NFL mock 2023 draft roundup: Who are the Cowboys taking?
By Jerry Trotta
The Dallas Cowboys hit a home run in the 2022 NFL Draft, and fans are hoping the front office puts forth a similar display this year.
Between Tyler Smith, DaRon Bland, Sam Williams, Damone Clark, and Jake Ferguson, the Cowboys nabbed five players who made significant impacts as rookies. That doesn’t happen often, and would explain why Dallas’ 2022 class earned the highest grade of any NFC East team, per NFL Media’s Eric Edholm.
Like last year, the Cowboys could go several directions with their first-round pick in 2023. At No. 26 overall, Dallas may draft the best player available, or draft for need with holes a cornerback, receiver, and defensive tackle.
Seemingly every mock draft has echoed that sentiment.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at who a couple of notable draft prognosticators have the Cowboys drafting in Round 1.
Cowboys 2023 Mock Draft Roundup
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah mock 2.0
Jeremiah is regarded as one of the best draft analysts in the business, but he likely left Cowboys fans scratching their heads with the selection of Georgia Tech edge rusher Keion White. A freak athlete, Jeremiah projects White’s stock will skyrocket at the combine, and that his ability to line up on the edge or along the interior will make him a coveted target for teams in need of defensive line help.
As a senior in 2022, White compiled 54 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 41 pressures, and a 75.6 player grade from PFF. A former two-star recruit in high school, White is 24 years old and still learning the ins and outs of the position after he started his college career playing tight end at Old Dominion.
2023 NFL Mock Draft 2.0https://t.co/WvY3XI50k4
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) February 21, 2023
The Athletic NFL Staff
Jon Machota gives Dallas a cornerback in Georgia’s Kelee Ringo. In this mock, all of the top receivers — TCU’s Quentin Johnson, USC’s Jordan Addison, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt — were off the board. As Florida OG O’Cyrus Torrence, who’s been heavily mocked to the Cowboys.
Formerly viewed as the consensus CB1 in the 2022 class, Ringo’s stock has fallen after an inconsistent season for the Bulldogs. At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds with 4.3 speed, Ringo has all the physical traits to step in and be an immediate starter, but there are concerns about his ability to start-and-stop and change direction in man coverage; an area he struggled against Ohio State and Tennessee.
The upside might be too promising to pass up for Dallas, however.
also, while we're here: Kelee Ringo is a cornerback, he's a very good cornerback, he should easily go Round 1 as a cornerback, and like sure, you can play him at safety if you want him to be less valuable to your team, but c'mon man
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) February 22, 2023
Draft Wire (USA Today)
Three different positions in as many mocks. In this edition, Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling has the Cowboys taking Arkansas LB Drew Sanders, who has the versatility to play anywhere on defense. Imagine giving Dan Quinn that kind of profile?
A former five-star recruit and Alabama transfer, Sanders did a little bit of everything for the Razorbacks in 2022, posting 103 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception for good measure.
If Leighton Vander Esch leaves in free agency, Dallas would be hard-pressed to find a better replacement than Sanders in the draft.
