With the NFL Draft just three weeks away the Dallas Cowboys are busy finalizing their 30 visits. If the list of prospects invited to The Star is any indication, the Cowboys will come out of the first round with one of the top players in the class.
That will be easier said than done with the No. 12 pick, however. A number of recent mock drafts have Dallas reaching on North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton in round one. Needless to say that would be a questionable use of resources given the needs on this roster and depth of this RB class.
Trading back might be the Cowboys' best option depending on who's available at No. 12. It would allow them to pick up another day two pick, which could be the difference in addressing most of their top needs before they go a long time without picks between rounds four and five.
That is exactly how this three-round mock draft panned out.
Cowboys trade down, load up on talent in three-round NFL Mock Draft
Trade: Cowboys acquire picks No. 17 in round one, No. 81 in round three and No. 119 in round four from the Bengals for picks No. 12 and No. 149 in round five.
Round 1, Pick 17: Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
The Cowboys might be hesitant to draft another undersized pass rusher being they already deploy Micah Parsons, who is 6-3 and 245 pounds. Ezeiruaku measures at 6-3 and 248 pounds, so they are extremely similar in size.
A Shemar Stewart (6-5, 267) or Mykel Williams (6-5, 260) are better complements for Parsons in terms of size. While Dallas may want a bigger EDGE, Ezeiruaku comes into the NFL as productive as any player in the class after finishing second in the FBS with 16.5 sacks last season.
Ezeiruaku dominated at the Senior Bowl, proving to scouts that he can win with speed and power despite his 248-pound frame. He might struggle winning with power against NFL tackles, but he has an impressive bend and one of the highest football IQs in the class.
Round 2, Pick No. 44: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
With Trevon Diggs expected to miss the start of the 2025 season, cornerback is arguably Dallas' biggest need going into the draft.
Enter Amos, who has one of the highest floors of any CB in this draft with the potential to be a CB1 if he reaches his potential. His explosiveness is nothing to write home about, but he ran an impressive 4.43 40-yard dash at the Combine and paired that with a 10-foot-6 broad jump.
At 6-1 with 31-inch arms, Amos checks an all-important box for Dallas. Under Will McClay, the Cowboys have steered clear of corners with sub 30.5-inch arms. Amos is a lengthy corner who can be a stud in press coverage but also has the instincts and vision in zone to jump routes and get downhill.
Round 3, Pick No. 76: RJ Harvey, RB, UCF
Many Cowboys fans want the team to select a running back in round two, when one of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson will presumably be available. Amos was too enticing to pass up, though, and Harvey is a worthwhile consolation prize at the top of the third.
Harvey tallied 2,993 rushing yards over his final two seasons at UCF and led the Big 12 in both yards per carry (6.2) and rushing touchdowns (22) in 2024. He ranked in the 96th percentile in missed tackles forced per carry, per PFF, and posted the fourth-fastest 40-yard dash among running backs at the Combine.
While Harvey is best suited as a slasher in a zone scheme and had a penchant for bouncing outside in college, he can make defenders miss in the hole. He is also a smooth operator as a receiver out of the backfield, averaging 12.95 yards per catch over the last two seasons.
Harvey is one of our favorite RB targets for Dallas in round three.
Round 3, Pick No. 81: Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
Trading back in round one will all but end the Tetairoa McMillan dream. While Luther Burden and Emeka Egbuka were both available at No. 17, Noel is one of many compelling receiver prospects who will be available on Day 2.
Another Senior Bowl standout, Noel is the complete package for an undersized slot receiver. He was a three-year starter at Iowa State, posting 202 catches for 2,586 yards and 18 touchdowns during that span.
Noel gets open in a flash thanks to his route suddenness and speed out of his breaks. His 4.38 speed and natural ball-tracking ability should allow him to take the top off of defenses. He also comes down with contested catches despite being undersized with shorter arms.
While not great at creating yards after the catch, Dallas has one of the best wideouts in that department in CeeDee Lamb.
A haul of Ezeirkuaku, Amos, Harvey and Noel would have the Cowboys sitting pretty before they draft again at No. 119 overall in round four (thanks to the Bengals trade), where they can target a defensive tackle, another running back, or an offensive linemen.
manual