Cowboys chase upside to atone for poor free agency in 7-round 2025 Mock Draft

The Dallas Cowboys are one game away from knowing their final 2025 NFL draft position. With the complete draft order yet to be determined, internal roster decisions yet to be addressed and free agency still off in the distance, much can change between now and next April.

But preparedness is the name of the game and one can never be too prepared for the Cowboys draft day decisions because every year they seem to throw everyone for a loop. With that said, the Cowboys have been the model of consistency most offseasons, and because of that, some assumptions can be made:

1) Osa Odighizuwa will be re-signed

2) Terence Steele will be retained one more season

3) Jourdan Lewis, Chauncey Golston and Brandin Cooks will be allowed to leave for money related reasons

4) Donovan Wilson will be released

5) Attempts will be made but Rico Dowdle will take a bigger offer elsewhere

The cost-conscious front office pinches pennies this time of year. Their Scrooge-like mentality applies to internal free agents as well as external free agents. Bold moves are rare, and the front office has indicated already free agency will be handled opportunistically rather than enthusiastically.

Restricted free agents like KaVontae Turpin and Markquese Bell will also return to prominent roles while the rest of Dallas’ primary needs will be handled via bargain hunting in free agency (specifically linebacker, receiver, and 1-tech defensive tackle).

Aiding us in this 7-round mock draft exercise will be a consensus draft list, various NFL scouting reports and Pro Football Focus simulations. It’s not an attempt to pick a group of personal favorites, nor is it trying to get all the steals. This is for realistic scenarios based on the situation the Cowboys are facing today. Additionally, no trades will be allowed.

Round 1: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

The Cowboys need a No. 2 WR in a big way. Cooks didn’t make the impact they were hoping he would over the past two years and CeeDee Lamb was forced to carry too much of the load. The Cowboys need a high impact WR opposite Lamb to keep defenses honest and since free agents are too expensive for the front office’s tastes, WR is one of Dallas’ biggest needs to address this draft cycle.

Luther Burden, 5-foot-11, 208-pounds, isn’t the ideal profile for the Cowboys. Seen by many scouts as a “slot-only” WR, Burden would push CeeDee Lamb out from his favorite spot inside and that’s tough to feel good about. Still, Burden’s ability to be a gamebreaker make him too good to pass up and someone a smart offensive coordinator could unlock through motion, stack formations and play-action.

Burden is an explosive athlete who has track-level speed, elite elusiveness in the open field, and natural hands. Stoutly built, he can block better than many WRs twice his size and can even be used as a rusher himself. A feared return man on punts and kicks, Burden could contribute a multitude of ways for the Cowboys.

The past three postseason campaigns saw Dallas outmatched in the playmakers department. They need to add another gamebreaker to their offensive roster if they want to make a push in the postseason and Burden is one of the best playmakers there is.

He’ll likely split time with Lamb in the slot and otherwise be used as a Z where he doesn’t need to face press coverage on the line. Burden would be an instant starter with Pro Bowl potential on this Dallas team.

Round 2: Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame

The Dallas Cowboys will likely move on from one, if not two, of their starting safeties this offseason. Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson are coming off down seasons and the front office will be hungry to cut costs. In this draft scenario it’s Wilson who gets the axe, leaving Hooker, Juanyeh Thomas and Markquese Bell as the top safeties on the depth chart.

Xavier Watts, a ready-made star safety prospect, immediately bullies himself into that starting unit. At 6-foot, 203-pounds, Watts is a bit undersized at the safety position but his ball skills are elite and his speed and instincts are top notch.

Equally as proficient in zone and man coverage, Watts could play in the box or even slide into the centerfield position occupied by Hooker and effectively cover between the numbers in single high safety situations. As a former WR, Watts plays like all airborne balls are his. He has a natural nose for the ball and his IQ is through the roof. A leader and a playmaker, Watts would be a Day 1 starter in Dallas and is one of the most tantalizing centerfield safety prospects to hit the league in recent years.

It may come down to who takes over at defensive coordinator this coming season. With Zimmer, it would be a match made in heaven but really any aggressive defense that leans on the secondary heavily would kill for someone like Watts.

