jerry Jones quickly shut down these rumors, the fact that they popped up at all in the first place means this could happen in the future, and reality changes in the blink of an eye in the NFL.
If Parsons leaves, the team will desperately need to add an impact player to bolster their run defense. Graham would be a perfect addition who could frequently draw double teams and find a way to make an impact despite the additional attention from opposing blockers.
Offensive Line: Will Campbell, LSU and Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
The Cowboys were competitive throughout the 2010s primarily but building a dominant offensive line and then filling in the skill positions around them. That once-dominant line is now getting older, and Terrence Steele could leave town due to salary cap considerations while Zack Martin is getting a bit long in the tooth and could be hanging up his cleats in the near future.
Heading into the 2024 season, Will Campbell was widely considered the top offensive line prospect to watch. Campbell has played well, but Kelvin Banks Jr. has made a profound impact on scouts and has set himself up in a nice position to potentially be the first offensive lineman off the board.
Both of these players profile best as tackles, but they could play tackle or guard and their presence could allow somebody else to slide over a spot, strengthening the team’s overall line.
Edge rusher: Abdul Carter, Penn State and Mykel Williams, Georgia
The Cowboys might want to try and address a premium position with their premium draft pick if they end up in the top 10. This means targeting a quarterback, wide receiver, blindside protector, cornerback, or edge rusher. Quarterback is off the table for obvious reasons, and the team doesn’t really need a receiver with CeeDee Lamb as an established superstar.
An edge rusher might be the team’s best bet if they want to go after one of these critical rules, and Abdul Carter is the best edge rusher in this class. If he’s off the board, Mykel Williams could be another option.
