By losing their regular-season finale the Dallas Cowboys officially clinched the No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. They entered Sunday with the potential to drop as low as pick No. 17, so they really won in the bigger picture despite what the scoreboard said.
As presently constructed, the Cowboys' roster has needs everywhere. Re-signing some key players and adding external talent via free agency will help the cause, but history suggests this front office will do most of its heavy lifting in terms of bringing in fresh talent through the draft.
Fortunately, Dallas owns three picks inside the top 80. If they hit on all three, this roster will be in great shape for next season. With that in mind, let's dive head first into a three-round mock draft in which the team builds around $60 million quarterback Dak Prescott.
Dallas Cowboys 3-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft
Round 1, Pick : Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
You might think the Cowboys have too many needs to use their first round pick on a running back. That argument is valid, especially given the wealth of running backs coming. However, this is not a good draft and Jeanty is without question a top-10 player in the class.
Getting Jeanty in the top half of the first round would be a steal. The Cowboys opted last year to wait for a RB and it cost them. They don't have a fourth round pick again. Take the best player available and don't look back. Dallas is no stranger to drafting Boise State players so this is a real possibility.
Jeanty is one of the best RB prospects in the last decade. His contact balance is among the best you'll ever see. Even against Penn State in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal when he had zero blocking, Jeanty broke 16 tackles on 30 carries. He had a 58% missed tackle rate on his touches, which is patently absurd.
The Cowboys need to support Dak Prescott with a strong running game. With Jeanty in the backfield, it instantly becomes elite.
Round 2, Pick 44: Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami (FL)
Many Cowboys fans will have wanted the team to draft a wide receiver in round one, but Emeka Egbuka might have been a reach at No. 12 overall and the gap between Luther Burden and Restrepo and other second-to-third-round prospects is not significant.
While Jalen Tolbert finished year three with 610 receiving yards and seven (!) touchdowns, he shouldn't be trusted as more than WR3. If Dallas adds Restrepo at No. 44 overall after Jeanty to lessen the burden on Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, this offense becomes unstoppable.
READ MORE: Cowboys' best Mike McCarthy replacement is already on the coaching staff
The No. 1 target for Heisman Trophy finalist and potential top-five pick Cam Ward, Restrepo is the definition of consistent. He is dynamic after the catch, averaging 7.3 YAC per reception and pairs that with very reliable hands, as evidenced by his 2.8% drop rate.
Restrepo has a similar build to CeeDee Lamb and prefers to play in the slot, but that shouldn't dissuade Dallas from drafting him in round two. Lamb can win anywere on the field.
Much of the discourse about the team's non-Lamb receivers was a lack of separation. Well, Restrepo had a 87.1 grade vs. man coverage this season, per PFF.
Round 3, Pick 76: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
The Cowboys have several draft picks after this, but if they go Jeanty, Restrepo and Harmon with their first three selections fans should be doing cartwheels.
Harmon was one of the best interior pass rushers in college football this season. His 18.3% pass-rush win rate was second-best at his position. He finished with five sacks, 43 hurries and seven quarterback hits. He is average in run defense but has the strength and technique to stack blockers and shed them in time to thwart ball-carriers.
A run-stuffer is arguably the bigger need, but Osa Odighizuwa is a free agent after logging career-highs in sacks, QB hits and pressures. Even if Odighizuwa is back, Harmon would be a fantastic third option behind No. 97 and 2023 first-round pick Mazi Smith.