NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Cowboys make unforgivable mistake

The Dallas Cowboys hit a home run in last year’s draft, and their overall track record suggests they’ll multiple immediate contributors to add to what has been a tremendous start to the offseason after they traded for Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks, and re-signed free agents Donovan Wilson ad Leighton Vander Esch.

With the first wave of free agency in the books, attention is slowly (but surely) beginning to shift to the 2023 NFL Draft.

Draft experts are releasing their top 100 prospects, and mock drafts are being published left and right. It’s almost impossible to read every mock that gets published. The number of outlets is one thing, but most outlets have several analysts and prognosticators making projections.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at the latest string of mocks. These specific drafts have a different feel to them, however. Normally, there’s an even distribution in terms of positive and negative reaction.

These two in particular would be awful for the Cowboys.

Cowboys 2023 Mock Draft Roundup

Draft Wire (USA Today)

Cowboys fans might actually disband and root for another team if this happened. Not actually, but it would certainly test their fandom. In this mock, Dallas moves up to pick No. 22 overall to take Texas running back Bijan Robinson.

Where to begin? The universal panning of drafting a running back in the first round has been overblown to an extent. There is a world where you can justify doing so. But trading up for one? In one of the deepest RB classes in recent memory would be franchise malpractice, even after the release of Ezekiel Elliott.

The worst part is the author, Natalie Miller, has Elliott and Tony Pollard back alongside Robinson. Again, what? The players taken after Robinson include wideouts Jordan Addison (USC), Zay Flowers (Boston College), Maryland corner Deonte Banks, and Georgia tight end Darnell Washington.

Dallas’ first-round needs have changed since this mock was published, but there’s no denying the insanity of trading up for a RB.

Mel Kiper Jr. Mock 2.0 (ESPN)

The ESPN expert has the Cowboys taking Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid.

Kincaid would step in as a like-for-like replacement for Dalton Schultz (and then some), who’s likely to leave as a free agent. As Kiper notes, Kincaid is an athletic specimen at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds with great hands, but this version of the Cowboys can’t afford to draft a tight end with their first-round pick.

We’re all for getting Dak Prescott more weapons, even after Dallas acquired Brandin Cooks from the Texans, but the interior offensive (and defensive) lines should be significantly higher in the pecking order relative to tight end and RB.

Jake Ferguson showed great potential as a rookie, and Peyton Hendershot wasn’t far behind in that regard. With that in mind, one could argue Dallas would be better of signing a veteran in free agency (looking at you, Foster Moreau) rather than have three developing TEs on the roster.

Kincaid might be a stud from Day 1, but there are five positions the Cowboys should prioritize in Round 1 over tight end, including receiver, cornerback, defensive tackle, linebacker, and defensive end. Yes, you could even throw running back ahead of tight end.

Mocks mean nothing in the grand scheme, but the draft would be a disaster for Dallas if the first round turned out like this.

Cowboys losing Connor McGovern changes outlook of 2023 draft

Cowboys free agent offensive guard Connor McGovern will sign with the Bills. This is a big loss for Dallas, and changes the outlook of the 2023 draft.