This pick has a high floor and high ceiling. Safety might not be a top need for some, but Watts is an instant starter with Pro Bowl potential. Best yet, his insertion would save the Cowboys significant money at the safety position.

Round 3: Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech

The third round is going to be tough one for the Cowboys. Since they traded away their fourth-round pick to get Jonathan Mingo at the deadline (insert expletive here) they stand to wait 72 picks between their Round 3 and Round 5 spots. The likelihood of finding a starter, or even a regular contributor, drops significantly in that span. That means the Cowboys can’t afford to screw this up and leave an area of need unaddressed.

As explained in the intro, Dallas was outbid for Dowdle in free agency meaning they are starting from square one here in the draft. They likely signed a replacement-level veteran earlier to compete in camp but that’s just an emergency insurance policy. They need to find a starter in the draft.

Bhayshul Tuten is a player who is going to raise some eyebrows this draft cycle. Some will love him while other will hate him. At 5-foot-11, 209-pounds, he’s expected to run a 4.32 40 (based on track numbers) which would make him one of the fastest RBs in the NFL. His change of direction and explosiveness is high-end and his big play potential is going to garner a significant fan club.

Tuten is also a terrible pass protector and a poor option in short yardage. His technique and personal interest in those roles are questionable meaning whoever picks him will need a good third-down back option. The Cowboys may just have that in Hunter Luepke.

Round 5: Emery Jones, OT, LSU

The Cowboys should be encouraged by their offensive line play this season. Inserting two developmental rookies in the same season is supposed to be difficult so all of the bumps of the 2024 season were to be expected. What happened unexpectedly was the rise of Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass. Both players have shown starting ability as interior linemen and both could challenge for starting positions in 2025.

Dallas’ two OTs struggled all year but in this scenario the Cowboys are dedicated to the task and rolling them both back for 2025. It’s risky given the importance of their positions but it’s in the Cowboys nature to sink or swim with situations such as this.

With that said, the Cowboys are open to add an OT prospect this cycle. The top two first round OT prospects fell off the board before they could pick one in Round 1 but this value pick fell into their laps here so they have no qualms pouncing.

Emery Jones, 6-foot-6, 315-pounds, is a prospect who can play either guard or tackle in the NFL. His big frame supports the weight gain needed at the next level and his athletic profile, bend, flexibility, and upper body strength make him a tantalizing OT project to work with.

Seemingly striking out with Josh Ball and Matt Waletzko, the Cowboys haven’t had much luck grooming midround OTs as of late. But the position is so valuable and the stakes are so high they have no choice but to keep trying.

Until he improves his kickstep, Jones will struggle with some speed rushers off the edge. This may sour some but he looks like a younger and more promising version of Steele. This would set the stage for Jones to replace Steele in 2026 (saving the Cowboys millions) and possibly upgrade them in the process. Frankly, Jones feels like a steal in the fifth round even if he’s a project.

Round 5: Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa

The Cowboys don’t need just any linebacker in 2025, they need a linebacker who can contribute right now and doesn’t need training wheels as a rookie. For years they chased traits, being infatuated with size, strength and overall length. Lately they pivoted to speed and explosiveness with a heavy interest in intelligence.

DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Liufau are great examples of that and in many ways Jay Higgins continues that profile for the scouting department.

Higgins, 6-foot2, 232-pounds, is one of the leanest LBs in the class but he’s also one of the safer picks. His expected 40 speed isn’t going to fit the mold of the previous two Dallas’ picks at LB, but his quick first step, motor, and sideline to sideline speed are familiar sights.

Higgins is an extremely reliable tackler with exceptional coverage IQ. He knows where to be and when to be there, filling his run fits and drop points routinely. Projecting as a typical WILL, Higgins can be a plug and play option alongside Liufau on Day 1. He will help fill the void while Overshown recovers from his nasty knee injury that’s expected to bleed into the 2025 season.

Round 5: Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa

Going back to the familiar well at Iowa, the Cowboys find their next groomable tight end prospect from the school that knows TEs best. The Dallas Cowboys could use new blood at the TE position after getting such a disappointing season from their top trio in 2024.

