Cowboys 2023 mock draft: Devon Witherspoon fills hole in secondary

With 12 wins in 2021 and 10 wins so far in 2022, the Dallas Cowboys have been consistent winners for the past two seasons. They’ll once again be in the playoffs this year, an assignment that has been a problem for them … but that’s for a different day.

Here, we’re focused on their roster, and while they’ve been good enough to secure back-to-back double-digit win campaigns, there are some holes that need to be filled.

One such hole is at cornerback, which is where we look in Round 1 of our latest seven-round Cowboys mock draft.

Dallas Cowboys 2023 mock draft

Round 1: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

In the recent loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Dallas secondary was exposed on several occasions. While DaRon Bland has stepped up as an undrafted free agent, Kelvin Joseph has continued to struggle.

Thrust into the lineup due to an injury to Anthony Brown, Joseph gave up two touchdowns in this game alone. With his inability to develop in Year 2, the Cowboys really need to go after someone capable of starting across from Trevon Diggs so they won’t get burned if Joseph’s issues continue into 2023.

Devon Witherspoon ends up being the player they tab in this mock as their first-round selection. Witherspoon is listed at 6-foot-0 and weighs 180 pounds. He doesn’t have the exact measurables Dan Quinn loves in his cornerbacks, but he’s still got plenty of size. More importantly, he’s a confident player who has been called a “tone setter” by Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network.

Witherspoon is solid in run support, and has three picks this season, showing tremendous ball skills. His addition should round things out in a secondary that has just one real hole right now.