FRISCO – The Dallas Cowboys suffered an abrupt and unexpected end to the 2022 season on Sunday with a 19-12 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. It was a game that put on display to a national audience many of the issues this team faces in the offseason.
With questions on the coaching staff as well as up and down the roster, the offseason should be full of movement for Dallas. And the upcoming NFL Draft will be an opportunity for the Cowboys to either upgrade certain positions or add some much-needed depth to some position rooms.
For the record, the Cowboys have just six picks this year, with no sixth-rounder, as that pick was sent to Las Vegas in the trade that brought Johnathan Hankins to Dallas in October.
Dallas Cowboys 2023 Draft Picks | |
---|---|
Round 1 |
Pick 26 |
Round 2 |
Pick 58 |
Round 3 |
Pick 90 |
Round 4 |
Approx Pick 128 |
Round 4 Comp Pick (Randy Gregory) |
|
Round 5 |
Approx Pick 161 |
Round 6 Comp Pick (Connor Williams) |
|
Round 6 Comp Pick (Cedrick Wilson) |
|
Round 7 |
Approx Pick 245 |
Fansided.com recently offered their NFL mock draft picks for Dallas, addressing what they perceive to be the biggest needs for the team entering the offseason. Dallas made huge strides with last year’s first two draft picks, tackle Tyler Smith and defensive end Sam Williams. Both were major contributors to a successful regular season in 2022. Let’s take a look at the first two selections in the recent mock draft to see how Dallas might make immediate improvements.
With lots of holes to fill on both sides of the ball, the Cowboys in this scenario go defense in the first round and get Trevon Diggs some help in the secondary.
In the first round, the Cowboys will be picking at No. 26, and Dallas selects Joey Porter Jr., cornerback from Penn State.
Porter is one of those guys who will jump up the boards before the draft, but for now, he is in the range of the Dallas Cowboys. While this draft has a lot of smaller corners, the Cowboys are not really seen as drafting smaller players and prefer height and weight. Porter is 6’2″ and around 195 pounds. This would give the Cowboys two great corners with Trevon Diggs manning the other side.
The Cowboys have had issues this season at the wideout position, seemingly since even before the campaign started. With Michael Gallup and James Washington starting the season on the IR, Dallas seemed short-handed all season. Even after Gallup’s return, he never looked comfortable and struggled.
With pick no. 58, the Cowboys get help at the wideout position and select Andrei Iosivas, wide receiver from Princeton.
The Dallas Cowboys have a severe need for speed and Iosivas has more than enough. While I think the Cowboys may not go wide receiver this early, his skillset fits this team in a big way. Standing at 6’4″, weighing in at 200 pounds, and what could be a sub 4.3 40 time (he runs a 6.71 60m), Iosivas would give the Cowboys a big, deep threat who can rack up yards after the catch.
It’s still early, and Dallas has yet to lose coaches or players, and several scenarios could play out before the NFL Draft this April. But the deficiencies in the roster are glaring and were apparent in the loss to San Francisco.
Whether the Cowboys choose to plug these holes in free agency with veterans or in the draft with possible project players, one thing is certain: Dallas has to improve the roster, period.
Regardless of the postseason demons exorcized this year, an appearance in the NFC Championship game and Super Bowl still eluded the Cowboys, and that continues to be unacceptable to the fans.
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