Jake Ferguson had an indisputably poor year after his Pro Bowl season of 2023. Luke Schoomaker improved but still hasn’t lived up to his second-round draft status. And Brevyn Spann-Ford has been mostly one-dimensional at this point, still needing work as a pass catcher.

If the Cowboys continue their pattern of drafting, developing, and dumping at the TE position, they’d be wise to add a new face to their group again this season. Lachey is a good prospect with some starting potential down the road.

At 6-foot-6, 247-pounds, Lachey is leaner than most teams would like but willing and savvy enough to be useful on Day 1. Overshadowed by some of the faster and more athletically explosive prospects, Lachey is going to fly under some radars this year and that could result in a steal late in the draft.

Lachey is a natural route runner who wins with technique in short-to-intermediate range routes. He has an all-encompassing catch radius that makes him a QB’s best friend but he doesn’t offer much after the catch. He’s a willing blocker but need to add some strength and weight to his frame to effectively sustain blocks.

Lachey is likely TE4 early but has the potential to reach the top-2 in the near future.

Round 5: Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo

Perhaps the biggest need this offseason, even bigger than the need at WR2, is defensive tackle. The Cowboys have been horrific at DT the past few seasons and even if they bring Odighizuwa back like this scenario suggests, they are in need of a girthy 1-tech to bring everything together.

In 2024 the Cowboys rotated Mazi Smith and Linval Joseph. Neither player performed like a starter but the Cowboys were out of options. They’ll likely swap Joseph for another older veteran but can’t bank on that being an adequate answer.

Unfortunately, the top two DTs in the draft fell off the board in the first round so Dallas had to kick the can at DT down the draft. Finally, here in the fifth round they found their bargain.

Darius Alexander, 6-foot-4, 320-pounds, is built for the DT spot in the NFL. The man in the middle can play both 3-tech and 1-tech and was often tasked with taking on double teams, holding the front of the pocket in drop back situations, and being an immoveable object in running situations.

Alexander is a high-end run defender who should be able to contribute right away. He’s unlikely to ever be a dominant pass rusher but he’s shown athleticism needed to be a clean-up player. Given his size and skillset, he’s likely to be used most on running downs/situations. He’s among some of the best DTs in the class at shedding blocks and winning with leverage.

It’s difficult to predict his ceiling but he looks like a player who could work into a rotation early and eventually become one of the better run stoppers in the NFL someday. That’s good news for arguably the worst run-stopping team in the NFL.  

Round 6: Woody Marks, RB, USC

In this offseason scenario the Cowboys were unable to re-sign Dowdle. It led to an emphasis on the RB position this draft cycle and ultimately led to the drafting of Bhayshul Tuten in the third round. If the explosive Tuten is the early down home run hitter then Woody Marks is the third down specialists.

Marks excels in all the areas Tuten struggles, making this an accidentally ideal paring. Tuten’s pass protection is probably his worst attribute so he may not be cut out for third downs. Luckily, Marks is made for third downs since his receiving skills are strong and his pass protection is reliable.

Marks, 5-10, 210-pounds, isn’t a big back but he’s capable of carrying a big load if asked. He’s shifty, blessed with natural vision and a high IQ. He comes with special teams ability and a track record for success in an NFL-style offense.

Round 6: Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville

The Cowboys final selection will be for a new developmental quarterback prospect. Cooper Rush and Trey Lance are expected to leave so Dallas will be forced to start fresh at backup. Whether they bring in a veteran journeyman or not, they’ll want at least one developmental prospect on the roster to groom.

Shough, 6-foot-5, 225-pounds, has all the tangible traits wanted in a prospect. Besides the build, Slough has athleticism and quickness desired in game today. He’s not a true dual-threat but he’s a good scrambler and can play some read-option. His mechanics aren’t great and will need to hone that craft at the NFL level but he has a good arm and natural accuracy so if he can fix his technique, he could be a real passer in the NFL.

Probably a multiyear project but comes with the potential desired in prospect.

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