After three consecutive 12-5 seasons with quick playoff exits, the Cowboys fell off a cliff in 2024, going 7-10 with a -118 point differential. For the second consecutive offseason they lost a bunch of significant veteran contributors, like Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence, Rico Dowdle, Jourdan Lewis, and Chauncey Golston.
Heading into the draft, the Cowboys arguably had more holes than positions of strength. Let's look at each of their picks and grade them on what they did.
• Round 1, Pick 12: Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama: The Cowboys lost long-time star RG Zack Martin to retirement this offseason, and they are attempting to draft his successor in Booker.
Booker has experience at both guard spots, and he has prototypical size at 6'5, 321, with 34 1/2" arms, and gigantic hands. As you might expect of a player his size, Booker gets movement in the run game, and he can anchor against power in pass protection. He also does a nice job of reading stunts and twists, as you'll see plenty of examples of in the highlight reel below. He is widely regarded as a smart player with leadership intangibles.
However, he is not a great athlete, to put it kindly.
That 10-yard split… Yeesh. That's like, civilian speed.
As for need, the Cowboys' OL stunk last season, so Booker does make plenty of sense on that front, and the more tough-minded personalities they can add to the locker room, the better.
The process that led to this pick was questionable. Per Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network on his 40's and Free Agents podcast with Gregg Rosenthal, part of the Cowboys' plan — if the draft didn't fall the way they hoped — was to settle on a guard at pick 12.
"I had heard early on in the process that they were dialed in on interior offensive linemen, and that if Tetairoa McMillan was there, they liked him," Jeremiah said. "So it was going to come down to that. I knew that if they were going to take an interior O-lineman they preferred to trade back, but what looks like what happened, was that McMillan was gone — he goes to Carolina — and they couldn't [trade back]. So you're stuck and you just make the pick."
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Three guards got selected in the first round:
• Pick 12, Cowboys: Tyler Booker, Alabama
• Pick 18, Seahawks: Grey Zabel, NDSU
• Pick 24, Vikings: Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
I didn't like the value for any of the three, frankly, but I thought Zabel at 18 and Jackson at 24 were better values than Booker at 12.
• Round 2, Pick 42: Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College: Ezeiruaku finished second in the nation in 2024 with 16.5 sacks. He also had 80 tackles (20 for loss), and three forced fumbles. He's a speed rusher who can turn the corner, and also win on inside counters. A quick highlight reel:
In the pros he'll have to prove that he can set the edge in the run game if he's going to be a three-down player, but he has pass rush chops, which is more important.
Getting Ezeiruaku at 42 is good value, and it matches a Cowboys need.
• Cowboys, Pick 76: Shavon Revel, Jr., CB, East Carolina: Revel has length, speed, ball skills, and he is physical against the run, as you'll see below:
Revel tore an ACL in September, ending his season. Otherwise, he'd have been picked much higher.
The Cowboys have a major need at cornerback with Trevon Diggs likely to miss at least a big chunk of the 2025 season, if not the entire thing.
• Round 5, Pick 149: Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas: Blue had just 214 carries in college, partly because he played behind guys like Bijan Robinson and Jonathon Brooks. In 2024, he had 134 carries for 730 yards (5.4 YPC) and eight TDs. His appeal is that he has breakaway speed (4.38 40 at the Combine), and some receiving chops (42-368-6 in 2024).
The Cowboys were expected to select a running back with an early pick since they don't really have a starting quality running back. I like the value of Blue in the fifth round as a change of pace guy who can maybe hit on some big plays and contribute in the passing game, but it appears that the Cowboys are heading into the season with Javonte Williams as their top back. 😬
• Round 5, Pick 152: Shemar James, LB, Florida: Another year, another mid-round linebacker:
2024: Marist Liufau, Round 3
2023: DeMarvion Overshown, Round 3
2022: Damone Clark, Round 5
2021: Jabril Cox, Round 4
James' college production was just OK (165 tackles, 5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 FFs in 3 seasons), he's super small (6'1, 222), and he runs a 4.69. What am I missing? There were better players available, in my opinion.
• Round 6, Pick 204: Ajani Cornelius, OT, Oregon: This was not a very good OT draft on Days 1 and 2, but there were nice values to be had on Day 3. The Cowboys landed on Cornelius, who began his college career at the University of Rhode Island before transferring to Oregon before the 2023 season. He has almost exclusively played RT at both schools. He has a nice kick slide, athleticism to get to the second level on run blocks and out in front of screens, and there's a little hint of nastiness.
Cornelius doesn't have good length (6'4 5/8" with 33 1/2" arms), so the Cowboys may view him as a guard. Decent value in Round 6.
• Round 7, Pick 217: Jay Toia, DT, UCLA: Toia is a 6'2, 342-pound space-eating NT who will be limited to run downs in the NFL. This is an interesting pick, if only to note that 2023 first-round selection NT Mazi Smith has been a big disappointment through his first two seasons.
• Round 7, Pick 239: Phil Mafah, RB, Clemson: Mafah is a big, 6'1, 234-pound back. He's a north-south guy who doesn't have much in the way of elusiveness. Short-yardage and four minute offense back.
• Round 7, Pick 247: Tommy Akingbesote, DT, Maryland: Akingbesote didn't have great college production (four career sacks), and he doesn't have impressive size or athleticism. I hate to nitpick the 247th pick of a draft, but go get a guy who at least some some sort of standout trait.
Overview
I thought the Cowboys had a good Day 2, landing Ezeiruaku and Revel, but I don't love the process of locking in on an interior offensive lineman and then reaching for one with the 12th overall pick. On Day 3, I liked the selections of Blue and Cornelius, but the rest don't do much for me.
The one thing the Cowboys didn't address that was a major need was wide receiver. If he stays healthy, CeeDee Lamb is going to get 150+ targets for the fourth straight season. He was really beat up at the end of the 2024 season. We don't often think of wide receivers as being overused the way we do with running backs, but if that exists the Cowboys may be venturing into that territory with Lamb.
Grade: B-
National view
To my surprise, the national folks think the Cowboys had the seventh-best draft in the NFL.
🚨 2025 NFL Draft Team Grades
I´ve compiled 24 evaluations of the 2025 NFL draft and totaled the team grades.
Sorted by GPA for all 32 teams. I sorted the 24 evaluations by GPA as well. From left (soft) to right (hard graders).
Thanks to all who give out grades every year! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/HW69yxX702— René Bugner (@RNBWCV) April 28, 2025
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