The Dallas Cowboys desperately need to get the playoff monkey off their back. With the haul in this 2023 NFL Mock Draft, they might be able to do it.
When it’s been 26 years since a team that has had the collection of talent that the Dallas Cowboys have compiled has made it to the NFC Championship Game, things start to get a little desperate. And after a disastrous loss for Dallas in the Divisional Round of the 2023 playoffs, that remains true.
Now it’s an offseason with tough decisions ahead. Sure, Dak Prescott is back, but the fanbase has a sour taste left in their mouths after the postseason loss. That then brings up plenty of questions.
What to do with Ezekiel Elliott’s contract? Can the team re-sign Tony Pollard? Does the club cut Tyron Smith? Most importantly, though, the Cowboys need to figure out how they can get over the hump in the playoffs. And the 2023 NFL Draft could have a big role in that plight.
What holes does Dallas need to fill and how can they address them in the draft, though? We’re running through a full Cowboys NFL mock draft for 2023 that goes through all seven rounds to try and get this team back to its former glory and, perhaps, back to a Super Bowl.
Table of Contents
- Round 1: Introduction + Upgrading the CB room
- Round 2: Another big-time weapon for Dak Prescott
- Round 3: Beefing up the middle of the D-line majorly
- Rounds 4-5: A new face in the RB room and defensive depth
- Rounds 6-7: O-line depth and a Cooper Rush replacement
NFL Mock Draft: Cowboys 7-round 2023 projection to get back to a Super Bowl
Joey Porter Jr. is an ideal cornerback for Dan Quinn’s Cowboys defense
It was a tough scene at cornerback for the Cowboys in the 2022 season, particularly after Anthony Brown went down with an injury. Kelvin Joseph was an absolute liability when on the field and Nahshon Wright wasn’t much better. Meanwhile, Trevon Diggs remained a gambler who is divisive but played the role put forth by Dan Quinn well.
All you need to know is that Dallas plucked Xavier Rhodes off the street and started him in the playoffs. That’s how troublesome the team’s cornerback room was near the end of the year and, if a player like Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. is on the board with the 26th overall pick, the organization would be foolish to not go after him.
From his time in Seattle, we’ve seen Dan Quinn show the ability to maximize big, physical corners, which is exactly what the 6-foot-2, 198-pound Porter Jr. brings to the table. He’s not the fastest corner nor is he the most fluid. But his NFL bloodlines show with instinctive and high-IQ plays throughout the game.
Porter would be a terrific pairing with Diggs with his ability to jam and contain starting at the line of scrimmage with physical coverage. He was a stud for the Nittany Lions and could be well worth a first-round pick for the Cowboys given the dire need for answers at the position, especially if Brown departs in free agency.
Cowboys badly need an outside deep threat like Jalin Hyatt on offense
In hindsight given where Dallas ended up with the salary cap towards the end of the offseason, it felt like Jerry and Stephen Jones made a legitimate mistake in trading Amari Cooper as a salary-dumping measure. That was most evident in the playoff loss to the 49ers when it felt like the passing offense was either get the ball to CeeDee Lamb, Dalton Schultz, or say a prayer.
The team handed out a big contract to Michael Gallup last offseason — another feather in the cap of the idea that trading Cooper was a bit senseless — despite him coming off an ACL injury. And that deal looked immediately troublesome as Gallup was just downright bad throughout much of the year, particularly in the playoffs when he looked unable to separate.
Put simply, the Cowboys desperately need a reliable outside target that can stretch the field. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone in this draft who is more ideally suited to that role, especially in the second round, than Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt.
A breakout star in the 2022 college season, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder has a slight frame but is an absolute burner who can line up anywhere at the next level. His ability to beat defenders with one move and his speed and then track deep balls is incredible and he would be a perfect complement for the future of the offensive weapons alongside Lamb.
Dallas could use a hole-clogger that Gervon Dexter Sr. would provide
One of the biggest moves that the Cowboys made midseason in the 2022 campaign was landing veteran defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins. While there is a lot to like about the younger players at the position in Dallas like Neville Gallimore and Osa Odighizuwa, among others, the fact of the matter is that they were a bit shallow at that spot.
