How 'bout them draft picks?
Another season, another premature end for the Cowboys in the playoffs. That is in the past, however; the NFL Draft is their present.
And how's this for a gift? The Cowboys are still sitting pretty; they have a strong roster even after some key offseason departures. Amari Cooper is in Cleveland and La'El Collins is in another part of Ohio after joining the Bengals.
Despite all that, the Cowboys don't necessarily have glaring holes, and the holes they do have can be filled with some smart drafting this year by Jerrah and Co. Offensive line should be addressed, as well as linebacker and depth in general.
The Cowboys have a healthy allotment of picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Here's where they're drafting, what they need and who they could target come April 28:
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Cowboys draft picks 2022: Who did Dallas take?
- Round 1, Pick No. 24: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa
- Round 2, Pick No. 56: Sam Williams, EDGE, Ole Miss
- Round 3, Pick No. 88: Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
- Round 4, Pick No. 129: Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin
- Round 5, Pick No. 155: Matt Waletzko, OT, North Dakota
- Round 5, Pick No. 167: DaRon Bland, CB, Fresno State
- Round 5, Pick No. 176: Damone Clark, LB, LSU
- Round 5, Pick No. 178: John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas
- Round 6, Pick No. 193: Devin Harper, LB, Oklahoma State
Click here for live analysis and grades on every pick.
Cowboys 2022 NFL Draft order
| Round | Pick (Overall) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 24 |
| 2 | 56 |
| 3 | 88 |
| 4 | 129 |
| 5 | 155 (from CLE) |
| 5 | 167 |
| 5 | 176 (Compensatory pick) |
| 5 | 178 (Compensatory pick) |
| 6 | 193 (from CLE) |
Cowboys NFL Draft needs
- Offensive line: La'El Collins and Connor Williams leaving in free agency and instability at guard mean that the Cowboys should be targeting O-line in the first round. There should be some good guard options available, with Zion Johnson and Kenyon Green both likely to be there at 24.
- Wide receiver: With Amari Cooper traded to Cleveland and Cedric Wilson leaving to join the Dolphins, the receiver group led by CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup isn't as strong as it has been in recent years. There should be options available in the second round.
- Edge rusher: DeMarcus Lawrence is coming off an injury-plagued season and Randy Gregory made his way to the Mile High City in free agency. Dallas would be wise to dip into the deep edge pool to give Lawrence help on the other side, but how they address the position will depend on how they plan to deploy Micah Parsons in Year 2.
- Linebacker: The Cowboys took Parsons with their first-round pick last year and he made an immediate impact with one of the best rookie seasons the NFL has ever seen. Still, they need help in the linebacking corps, with Leighton Vander Esch consistently dinged up before last year and fourth-round pick Jabril Cox coming off an ACL injury.
Dallas Cowboys mock draft 2022
According to SN's Vinnie Iyer and his latest seven-round mock draft, here's how the Cowboys could use their picks:
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | Kenyon Green | G | Texas A&M |
| 2 | 56 | DeMarvin Leal | DT/DE | Texas A&M |
| 3 | 88 | Nick Cross | S | Maryland |
| 4 | 129 | Jake Ferguson | TE | Wisconsin |
| 5 | 155 | Neil Farrell | DT | LSU |
| 5 | 167 | Tariq Castro-Fields | CB | Penn State |
| 5 | 176 | Josh Johnson | WR | Tulsa |
| 5 | 178 | Obinna Eza | OT | TCU |
| 6 | 193 | Cameron Dicker | K | Texas |
