The Dallas Cowboys raised some eyebrows with their selection of Tyler Booker at No. 12 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, but their Day 2 picks were universally heralded after adding Boston College pass rush dynamo Donovan Ezeiruaku in the second round and East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. in the third round.
Due to the way Jerry Jones approached this offseason, it appears as though both of these additions will be expected to earn some snaps and make plays when given the opportunity. However, not everyone is completely sold on that transition being made so seamlessly in their debut campaign.
Pro Football Focus' biggest question for the Cowboys as the offseason enters its dormant period seems to be wondering if these new additions will make an impact on a defense that ranked a pitiful 28th in EPA play during Mike Zimmer's NFL swan song last year.
Jones continued with his historic trend of bargain hunting in free agency, signing former first-round bust Payton Turner to improve thee defensive line and reuniting with edge rusher Dante Fowler. However, Jones seems to have left enough of a runway for both of these players to get some shine in their rookie seasons.
PFF calls Cowboys Day 2 rookies biggest offseason question mark
Ezeiruaku lasting as long as he did was a minor surprise, as the former Eagles star was second in the country before new Baltimore Ravens pick Mike Green in sacks with 16.5 last season. Even though he has a very slight frame, his speed off the edge should be more than enough to make up for it.
Revel would have likely been picked in the Top 50 selections had he not suffered an injury that robbed him of most of his final college season. Without the injury, he's a 6-3 cornerback with exceptional speed and physicality.
The Cowboys' defense projects to be as average as they come in 2025, which is alarming for a team with a game-changer like Parsons on the roster. At their best, they could be good enough to help them sneak into a postseason spot.
However, if Ezeiruaku ends up showing that he is unable to defend the run at a high level and Revel is taking more time than expected to return to full strength after his injury problems, the defense could be so inconsistent that it already puts Brian Schottenheimer on the hot seat in his debut season.