Coming off an NFC East title in 2021, the Dallas Cowboys are looking to carry that momentum into next season, but they haven’t gotten off to a great start this offseason. Dallas has lost several key players thus far. Wideout Amari Cooper was dealt to Cleveland, Randy Gregory joined the Denver Broncos, emerging slot receiver Cedrick Wilson and starting right tackle La’el Collins also jumped ship, along with starting guard Connor Williams.
The team did an alright job mitigating some of those losses, resigning Michael Gallup while bringing in defensive end Dante Fowler. However, there is still a lot of work to be done.
Now that the free agency period is coming to a close, all eyes are on the NFL Draft. Dallas holds the 24th overall selection in the first-round and they could go in a number of different directions. Offensive line, wide receiver, and edge rusher will all be in play at No. 24.
Here are three ideal targets for the Cowboys’ brass to consider come draft night.
WR Jameson Williams, Alabama
Like nearly every draft class nowadays, this year’s crop boasts several top tier wideouts. Among them is Alabama wideout Jameson Williams. Coming off an ACL tear in the National Championship game in January, Williams’ draft stock took an expected hit, but all signs are pointing towards him being fully healthy once the season gets underway.
Speed is the name of the game in today’s NFL and Williams provides that in spades. Despite not running at the NFL Scouting Combine or during his Pro Day, there’s little debate among scouts on who the fastest receiver in this draft class is. Pro Football Focus calls Williams the best deep threat in this entire draft class. According to PFF, Williams recorded 12 receptions on deep balls where he was at least one full step ahead of his defender. Better yet, he scored on 27 percent of his deep route targets in 2021, per PFF.
The Cowboys already have some solid playmakers on the outside, despite the loss of Cooper and Wilson. Ceedee Lamb has proven to be a top tier target and Gallup has been a great chain mover for Dak Prescott. Williams would add another dimension of playmaking ability to this already stout offensive lineup.
G Zion Johnson, Boston College
If Dallas believes in Connor McGovern to step up and fill Williams’ shoes at left guard, they may opt to go with a different position at 24. Given Dallas’ history of stellar offensive line play and allocating resources towards their line, it doesn’t feel like the Cowboys will be willing to leave that up to chance.
Selecting Boston College guard Zion Johnson at 24 would go a long way towards shoring up Dallas’ front. In 2021, Johnson posted an overall PFF grade of 84.4, while allowing just one sack, two quarterback hits, and three hurries. He doesn’t have many downsides to his game; Johnson is an all-round solid guard who can start from day one in the NFL.
Though he doesn’t flash any eye opening gifts on tape, Johnson has all the tools to succeed at the next level. He would be an upgrade at the guard position for Dallas and provide them with quality play for as long as he’s there.
EDGE Boye Mafe, Minnesota
Although the team managed to bring back Demarcus Lawrence and acquire Dante Fowler, you can never have too many pass rushers in today’s NFL. Minnesota’s Boye Mafe is an interesting prospect that will likely be available when Dallas is on the clock.
He’s a versatile edge rusher who can get after from a two-point stance or with his hand in the dirt. Though Mafe could us some development as a run stopper, he’s very efficient at getting after the quarterback. In 2021, Mafe posted a pass-rush win rate of 19.2 percent while finishing the year with a true pass set pass rush grade of 90.3, per PFF. He finished his collegiate career with 15 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss.
Edge rusher certainly is not the biggest area of concern for Dallas, but Mafe is certainly good enough to warrant a selection at 24th overall.
