Micah Parsons looked miserable as Cowboys fumbled first-round pick

This past season was a difficult one for the Dallas Cowboys. Even with the Dak Prescott injury, seven wins qualifies as an abject disappointment. The silver lining, however, arrived with the opportunity to select 12th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Jerry Jones, to his credit, tends to draft well, and the Cowboys were expected to shoot for the stars so early in the draft.

Instead, Dallas went with a safe, unsexy selection, poaching Alabama guard Tyler Booker to help replace retiring vet Zack Martin.

While Booker is an excellent player who addresses a clear need, O-line was not considered a top weakness for Dallas. Most fans preferred another wide receiver to line up opposite CeeDee Lamb, with Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan pegged by many as the dream outcome.

Apparently Micah Parsons shared those dreams.

So, when McMillan came off the board to the Carolina Panthers at No. 8, Parsons was visibly despondent.

Cowboys' Micah Parsons looks doubly miserable as Cowboys fumble NFL Draft pick

Parsons clearly wanted McMillan. We know Parsons isn't part of the offensive unit, which speaks to how highly the All-Pro linebacker thought of Arizona's star pass-catcher. The double face palm is a mood for Cowboys fans across the country.

"That was supposed to be our pick," Parsons said. "He was supposed to be opposite CeeDee Lamb.”

Oh well... better luck next time.

McMillan gives Bryce Young much-needed help in the Panthers WR room. Carolina is much further from contention than Dallas, but this was an excellent use of the pick for a Panthers team many thought might attempt to trade down.

As for who Dallas actually picked... yeah, Parsons was not too thrilled about that either. He made his best effort to act excited about Booker, who he calls a "beast," but it's clear Parsons wanted either a star wide receiver or a defensive upgrade. Not an O-lineman.

This is probably a better pick than most Dallas fans feel it is in the moment. It's never "fun" for fans when your team takes a guard high in the draft, but Dallas has always won in the trenches. With Martin gone, Booker should provide stout pass protection lined up opposite Tyler Smith.

Still, McMillan was the ideal outcome for so many. Even next-best playmakers, like Penn State tight end Tyler Warren or Texas wideout Matthew Golden, probably would've generated more buzz around America's team. Booker will get his chance to prove his worth to Dallas fans next season — protecting Dak Prescott has never been a higher priority — but the microscope is on. If this pick falters, with Jerry Jones' myriad failures of late, folks will be quick to criticize.