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Cowboys’ Dak Prescott is huge winner in Mel Kiper’s new mock draft

By Matthew Liebl

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 12: Michael Mayer #87 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball after making a catch against the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 12: Michael Mayer #87 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball after making a catch against the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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Mock drafts rarely serve as anything more than water cooler chat heading into the NFL Draft. The surprise twists on draft day are part of what makes it one of the most exciting offseason events of the year. Rarely does anyone predict how the draft will unfold with 100 percent accuracy, but it’s still fun to debate the latest analyst predictions.

This brings me to Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft. The ESPN draft expert has released his fourth mock ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. This latest mock focuses on the first two rounds of the draft, of which the Dallas Cowboys possess both the No. 26 and No. 58 picks.

Following a superb free agency period in which the team addressed many offseason holes through trades, the Cowboys have some flexibility heading into the NFL Draft. That’s not to say there still aren’t needs, but Dallas has the luxury of drafting the best available rather than reaching for a glaring need.

So who does Mel Kiper Jr. predict the Cowboys will take at No. 26?

Cowboys select Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer at No. 26

With the departure of tight end Dalton Schultz this offseason, Dak Prescott lost a very reliable safety net. As of right now, sophomores Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot look to take over the starting role. Although both showed glimpses of starting potential last season, neither are sure-shot replacements for the reliable veteran. Tight end appears to be a position of need for the Cowboys heading into the NFL Draft and, sure enough, Mel Kiper predicts the Cowboys will address this need with their first pick, drafting Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer at No. 26 overall.

Michael Mayer is considered to be the most polished tight end in this year’s draft with tremendous blocking skills and a high receiving upside (180 catches for 2,099 yards and 18 touchdowns in three college seasons). Although Utah’s Dalton Kincaid is ranked ahead of Mayer on many boards, including Kiper’s latest Big Board, Mayer would be a tremendous pick for the Cowboys.

Kincaid — predicted to go to Green Bay at No. 15 — may be the best pass-catching tight end in this class, but Mayer feels like the more pro-ready NFL prospect, and I love that for the Cowboys right now. In his analysis of Mayer, Kiper writes:

"Mayer is the best all-around tight end in this class; he’s not afraid to latch on to defenders and block…. He can be an outlet on crossers and hooks and he’ll pick up first downs after the catch."

For a team that appears all-in on the Super Bowl this year, you have to like the idea of drafting a tight end that would be capable of coming in and contributing immediately. Drafting Mayer would give Prescott not only another weapon, but an important safety valve. I know we didn’t like the idea of drafting a tight end in the first round, but that was before the Cowboys addressed the gaping hole at wide receiving by trading for Brandin Cooks.

Interestingly, it was not Mayer but Georgia tight end Darnell Washington who attended the Cowboys’ annual “30 visits.” While the visit doesn’t necessarily guarantee Washington will be drafted by Dallas with the first pick, it at least signals some interest in the tight end. Washington is graded as the fourth best tight end on Kiper’s board, behind Dalton Kincaid (Utah), Michael Mayer (Notre Dame) and and Luke Musgrave (Oregon State).

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