With the 2025 NFL Draft just hours from kickoff, the Dallas Cowboys are under the microscope. They’re coming off a season defined by offensive inconsistency, roster shake-ups and more mistakes than good fortune. The departures of veterans like Rico Dowdle and Brandin Cooks have left holes but help could be on the way.
Meanwhile, a player like CeeDee Lamb continues to raise expectations in Big D. Cowboys fans are clamoring for new stars and Jerry Jones has the opportunity to fulfill their wishes. Dallas needs help all over, but don’t be surprised if wide receiver and running back are where they look in the first two rounds of this year’s draft.
Prediction 1: Cowboys snag a play-making wideout with 12th overall pick
Tetairoa McMillan or Matthew Golden: Filling the WR void
The Cowboys enter this draft needing to find Lamb a proper co-star. The need for a dynamic wideout next to Lamb is more urgent than ever. Tetairoa McMillan and Matthew Golden headline the list of possible picks at No. 12 for Dallas.
McMillan, a 6'4" target from Arizona, is the prototype outside receiver. In 2024, he racked up over 1,300 receiving yards with eight touchdowns, thriving on back-shoulder fades and red zone jump balls. His vertical threat and catch radius could stretch defenses and give Lamb some breathing room.
Golden, meanwhile, turned heads with a 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the combine. He’s Texas-bred and brings a blend of deep speed and precise route-running that would complement Lamb’s skills. Golden logged 987 receiving yards and nine TDs at Houston while averaging 17 yards per catch. He’s not just fast, Golden exploits space, wins after the catch, and can change games on a single play. Both prospects would slot immediately into the WR2 role, giving Dallas the firepower it sorely missed last season.
Statistical impact
McMillan had a contested catch rate of about 50 percent during his college career. He averaged 109.9 yards per game during his last season at Arizona. Over McMillan’s last two seasons with the Wildcats, he posted an 80.9 PFF receiving grade in the red zone.
Golden’s deep threat value was clear all year. His speed and ability to stretch the field would work perfectly alongside Lamb in giving Dak Prescott one of the most dynamic WR one-two punches in the league. Both are first-round talents who could remake the Dallas passing attack.
Prediction 2: A dynamic RB in the second round
Dallas’s running game has lost its identity. The current depth chart features backs that have been good in the past but don’t scare too many defenses and have limited upside. Dallas will likely turn to the second round to find a difference-maker: Dylan Sampson, Kaleb Johnson, or TreVeyon Henderson are all viable options.
Sampson, out of Tennessee, finished the 2024 season with 1,491 yards rushing and 22 TDs, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Johnson, from Iowa, brought a punishing style and soft hands, totaling 1,537 rushing yards and 188 receiving yards. Henderson, Ohio State’s do-it-all weapon, delivered 1,016 rushing yards and 10 TDs.
Vision for the future of the Cowboys
Jerry Jones and the Cowboys are poised to inject fresh talent offensively in this draft. Tetairoa McMillan, Matthew Golden, Dylan Sampson, Kaleb Johnson, and TreVeyon Henderson are all high-upside targets who fit the Cowboys’ urgent needs and long-term vision. Yes, the Cowboys have other glaring needs but this offense was pathetic last season and needs young, talented upgrades fast.
Whether it’s McMillan’s catch radius, Golden’s speed, or the game-breaking ability of Sampson, Johnson, or Henderson, any of these players would reshape the Cowboys’ offense. Dallas cannot afford to miss on either of these picks in the first and second rounds respectively. With the right moves, the Cowboys could be back in the hunt for the NFC East’s top spot, sooner than anyone expects.