Cowboys 2023 NFL mock draft: Christian Gonzalez shores up secondary

Round 2: Emil Ekiyor Jr., OG, Alabama

It was rather odd when the Cowboys selected Connor McGovern back in 2019 since they apparently never even met with him at the Scouting Combine. Even so, they reportedly had a second-round grade on him and landed him in Round 3.

In his fourth season, he’s become a full-time starter but he’s also arguably the weakest link on their offensive line. With that being the case, he’s likely to hit the open market and if so, Dallas could find a replacement in the 2023 NFL Draft.

That’s what happens here as Emil Ekiyor, Jr. from Alabama is chosen. The 324-pound Ekiyor should be able to start right away for Dallas and could eventually be an improvement at left guard.

Round 3: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

This season, the Cowboys have been thin at wide receiver — and it’s completely self-inflicted. They hopefully learned their lesson, but probably didn’t. That’s why we shouldn’t hold our breath as they look for a new No. 3 wideout behind CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. Chances are high that they won’t pay big money for Odell Beckham, Jr. and an early pick might not be likely.

Instead, look for a day two selection on someone with some upside — such as Zay Flowers from Boston College. Flowers doesn’t have elite size at 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds but they have taller wideouts. What they can use is the speed and shiftiness he provides.

https://twitter.com/BCFootball/status/1576254098373869568?s=20&t=wiMizXPhUvJL4zgl9IV0WQ

Flowers can get deep, plays well in the slot, and is dangerous after the catch. He could wind up being a steal if he does last until Round 3 capable of making defenses pay for focusing too much on the top targets.