Who could the Dallas Cowboys be looking at in the first round of the NFL Draft?
With the season concluding in recent weeks, the Dallas Cowboys now know where they will be picking in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisc. as the first selection under a new head coach will happen at the No. 12 overall spot on April 24.
With the East West Shrine Bowl, Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine on the horizon, there is still a lot to shake out what exactly the Cowboys’ draft board will look like when they see their name on the clock, but here are five possibilities that could make sense in three months.
Jahdae Barron, Defensive Back, Texas
A versatile defensive back that has experience playing at outside corner, slot corner, safety and in the box during his five-year career at Texas, Jahdae Barron turned down an expected day two draft selection in 2024 to go back to Austin for one more season, and it paid off.
Barron finished as the Jim Thorpe Award winner honoring the nation’s top defensive back with his stellar play in Texas’ secondary. The Austin area native is a thumper and has elite instincts in zone coverage to cut off complex route schemes across the middle of the field. In one-on-one coverage, Barron has NFL-ready speed that could translate to him being a slot corner at the next level and the physicality to be an outside corner. Similar to the versatility of Starks, Barron could play a variety of roles in a Dallas secondary that could be looking for some more youth coming out of the 2025 draft.
In Texas’ semifinal playoff loss to Ohio State, Barron shut down the Buckeyes’ freshman wide receiver phenom, Jeremiah Smith, allowing just one reception for three yards to one of the nation’s top pass catchers.
Ashton Jeanty, Running Back, Boise State
An early favorite has emerged on social media for most Cowboys fans in Ashton Jeanty, and it’s for good reason. The Frisco native has gone from a hipster RB1 pick in the preseason to runner-up for the Heisman Trophy and a surefire top-15 pick in April’s draft.
The 5-foot-9, 215-pound bellcow for Boise State rushed for 2,601 yards on seven yards per carry in leading the Broncos to their first College Football Playoff berth. His massive senior season threatened one of college football’s “unbreakable” records in Barry Sanders’ 2,628 yards, a record set back in 1988.
For the Cowboys, it makes a lot of sense. With Rico Dowdle hitting free agency and no other proven back on the roster, a Frisco native that grew up playing high school football in the Cowboys’ practice facility at The Star, and a productive running back that could immediately enhance an offense creates the perfect storm if he is available when Dallas is on the clock. Even more, he has called Dallas his preferred destination.
A question that would have to be answered beforehand would be if the Cowboys would be willing to spend a first-round selection on a running back, a position that has continued to see a decline in value since Ezekiel Elliott was selected fourth overall by the franchise in 2016. But then again, would they view Jeanty as a player that could immediately contribute to a declining running game in Dallas?
Another factor would be that the 2025 running back class is shaping up to be one of the deepest at the position in a decade. With many other positions of need not having as much depth in the class, could it make more sense to grab another player and pick a quality, serviceable running back later on?
Kelvin Banks, Offensive Lineman, Texas
Another Longhorn that Jerry Jones could see on the board at No. 12 overall is Texas’ starting left tackle for the last three seasons in Kelvin Banks.
While there are questions about if he is best suited at either tackle or guard at the NFL level, Banks has a similar skillset to Cowboys left guard Tyler Smith in that he could realistically play at either spot based on the need of the team that drafts him. For Dallas, that could mean left tackle or right guard if the franchise and future Hall of Famer Zack Martin split ways this offseason.
In over 1,500 pass block snaps playing at left tackle for Texas, Banks allowed just three sacks while helping pave running lanes off the edge for Bijan Robinson in 2022, Jonathan Brooks in 2023 and the duo of Quintrevion Wisner and Jaydon Blue in 2024.
Going offensive line in back-to-back drafts could be tough to stomach for the front office, but Banks’ versatility and track record could make for an intriguing selection.
Kenneth Grant, Defensive Tackle, Michigan
Speaking of a selection that could be tough to stomach, Cowboys fans would have to work through some past trauma of defensive linemen from the University of Michigan being selected in the first round if Dallas lands on selecting Kenneth Grant at No. 12 overall.
While the selection of Taco Charlton over T.J. Watt in 2017 was a disaster from the start and the Mazi Smith pick in 2023 hasn’t lived up to the first round hype through two seasons, it’s important to look at the difference in development between those two and Grant.
For one, first-year Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has his front playing much different than the previous eras under Jim Harbaugh. Grant gets off the ball in a hurry and finds a healthy balance between playing laterally and downhill. Additionally, his speed at 339 pounds will blow evaluators away at the combine.
Dallas hasn’t been getting the returns it expected on Smith. If Grant is available, selecting his former college teammate as his starting replacement could plug one of the Cowboys’ most nagging holes over the last four seasons.
Luther Burden III, Wide Receiver, Missouri
While Luther Burden III may not be the jump ball, possession savant that Dallas has desperately needed for more than five years, his speed, separation and route running made him a big play machine for Missouri that could directly translate to the NFL.
If the Cowboys decide to move on from Brandin Cooks and direct their draft attention toward a prospect with a similar skillset as the 11-year veteran, Burden could immediately inject youth in each area that Cooks excels at to a receiver group in Dallas. Additionally, Burden has shown an ability to be a red zone threat with his vertical ability that sees him utilize his 208-pound strength to work in elite body control against more physical defensive backs in contested catch situations.
While inconsistent quarterback play didn’t allow for Burden to have a consistent 2024 season, his breakout 2023 season saw him haul in 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore. With a reliable quarterback, a complex offensive scheme that can put him in multiple places and a Batman-Robin setup with CeeDee Lamb, Burden could be one of the best value picks Dallas could make in the draft.
