The Dallas Cowboys are one of 32 teams that enter a three-day NFL Draft on Thursday night. After some free agency moves, the Cowboys are still looking to improve vastly to prevent a repeat 7-10 season in 2025.

To understand what the Cowboys must accomplish in the NFL Draft, we have to look at the additions to this team and the existing holes, before we can ever look at who to fill those voids.

THE ADDITIONS

The Cowboys’ reputation is that they are the least active team in free agency. While there were no big splashes, the Cowboys did address some needs.

The Cowboys acquired two running backs (Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders) and added depth to the offensive line after bringing Klayton Adams in as the offensive coordinator. Adams and new head coach Brian Schottenheimer are serious about running the football, so they are encouraging competition at these position groups. The starting roles will likely be won in training camp.

One role that isn’t in jeopardy is the quarterback position. Dak Prescott will be the starter in Week 1, but after losing both Trey Lance and Cooper Rush, the Cowboys did acquire Joe Milton III to be the second-string in a worst-case scenario. This is a huge weight of the team’s shoulders, to not reach or waste a draft pick on a backup quarterback.

Defensively, the Cowboys brought in three potential starters. The Cowboys brought Dante Fowler Jr. back to the team after his short one-year stint in Washington. The team also signed linebacker Jack Sanborn, who is familiar with new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus from Chicago, and traded with Tennessee for Kenneth Murray Jr. to fill a need at linebacker. As of now, the front seven has three new starters.

THE HOLES

While the Cowboys have made improvements, there is still needs to be addressed with the incoming rookie class.

Offensively, the Cowboys need to find three studs: a running back, a right guard, and a #2 receiver to CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys were solid at those positions not long ago with Tony Pollard, Zack Martin, and the three-headed monster of Lamb, Amari Cooper, and Michael Gallup. Now, they are gaping holes that impact the offense’s efficiency.

Defensively, the Cowboys have always struggled against the run. In recent years, the team has lost Jonathan Hankins and DeMarcus Lawrence, who were the best run defenders. How do you replace them? If they don’t, the run defense could look historically bad for the Cowboys in 2025.

Something else to consider is the timetables for key players returning from serious injuries. Sam Williams, DeMarvion Overshown, and Trevon Diggs are difference makers on the team, and their presence will be missed if they are sidelined at the beginning of the year, particularly Overshown and Diggs. Would the team rely on depth players to hold down the fort, or would they prioritize someone who is more complete for a Week 1 start?

WHO CAN FILL THE SHOES

The NFL Draft is a crapshoot. Everyone and their mother does a mock draft, and seldom know all 32 NFL teams. For each team, it’s important to know their top 30 visits. Typically, the list of 30 tells you who they are serious about bringing to the team.

Some of the notable names we could see taken in the first round are:

• RB Ashton Jeanty
• RB Omarion Hampton
• WR Emeka Egbuka
• WR Matthew Golden
• WR Tetaiora McMillan
• OT Kelvin Banks
• OT Armand Membou
• DT Walter Nolen
• DE James Pearce Jr.

This tells me the Cowboys are serious about drafting a running back, wide receiver, offensive tackle, or someone on the defensive line. The Cowboys did do their due diligence on 2nd and 3rd-round running backs and offensive linemen, in case a star like Ashton Jeanty doesn’t fall in the team’s lap at 12.

The Cowboys also haven’t ruled out trading back from 12. In my personal opinion, unless a can’t-miss prospect like Ashton Jeanty drops to 12, the Cowboys could be inclined to trade back, pick up an extra 2nd or 3rd-round selection, and make up for the 4th-round pick sent to Carolina for Jonathan Mingo last fall. Deeply looking into these four position groups, and a heavy emphasis on late 1st and early 2nd-round prospects, lends support to that theory.

The Cowboys will not solve all their problems in one weekend, nor will any other team. Historically, the Cowboys draft well, and there is hope among this organization that they’ll be able to find key starters and contributors to the team. For any Cowboys fan, they want to cling to that hope this weekend.

How would you like the Cowboys to handle the 2025 NFL Draft? Leave Jerry Jones some suggestions below.