Cowboys 7-round 2024 mock draft: Filling holes and spreading the wealth

The Dallas Cowboys haven’t had much luck upgrading the roster since the season ended. Taking their customary "cooling off period" in the early stages of free agency, Dallas has added only one notable outside free agent to the roster.

They embark on the 2024 NFL draft with more needs than roster picks available. A case can be made for the Cowboys to focus in on a few key areas of the roster and cluster bomb those, but with so many needs across all parts of the team, Dallas can also sit back and just let the players come to them.

In this 7-round mock draft exercise the Cowboys spread the wealth, so to speak, and attack positions across the roster. Each pick will go to a different position group and the Cowboys can see how far their picks can spread.

Using draft resources like the NFL Mock Draft Database simulator and scouting reports from NFL Draft Buzz, Dane Brugler at the Athletic, and PFF we can run through scenarios supported by the experts and in line with the front office’s behavior.

Round 1, Pick 24: OT JC Latham

For months JC Latham has been seen as a lock to go in the top-20 of the 2024 NFL draft but recent days have seen a fall in draft stock and the Cowboys find themselves positioned to jump on it.

Latham, Alabama’s next great blue-chip lineman, raised red flags to scouts when he opted out of athletic testing at his pro day. One can assume he did so because the scores he was seeing on his own were poorer than outside expectations and more likely to hurt his overall value, than help.

It adds to concerns that Latham is a RT-only and not the LT prospect most teams look for in the first round. Latham didn’t make the move to LT his last season in Alabama and the Crimson Tide really needed a LT. If Nick Saban didn’t move Latham, it was probably for a reason and that, combined with his lack of athletic testing, are cause for concern for teams picking in early.

But Latham still tested well in pro day positional drills and his body of work at RT in Alabama is impressive as well. At the very worst Latham is a dominant RT or OG in the NFL so he’s not necessarily running the risk of being a bust.

It’s a gamble to think Latham is an instant replacement to Tyron Smith at LT but he could easily start at LG (if Tyler Smith moves to LT) or to RT (if Terence Steele doesn’t play better) on Day 1. A pick like this looks very similar to the Tyler Smith pick in 2021 when the Cowboys were hoping he’d be a LT one day, but content with him just being a dominant LG if all else fails.

Round 2: Pick, 64: RB Jonathon Brooks

It may not make much sense to draft a RB in the first two rounds of a draft anymore since most of the top ones are found outside the top-100, but the Cowboys have an infatuation with bell cow RBs and they don’t last.

In this scenario the Cowboys trade picks 56 to Chiefs for Picks 64 and 95. Trey Benson is off the board for anyone wondering and the not-so-secret object of Dallas’ affection is staring them right in their face at pick 64.

The Cowboys have been scouting Brooks heavily and Dan Cooper, Dallas’ team physician, did Brooks’ surgery so no one knows the situation better than the Cowboys.

Injury aside, Brooks is the best RB prospect in this draft class. The 6-foot 216-pound RB from Texas is a complete back. He’s a plus pass catcher and pass protector. He has quick feet, patience and speed allowing him to fit a variety of schemes.

On the Cowboys Brooks would fit all situations. He can play inside and wide zone with the ability to handle short yardage as well. His pass protection ability makes him a great third down option and assuming he’s fully healthy by camp, he should be a plug-and-play starter at RB in Dallas

Round 3: Pick 87: DT Michael Hall Jr

Hall was a consideration in Round 2 so the fact he fell all the way to Round 3 is too good for Dallas to pass up. The undersized DT from Ohio State who’s rated as the 16th DL by NFL Draft Buzz and the 79th player overall on Dane Brugler’s top-100 list, presents tremendous value here even if he doesn’t solve the obvious need for size inside.

Hall’s film, workouts and athletic testing all say top-50 player. But his size and length are going to scare some teams away so he’s been slipping from time to time in simulations. At 6-foot-3, 290-pounds, Hall is still plenty big to get the job done inside. He’s not a candidate for 1-tech but he could certainly split time with Osa Odighizuwa at 3-tech. Considering Odighizuwa has broken down from a full time workload in each of his three NFL seasons, this could be just what the Cowboys need to maximize the effectiveness of the 3-tech position.

Given Dallas’ complete absence of a 1-tech, the Cowboys still need to move Mazi Smith back to the girthier position and also need to find a veteran free agent somewhere to cover the loss of Johnathan Hankins.

Hall is an ultra-explosive player who will attack plays and disrupt the backfield. His biggest negative from a scouting perspective is his endurance but assuming he’s in a rotation with Odighizuwa, that won’t be a problem in 2024.

Round 3, Pick 95: C Beaux Limmer

The Cowboys have a handful of decent center options in the middle rounds and while none of them pack the excitement of someone like Jackson Powers-Johnson, plenty of them suitably replace Tyler Biadasz.