Hankins, when healthy, was able to be a huge asset in what was previously a problematic run defense. But now the veteran is set to be a free agent. To be sure, he should carry a modest price tag that the organization should feel inclined to bring him back on. But they should also eye a longer-term answer.
Someone like the behemoth Gervon Dexter Sr. would make a ton of sense in that regard if he’s there with the 90th pick towards the back end of the third round. Despite being 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds (though he might be a bit heavier), Dexter did have six career sacks at Florida. But he really makes his bones as a physical space-eater.
There is room for Dexter to develop into an every-down defensive tackle that can rush in addition to his ability to clog run lanes. But he would have an early role in the latter regard right away and fill a void for the Cowboys for quite some time.
The Cowboys RB room could get an overhaul with Tyjae Spears at the forefront
What the Cowboys do at running back this offseason will be fascinating. It seems as if it could be difficult to re-sign Tony Pollard but the team would also (or at least they should) love to get out from Ezekiel Elliott’s contract. In any case, it’s a position group that will need a new face.
Tyjae Spears would be a phenomenal addition. The Tulane star was a standout at the Senior Bowl with his speed and quickness. Though he’s not big, he was highly productive with over 1,800 yards and 19 touchdowns this past season. He could be another weapon to inject life into the offense.
Linebacker depth is a must for the Cowboys that Ventrell Miller brings
Some people are more concerned with the linebacker room in Dallas than others, but there is a clear need to add more role players and depth to that group. Ventrell Miller fills that role perfectly. While not particularly good as a pass-rusher and actually a liability in coverage, Miller is a proven run stopper with the ability to fill gaps well. In the right situations and on special teams, he could be a nice piece for Dallas to add outside the Top 150 picks.
Darius Rush is another big-bodied CB that the Cowboys should love
After taking Joey Porter Jr. in the first round, Dallas shouldn’t stop there in addressing its cornerback room and Darius Rush is of the same vein as Porter, though with less skill.
Listed at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Rush proved to be extremely effective in coverage in his final season with the Gamecocks. Though he’s not the best or most fluid mover, he has some great traits and size that Quinn likes, which makes him a nice fifth-round swing to take in the draft.
With Dalton Schultz surely gone, Josh Whyle could be necessary at TE
It was a curious decision by the Cowboys front office to franchise tag Dalton Schultz but, after another productive season from the tight end, he’s almost surely put himself outside of Dallas’ price range in free agency.
Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot looked good as rookies but this is a franchise that has long value having a deep tight end room. Seeing them take a shot on a big tight end (6-foot-6, 250 pounds) with solid production like Josh Whyle would make a lot of sense.
No such thing as too much O-line depth and Tyler Steen is versatile
After starting his career at Vanderbilt, Tyler Steen really put himself in the spotlight for his final college season as he transferred to Alabama. And the results were more of the same: nothing overly spectacular but overall solid.
While he played tackle in college, some project Steen as a guard at the next level. That versatility could be valuable for the Cowboys, though. Given that Tyron Smith’s health has been a major issue, having a movable depth piece on the offensive line could be a nice asset to have.
Cameron Young is another big presence the Cowboys should like on defense
Taking a defensive tackle in the sixth round, Dallas almost surely wouldn’t expect Cameron Young to be coming in and play every down as a starter. He’s not the type of player capable of that. However, he’s an experienced player with nice size at 6-foot-3, 315 pounds and could come in as a run-stuffer and space-filler for the Cowboys. For this late of a pick, that’s good enough if he can provide some rotational depth.
Jerry Jones gets his wish as the Cowboys take a swing at QB with Max Duggan
Max Duggan did the near-impossible for TCU this past season, leading the Horned Frogs — with the power of the Hypnotoad — to the College Football Playoff. But at the Senior Bowl, he caught the eye of Jerry Jones and the Cowboys brass.
With Jones’ recent comment about drafting a quarterback every year and now him having interest in a Texas-based signal-caller, this only makes sense. Cooper Rush is set to be a free agent this offseason and the ultra-athletic Duggan could slot in nicely as Dak Prescott’s backup.