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Mock drafting always offers an interesting perspective into the various possibilities for a given team. No one but the maniacally egotistical thinks their mocks are going to be highly accurate. Certainly there's an effort to predict the team's first rounder. Occasionally a draftnik will land a couple correct picks. But overall, the exercise is done in order to show variations in strategy, where drafts are deep at needed positions, and in all honesty, to present to the public the prospects one likes the most.
Along the lines of the first goal, one interesting narrative for the Cowboys seems to be emerging is that instead of settling for a player who doesn't have an immediate path to starting in Dallas, the club trades back. And not back just a few spots, but moving towards the last third of the first round, with the intention to come back up into the tail end and walk away with two first-round selections.
In order to pull this off, the team would have to be much more trade savvy than they have been. The Cowboys certainly have orchestrated trades over the years, but they hardly engage in swaps that engage several picks being exchanged, and rarely do they pull off the "move back and then back up" complicated sliding up and down that nets the highest value out of various sweet spots.
In mocks, that's relatively easy. There's no clock on selections, so finding the right trade partner isn't nearly as exhausting as it is in real time.
In our latest exercise, conducted via Pro Football Focus' simulator, we pulled off such a daring execution. Moving backward from No. 12 twice afforded the ammunition to come back up into the round and grabbing another weapon with five-years of control, and having five selections in the top 80. It took five trades in all, including a pick from 2026, so the phone lines were busy.
In this mock, the two QBs were still on the board when Dallas went on the clock, so there were more targets missing than normal. Moving back in this way put Dallas in a better position for most of the remaining guys who this GM preferred, though passing on safety Malaki Starks was a tough call.
This was a safe call, with multiple targets still on the board, converting the extra third-round pick in 2026 to a third-round pick in this class made way too much sense, and Houston jumping Minnesota for DT Walter Noen was worth it for them as the Vikings took a different DT at No. 24.
Golden is emerging in some eyes as the best WR in this class. Dallas took the third wideout back in 2020 and it worked out pretty well with CeeDee Lamb.
Having a specific target, the Cowboys give up a little bit point wise, but moving KC out of the first would require such a concession.
There's a sizable contingent of draftniks who feel Hampton is going to be the better pro than Ashton Jeanty out of Boise, as the UNC product is a monster in his own right.
Stop if you've heard this before: a converted WR with little experience has insane ball skills and is only scratching the surface. Now add track speed to Trevon Diggs and throw in that Porter is an Academic All-American. Steal.
Getting nervous that a startable nose tackle may not make it to the end of the fourth round, giving up a future 3rd rounder hurts, but it must be done.
The Cowboys get their Alim McNeil. Phillips is an athletic monster of a nose tackle.
5.174: LB Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
6.204: RG Miles Frazier, LSU
6.211: QB Tyler Shough, Louisville
7.239: OG Dylan Fairchild, Georgia
7.247: OG Clay Webb, Jacksonville State
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 7-round Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft: Trading back nets extra 1st, RB, WR
Continue reading...
Along the lines of the first goal, one interesting narrative for the Cowboys seems to be emerging is that instead of settling for a player who doesn't have an immediate path to starting in Dallas, the club trades back. And not back just a few spots, but moving towards the last third of the first round, with the intention to come back up into the tail end and walk away with two first-round selections.
In order to pull this off, the team would have to be much more trade savvy than they have been. The Cowboys certainly have orchestrated trades over the years, but they hardly engage in swaps that engage several picks being exchanged, and rarely do they pull off the "move back and then back up" complicated sliding up and down that nets the highest value out of various sweet spots.
In mocks, that's relatively easy. There's no clock on selections, so finding the right trade partner isn't nearly as exhausting as it is in real time.
In our latest exercise, conducted via Pro Football Focus' simulator, we pulled off such a daring execution. Moving backward from No. 12 twice afforded the ammunition to come back up into the round and grabbing another weapon with five-years of control, and having five selections in the top 80. It took five trades in all, including a pick from 2026, so the phone lines were busy.
Trade No. 1: No. 12 to Green Bay for No. 23, No. 54 and 2026 3rd-round pick
In this mock, the two QBs were still on the board when Dallas went on the clock, so there were more targets missing than normal. Moving back in this way put Dallas in a better position for most of the remaining guys who this GM preferred, though passing on safety Malaki Starks was a tough call.
Trade No. 2: No. 23, GB's 2026 3rd to Houston for No. 25, 3.79
This was a safe call, with multiple targets still on the board, converting the extra third-round pick in 2026 to a third-round pick in this class made way too much sense, and Houston jumping Minnesota for DT Walter Noen was worth it for them as the Vikings took a different DT at No. 24.
No. 25: WR Matthew Golden, Texas
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Golden is emerging in some eyes as the best WR in this class. Dallas took the third wideout back in 2020 and it worked out pretty well with CeeDee Lamb.
Trade No. 3: 2.44, 3.79 (from HOU) to Kansas City for 1.31, 4.133, 2026 6th-round pick
Having a specific target, the Cowboys give up a little bit point wise, but moving KC out of the first would require such a concession.
No. 31: HB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
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There's a sizable contingent of draftniks who feel Hampton is going to be the better pro than Ashton Jeanty out of Boise, as the UNC product is a monster in his own right.
2.54: CB Darien Porter, Iowa State
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Stop if you've heard this before: a converted WR with little experience has insane ball skills and is only scratching the surface. Now add track speed to Trevon Diggs and throw in that Porter is an Academic All-American. Steal.
Trade No. 4: 4.133, 5.149, 2026 3rd to New England for 3.77
Getting nervous that a startable nose tackle may not make it to the end of the fourth round, giving up a future 3rd rounder hurts, but it must be done.
3.77: NT Jordan Phillips, Maryland
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The Cowboys get their Alim McNeil. Phillips is an athletic monster of a nose tackle.
Day 3 Selections
5.174: LB Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
6.204: RG Miles Frazier, LSU
6.211: QB Tyler Shough, Louisville
7.239: OG Dylan Fairchild, Georgia
7.247: OG Clay Webb, Jacksonville State
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 7-round Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft: Trading back nets extra 1st, RB, WR
Continue reading...
