Jerry and Stephen Jones played things extremely tight to the vest in the Dallas Cowboys' pre-NFL Draft press conference.
They were careful not to reveal too much about the team's plans. Jerry and Will McClay went as far as to claim their draft board still wasn't finalized. That has hopefully changed being the first round kicks off in about eight hours.
Despite the gamesmanship, all signs point to Dallas targeting a wide receiver, likely Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan or Texas' Matthew Golden, with the No. 12 pick. McMillan has been the flavor of draft week, seemingly leapfrogging Golden as the favorite to join America's Team.
A number of last-minute mock drafts have McMillan going to the Cowboys. Dane Brugler of The Athletic is no exception, and that speaks volumes considering he projected Golden to Dallas in his seven-round mock that he released just one week ago.
However, Brugler hinted the Joneses might have something wild in the holster if a team gobbles up McMillan before the 12th pick.
My final mock draft (feels good to say that).https://t.co/QqX5dc3WfK pic.twitter.com/tN6U38UUDl
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) April 24, 2025
Cowboys may have a wild backup plan if they can't draft Tetairoa McMillan
"If McMillan is off the board, this slot might get pretty spicy," Brugler writes. "The rangy Arizona pass catcher is still available in our mock, so the Cowboys nab WR1 and pair him with CeeDee Lamb to upgrade the offense ... But will McMillan make it this far Thursday night? Maybe not."
Brugler's analysis is as compelling as it is terrifying.
It is hard to decipher what "spicy" could mean if McMillan is gone. A trade-down comes to mind. Chances are Dallas could still get Golden a few picks later than No. 12. Picking up a third or fourth-round pick while selecting one their highest-rated players would be excellent drafting.
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It could also mean the Cowboys potentially staying at No. 12 and selecting an offensive lineman, cornerback or edge rusher.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated believes North Dakota State guard/center Grey Zabel is very much in play. In that same vein, Alabama guard Tyler Booker took a 30 visit with Dallas and has been mentioned as a possibility in the first round.
In terms of EDGE, the team is reportedly high on Georgia's Mykel Williams and Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart. Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram believes Stewart tops the list of non-receivers that pique Dallas' interest. While Stewart's athleticism is off the charts, how much stock will the front office put into his lack of production?
These questions will have answers soon enough, but Brugler made it sounds like Golden isn't the slam dunk it was made out to be if McMillan isn't available.
Anything is in play if that happens.