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Dallas Cowboys draft fits: Here's what the next head coach needs to address

yahoo sports staff
·3-min read

The Dallas Cowboys are one of two remaining open NFL head coaching jobs. And while Brian Schottenheimer is increasingly likely to be the hire, per Yahoo Sports Senior NFL Reporter Jori Epstein, there are glaring needs that should be addressed in the 2025 NFL Draft, regardless of the head coach.

Here's a breakdown.

The Cowboys' defensive interior has been a sore spot for awhile now. Teams ran all over Dallas early in the season, and recent draft picks have busted in this spot. Addressing it is a must, because the rest of the defense has the ingredients to be pretty strong.

This is often a strength of the Cowboys, and there are still good pieces, but future Hall of Fame guard Zack Martin is set to be a free agent, and his play dropped off this past season while battling injuries.

The Cowboys let Tony Pollard walk in free agency last spring and the combination of Rico Dowdle and a returning Ezekiel Elliott were ineffective. Dallas' offense had plenty of issues, but the inability to run the ball was a glaring one.

Eric Kendricks played well on a one-year deal, so he might be back. But DeMarvion Overshown's 2025 season is in doubt after tearing his ACL, MCL and PCL in December, and the Cowboys could stand to refresh the depth of this position grouping.

CeeDee Lamb is one of the best receivers in the league. Outside of him, there isn't a ton to work with. Pairing a high-end WR2 with him is a tantalizing proposition.

Round 1, No. 12

Round 2

Round 3

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Compensatory picks to be finalized

Yahoo Sports NFL Draft experts Nate Tice and Charles McDonald mocked the Heisman Trophy runner-up to Dallas twice in their first four mocks of this cycle, and the fit is clean. He's listed at 5-foot-8 and 217 pounds, and is a "strong runner of the football," per Tice, with "excellent speed and burst, rare contact balance and clean vision."

From McDonald in our mock draft 4.0:

Something flashy for Dallas. Jeanty might not be the biggest need for the Cowboys, but he’s certainly the best player on the board at this point. Jeanty was one of the best players in college football this season and should immediately be one of the better running backs in the league from Day 1. Running backs still have value early, particularly if they’re as good as Jeanty.

A centerpiece of Michigan's recent dominant defenses, Graham could be exactly what the Cowboys need on the interior. He's 6-3, 320 pounds and has the "potential to be a real enforcer up front," according to McDonald.

From Tice's most recent big board:

The human hand grenade, Graham is constantly exploding off the ball and creating havoc in the middle of an offense. Graham’s excellent first step, quick hands, balance and strength will let him get in the backfield in the blink of an eye, ending plays or forcing them to go off script right after the snap.

Here's a stud wideout to potentially pair with Lamb. McMillan is 6-5, 212 pounds with "true X-receiver upside" according to Tice, who elaborated in his big board:

A monster on the outside, McMillan is a smooth athlete with very good hands and ball skills that give him true X-receiver upside. McMillan consistently creates yards with the ball in his hands because of his strength and balance and plenty of burst in such a big frame. He is also a good route runner who can sink and still has plenty of burst and speed to create separation on the intermediate levels. McMillan has been dominant in 2024 and has the makings of a matchup nightmare at the next level.

From just down the road in the Lone Star State, Banks is projected to be able to play either guard or tackle at the next level, according to Tice. In fact, McDonald believes he's best suited for guard, and the Cowboys feel likely to let Martin leave, after all.

From McDonald in our mock draft 3.0:

Banks is explosive, plays balanced and can have impact snaps in the run and pass games.

The next defensive coordinator will likely have his preference when it comes to the type of linebackers he wants, but Campbell has first-round talent and fills a need for the Cowboys' defense, with capabilities as a blitzer as well.

From Tice in our mock draft 4.0:

Campbell has excellent size with real two-way potential. He can get downhill in the run game, but is fluid enough to turn and run in coverage.