The State of the Cowboys:
After a first round exit of the 2021 playoffs, the Cowboys have also lost several starters at multiple positions from the season, including Amari Cooper, La’el Collins, and Randy Gregory. With this being a deep draft at those positions, the Cowboys will look to fill some of the holes left by the departures.
Dallas has made its offensive line a staple of their offense over several seasons, and it should look to retool the line if it wants to get back to their dominant running style that proved successful. Their 67% zone run scheme ranked 21st in efficiency. Here are a few players Dallas may be considering for their first 3 picks.
#24 Overall
Zion Johnson – G – Boston College
Johnson is a plug-and-play left guard at the next level with the anchor and hand usage to pass protect at a high level and the scheme versatility to excel in the run game.
One of the top guards in the draft, Johnson could be a starter on Day 1 to help reload the left side of the offensive line. His scheme versatility would help the Cowboys rejuvenate their run offense.
Green can have inconsistent hand placement and needs more refined technique against finesse rushers, but he is a physical and athletic guard with the footwork, sheer strength, and awareness to be a difference maker on the inside.
Green has shown to be amongst the top guards in the draft with his physicality and strength. He would again be a Day 1 starter on the left side of the line.
Olave has the catch radius, catch skills, and tracking ability to be a threat at all levels of the field, but needs to become a cleaner route runner and get quicker out of breaks to take advantage of his full potential.
Needing to help replace the gap left by Amari Cooper, Olave has the hands and vertical threat ability to be a solid receiver in the Cowboys offense if he is available here.
#56 Overall
DeMarvin Leal – DL – Texas A&M
Leal is an athletic and agile defensive lineman at his size, who offers great versatility as a pass rusher but needs to work on his interior run defense to keep that flexibility on all three downs.
Leal has the high pass rush ability to be a versatile piece along the line in Dan Quinn’s defense. He shows the ability to play out on the edge as well as reduce down inside on sub packages.
Kingsley Enagbare – EDGE – South Carolina
Enagbare has the hand usage, pass-rush technique, and motor to be an effective pass rusher early on, but must get stronger in his lower half and get a little more athletic to be an impact player against the run.
As a high-motor edge rusher against the pass, Enegbare could be a sparkplug off the edge to get after opposing quarterbacks.
Christian Harris – LB – Alabama
Harris is a fast, smart, and versatile linebacker who has many of the requisite physical traits of a quality starter, but he needs to improve his downhill playmaking and zone instincts to reach his full potential.
Harris adds immediate versatility and depth into a relatively shallow LB room and could be useful in rotation with Micah Parsons, Leighton Vander Esch, and Jabril Cox.
#88 Overall
Khalil Shakir – WR – Boise State
Shakir has the route running, short-area quickness, and versatility to become a slot receiver at the next level, but he will need to work on his hands and his ability to attack the ball to maximize his playing time.
Shakir’s quickness and precise route running could find space and work underneath and through the middle to provide a nice compliment to Ceedee Lamb and Michael Gallup.
Dulcich isn’t the shiftiest route runner or most technically refined run blocker, but he’s a converted wide receiver with good competitive toughness and the strong all-around skill set of a potential starter.
With the loss of Blake Jarwin, Dulcich provides a solid all-around skill set to fill the void and provide a solid target for Dak.
Mitchell has the frame and athleticism to become a valuable swing tackle and potentially more if he can continue to work on the technical aspects of his game.
With Tyron Smith in the later years of his career and some questionmarks at right tackle, Mitchell has the tools needed to play on either side of the line as a developmental tackle.
To learn more about the Cowboys and their needs, visit their team page on our NFL Draft website here.