Pulling from the Arkansas tree, the Cowboys go after Beaux Limmer. Limmer, 6-foot-5, 302-pounds, tested extremely well in the pre-draft process. His vertical and broad jump numbers are elite and his three cone indicates he can play on the move as good as anyone.

Limmer was a standout student who should have no trouble adapting to then mental challenges of the pro game. He can handle stunts and blitzes with expertise which was something his predecessor struggled with early in his career.

His frame is a little lean for an offensive lineman and his arms limit his position flex. He’s likely a center-only prospect who is best played in a zone scheme. His positives far outweigh his negatives and Dallas scores a good player here at Pick 95.

Limmer has a good chance at becoming a Week 1 starter even if Brock Hoffman develops over the offseason and offers up competition. The Cowboys get great value here and know even if Limmer was off the board players like Tanor Bortolini from Wisconsin or Hunter Nourzad from Penn State are great options in this area of the draft.

Round 5, Pick 174: LB Jaylan Ford

While the addition of Eric Kendricks certainly helps build back a LB unit that was victimized in 2023, more help is needed. Unfortunately, the 2024 NFL draft isn’t exactly rich in LB prospects and many of the ones who standout at the top of the board come with injury concerns or are undersized.

The Cowboys have a handful of good options at WILL but are limited in their options at MIKE. Damone Clark has the size but based on his play in 2023, is probably better at WILL or SAM. Kendricks has the ability but based on his age (32) and size (6-foot, 232-pounds) he can’t be relied on to hold up in the middle alone - Especially since Dallas doesn’t have true a 1-tech on the roster yet.

Jaylan Ford, 6-foot-2, 240-pounds, is one of the bigger prospects in the draft. He may not be a perfect MIKE prospect but he’s a strong run stopper and has no problem attacking the backfield. Given Mike Zimmer’s love for A-gap blitzing, Ford could find a place on the Cowboys as a SAM/MIKE, working in a rotation that features him on running downs.

Does this solve all of Dallas’ issues at LB?

Certainly not but with so many other needs on the roster, LB has to take a backseat in the “needs” hierarchy and getting someone like Ford in the fifth round is good value. Additionally, some good LB veterans are still on the market and more will likely break free once teams conduct their traditional post-draft roster purges. The real issue on the Cowboys is at 1-tech DT.  

Round 6, Pick 216: CB Johnny Dixon

Cornerback is a low-key need in Dallas because aside from the top-3 CBs on the roster, things get scarry in Dallas very quickly. Since no one wants Nahshon Wright or Eric Scott jumping into a starting role without first proving they belong, adding another body to the mix is important.

Johnny Dixon, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior isn’t physically imposing. His 29-inch arms (12th percentile) and 72-inch wingspan (32nd percentile) isn’t a Will McClay benchmark. But the kid can play football and in the sixth round, football players is what teams are looking for.

On tape, Dixon scores average across the board. Projected best as a slot CB, Dixon is a nickel back with some leading man tendencies. He’s physical without having imposing traits. It will likely lead to flags and some growing pains. His draft profile reads like Jourdan Lewis’ in many ways because his feisty levels are off-the-charts even if his game might not be.

Dixon is a good player who may be able to fight for CB4 role as a rookie. He has what Wright and Scott don’t have and that’s smooth hips and good change of direction ability. Even if he’s a run and chase player (like many slot CBs are), he has value if he can stay close and make things tough in coverage.

Round 7, Pick 233: DT Jordan Jefferson

Jordan Jefferson is a player who is tragically low on many media draft boards but might be higher on team draft boards. The 6-foot-3 313-pound DT from LSU has been a player on the cusp of breaking out for years but has never been able to do it.

The fifth-year senior has power and speed which can’t be taught. Likely cast as a 1-tech run stuffer in the NFL, Jefferson looks like the next Quinten Bohanna since he’s a Day 3 1-tech with developmental potential. Jefferson made Brice Feldman’s Freak List which puts him on Dallas’ radar and since the Cowboys have a clear and obvious need at DT, he’s an easy pick in the latter stages of this draft.

Round 7, Pick 244 WR Ryan Flournoy

Flournoy out of Southeast Missouri State is a player who’s good at many things but excels as a deep threat in the same way Cedrick Wilson once did and Jalen Tolbert did as prospects. In this loaded WR draft class he’s just the type of player to slip through the cracks and offer some lucky team extreme value late on Day 3.

At 6-foot-1, 202-pounds he’s well built with explosive testing numbers. His 4.44 speed puts him in the top 73rd percentile and backs up his ability to get deep. He doesn’t play very physically and runs a very elementary route tree so seasoning will be required before he can compete for a regular role. But he’s a natural hands catcher who tracks the ball effortlessly, so he comes with strong potential as a developmental player.

Whether it’s Flourney or some other WR prospect, this is a good time for the Cowboys to snag a falling WR prospect with legit upside.

More Cowboys news and analysis