2024 NFL Mock Draft: Dallas Cowboys full 7-round projection in late-January

The Dallas Cowboys are going back to the drawing board after an early exit in the playoffs courtesy of the Green Bay Packers. The team is fairly complete but a few tweaks are needed here and there. There is some speculation those tweaks could be to the coaching staff, with Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels possibly teaming up in Dallas.

The tweaks to the roster will have to come by way of the draft, with the team currently $14 million over the cap. Cap casualties — like Brandin Cooks and Cooper Rush — will lead to roster spots that need to be filled. Even with some creative moves (restructuring Dak, Dexter Lawrence, and giving a fat contract to CeeDee Lamb), they won't have the space to resign Tyron Smith, leaving the biggest offseason hole on the blind side of the quarterback.

The Cowboys currently have seven picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, and there will be no trades in this mock. Jerry Jones is one of the best drafting general managers in the game, and there's no doubt he will make selections that will contribute right away. He will also draft players that may not play a role in 2024 but will in years to come.

Round 1, Pick 24: Graham Barton, Guard/Center, Duke

When the Cowboys are on the clock, the players who could potentially replace Tyron Smith will be off the board (Joe Alt, Olumuyiwa Fashanu, JC Latham, Tailese Fuaga, Troy Fautanu) so Dallas grabs an interior offensive lineman to play alongside Zack Martin.

Duke guard Graham Barton is the highest-rated interior offensive lineman in the draft. He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 315 pounds. He can play guard or center at the NFL level. In 2023 he allowed just two sacks on 496 snaps.

In the absence of a high-quality left tackle, the Cowboys take Graham to give a boost to their running game and take pressure off of Dak Prescott, who likely inks a lucrative extension this off-season.