Entering the 2024 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys have several holes to fill on their roster. They were unable to retain the majority of their pending free agents including Tony Pollard, Tyron Smith, Tyler Biadasz, and Dorance Armstrong.
The good news as they look to fill out their roster is that the front office has done a good job in the draft as of late. The bad news is that they have limited selections to fill all their holes. That's why they trade down twice in this 2024 mock draft, allowing them to still land a few starters while also getting more darts to throw at the board.
Round 1, Pick 30 (From Baltimore): Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
Trade: Cowboys send pick 24 to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for the 30th pick in Round 1 and No. 93 in Round 3.
Trading down in Round 1 can be painful to sit through but it has its benefits. In this mock, the Cowboys move back six spots and add another top-100 selection. They miss out on a few of the premier offensive tackles but still get a starter in Zach Frazier.
The West Virginia product is a plug-and-play center that can replace Tyler Biadasz. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds, Frazier has a wrestling background and offers excellent body control. He has a high football IQ which is a must for this position.
The Cowboys will still need at least one more starter but this is arguably their biggest need.
Round 2, Pick 66 (From Arizona): Trey Benson, RB, Florida State
Trade: Cowboys trade pick 56 to the Arizona Cardinals for pick 66 in Round 2 and pick 104 in Round 4
Again, we trade back from No. 56 which won't be popular. However, the Cowboys land a pick right outside of the top 100, which makes it well worth dropping back 10 spots in the second round. They also still land a potential day-one starter in Trey Benson from Florida State.
Built for the NFL at 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds, Benson ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash to prove he's more than a power back. He was the focal point of the Seminoles' offense with 905 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023. He stated before the draft that Dallas ran a similar scheme to what FSU did, making this a seamless transition.
Round 3, Pick 87: Jeremiah Trotter, Jr., LB, Clemson
With Leighton Vander Esch retiring due to his neck injury, the Cowboys need to add more depth to their linebacker corps. They're hopeful DeMarvion Overshown will help but they have yet to see him in a regular season game. That's why they should continue to add talent, especially when it falls into their lap.
That's what happens here as Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. is still on the board. The son of the former Eagles linebacker, the younger Trotter developed into a well-rounded player for the Tigers. Known for his high football IQ and discipline, Trotter could develop into a starter even without elite speed for the position.
Round 3, Pick 93 (From Baltimore): Christian Mahogany, G, Boston College
The selection Dallas landed from Baltimore for dropping back in the first round comes up now and they land another potential starter. Boston College guard Christian Mahogany is a mauler in the run game but needs to work on his pass protection. He did improve over the past season but even with that being the case, the 6-foot-3, 314-pounder is known for opening up space for the running back to run free.
Dallas likes their starting guards, Zack Martin and Tyler Smith. Both are former first-round picks, although Smith was expected to replace Tyron Smith at left tackle one day. Mike McCarthy has said he's not ready to make a move just yet but with the way this draft falls, moving Smith to left tackle and placing Mahogany at guard makes sense and gives them five players with starting-caliber talent.
Round 4, Pick 104 (From Arizona): Maason Smith, DT, LSU
Arizona sent the Cowboys this pick earlier in our mock as they slid down in Round 2. For the first time in this mock, we land a prospect who is known as a developmental play — albeit one with enormous potential.
Maason Smith stands 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, giving him much more length than the rest of the Dallas defensive tackles. The redshirt junior missed time in 2022 with a torn ACL which limited his development. He still relies too heavily on his physical traits but if Mike Zimmer can fix his technique, this could wind up being a home run.
Round 5, Pick 174: Jalen Sundell, OT, North Dakota State
Another development selection here as the Cowboys add Jalen Sundell from North Dakota State in the fifth round. Sundell looks the part at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds and even has position flexibility. However, he played for North Dakota State, which often has talented players but doesn't face elite competition.
Sundell began his career as a center but finished by playing 865 snaps at left tackle. He was excellent in pass protection in this role and the Cowboys would be wise to add someone who can develop into a swing tackle. Perhaps he could even try his hand at right tackle down the road if Terence Steele is unable to return to the form we saw in 2022.
Round 6, Pick 216: Daequan Hardy, CB, Penn State
An undersized defensive back at 5-foot-9 and 181 pounds, Daequan Hardy could find a home in the NFL as a slot corner. He ran a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash and had 19 pass defenses as well as five picks in his career.
Hardy is also fearless when it comes to run defense. He has no problem mixing it up with larger running backs, which is impressive. Still, it's his ability to mirror wide receivers that will appeal to NFL teams. For the Cowboys, he's someone who can learn from Jourdan Lewis and perhaps take over one day. Until then, he also offers special teams experience which is always a plus.
Round 7, Pick 233: Joshua Cephus, WR, UTSA
It would be ideal to land a wideout earlier in the draft than this but the Cowboys have more depth at receiver than most of the positions that were addressed earlier. CeeDee Lamb had a monstrous campaign in 2023 and Brandin Cooks put up 657 yards and eight touchdowns — which was a "down season" for him. Throw in Jalen Tolbert, who was progressing nicely in year two and they should feel comfortable enough with their roster to avoid reaching.
That approach leads to Joshua Cephus from UTSA landing with Dallas in Round 7. Standing 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, Cephus has enough height to give defensive backs fits and racked up 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final collegiate season. He's also versatile enough to play in the slot as well as outside.
Round 7, Pick 244: Isaiah Davis, RB, South Dakota State
Due to their lack of trusted running backs, the Cowboys double up on the position in this mock as their final selection lands them Isaiah Davis from South Dakota State. Another well-built running back, Davis is listed at 6-foot-1 and 218 pounds.
He didn't run with the same speed Trey Benson showed but still has enough to get the job done. Where he really excels is as a power back, evidenced by the 80 missed tackles he forced in 2023 alone. It might not be easy for him to make the roster but the Cowboys should welcome the competition since they currently have none.