Mock Draft 2.0: Dallas Cowboys ‘settle’ for Matthew Golden, follow with CB help
The 2025 NFL draft is just a days away. Who will go Number 1? Who will the Cowboys take in the first round. Here’s our latest projections, in the Star-Telegram’s mock draft 2.0:
FIRST ROUND
1. Tennessee Titans - QB Cam Ward (Miami)
The Titans have all but made their intentions crystal clear on what they plan to do with the first pick in the draft by taking the consensus No. 1 quarterback in the class in Cam Ward. If the Titans follow through with the selection, Ward will be the sixth Texas-born player to be drafted No. 1 overall since 2009, the most of any state in that span.
2. Cleveland Browns - CB/WR Travis Hunter (Colorado)
The Browns have signed Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco with DeShaun Watson still under contract, so quarterback might not be in their plans. They get arguably the most polarizing player in the class to pump some life into a franchise in need of it.
3. New York Giants - DE Abdul Carter (Penn State)
The Giants will have options at No. 3 overall, but placing Abdul Carter in a pass rush unit that needs an uptick in production from guys like Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns has the potential to elevate everyone around the Penn State product.
4. New England Patriots - OL Will Campbell (LSU)
The Patriots are in need of an overhaul on the offensive line to protect their young quarterback in Drake Maye, and Will Campbell can provide help at either tackle or guard. For New England, he would best fit at the left tackle spot where he played at LSU.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars - DT Mason Graham (Michigan)
The Jaguars were busy in free agency filling some holes on both sides of the ball, but defensive tackle still remains a spot that needs help. Mason Graham comes in with the ability to play at either defensive tackle spot and the potential to start on day one.
6. Las Vegas Raiders - RB Ashton Jeanty (Boise State)
Trading for Geno Smith lessened the possibility of the Raiders grabbing a quarterback at No. 6, but you can bet that Pete Carroll will want a home run hitter at running back after a lifeless 2024 season in Las Vegas at the position. There’s no player better to provide just that than Ashton Jeanty.
7. New York Jets - WR Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona)
Justin Fields is back in a situation where he’s the starting quarterback, and the Jets will need to place a couple of more weapons around him to succeed. Pairing the best true receiver in the draft with Garrett Wilson could create a size-speed combination on both sides that would help Fields produce.
8. Carolina Panthers - LB/DE Jalon Walker (Georgia)
Defending the pass was a rare strength for the Panthers last season, as their secondary stars are back after a successful free agency period in Carolina. Getting better up front should be the priority now, and Jalon Walker provides help in the run game and in the pass rush department that Carolina needed last season.
9. New Orleans Saints - QB Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)
Derek Carr has a big question mark around his future with a shoulder injury clouding his 2025 outlook, but an opportunity to grab a polarizing figure like Shedeur Sanders to put him in a Kellen Moore offense in the city of New Orleans could be the perfect replacement. With only Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener in the quarterback room, Sanders should start day one if Carr remains out.
10. Chicago Bears - OT Armand Membou (Missouri)
No one was as aggressive in free agency for offensive line talent than the Chicago Bears, and it’s for good reason after Caleb Williams took the most sacks of any quarterback in his rookie season. Armand Membou is the final piece that Chicago can place at left tackle to protect their franchise star in his new Ben Johnson offense.
11. San Francisco 49ers - CB Will Johnson (Michigan)
Preparing to pay Brock Purdy a massive contract forced some key free agents to depart San Francisco, including multiple starters in the secondary. The 49ers fill one of those holes with Will Johnson, who despite some injury concerns from 2024 can still end up being a perennial All-Pro talent.
12. Dallas Cowboys - WR Matthew Golden (Texas)
It will be a somber few minutes in Frisco if Tetairoa McMillan is selected before the Cowboys can get on the clock, but their consolation prize of Matthew Golden would add enough juice to the offense to make life easier for Dak Prescott and to open up more opportunities for CeeDee Lamb. Golden has been a second offensive option at different times going back to his high school days at Klein Cain in the Houston area. Honing in on that role in Dallas would be no different.
13. Miami Dolphins - S Malaki Starks (Georgia)
Jevon Holland departed in free agency and signed a massive deal with the New York Giants. The Dolphins immediately get his replacement with the best safety in the class, Malaki Starks.
14. Indianapolis Colts - TE Tyler Warren (Penn State)
Tyler Warren ends his slide with the Colts turning the card in for one of the most versatile offensive weapons in the class to drastically improve a lifeless tight end position in Indianapolis.
15. Atlanta Falcons - DE Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M)
The Falcons were downright pitiful in getting to the quarterback last year, and you can bet top dollar that they will be adding talent in that area early in the draft. Stewart may not have the sack numbers from his time at Texas A&M, but his size, athleticism and pressure numbers typically translate to the NFL on a more consistent basis than not.
16. Arizona Cardinals - CB Jahdae Barron (Texas)
The Cardinals will almost certainly grab help on the defensive side of the ball in the first round, as they need help in multiple spots. Getting a versatile defensive back that can play anywhere in the secondary like Jahdae Barron will give them freedom to add pieces around him before the season.
17. Cincinnati Bengals - DE Mike Green (Georgia)
If the Bengals do indeed make a poor decision and ship out All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson, replacing him with Mike Green would make a lot of sense. Green has the athleticism and pass rush motor that made Hendrickson such a dominant player in Cincinnati.
18. Seattle Seahawks - G Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas)
The best left tackle in college football last season could be tasked with protecting Seattle’s newest mid-tier investment at quarterback in Sam Darnold by sliding inside to play guard in the NFL. Getting a difference maker at receiver could also be in play after the Seahawks traded D.K. Metcalf and let Tyler Lockett walk this offseason.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - LB Jihaad Campbell (Alabama)
This feels like one of the safer predictions in the first round. Tampa Bay needs to get younger at linebacker and Jihaad Campbell can play in multiple spots until the veterans age out.
20. Denver Broncos - RB Omarion Hampton (North Carolina)
One of the safest bets in the first round is Sean Payton replacing the departure of Javonte Williams with one of the top running backs in the draft. Omarion Hampton has drawn lofty comparisons to the running style of Hall of Famer and former Broncos legend Terrell Davis.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers - QB Jalen Milroe (Alabama)
Whether Aaron Rodgers signs with Pittsburgh or not, the Steelers will be quarterback hunting early in the draft. Pittsburgh would surprise many by picking Jalen Milroe over Jaxson Dart, but Mike Tomlin and his scouting department have fallen in love with the Alabama product during the draft process.
22. Los Angeles Chargers - TE Colston Loveland (Michigan)
The Chargers haven’t had a difference maker at tight end in quite some time, and the opportunity for Jim Harbaugh to add Colston Loveland, a player he recruited to Michigan and won a national title with two years ago, makes too much sense in this spot.
23. Green Bay Packers - DE Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M)
Most of the free agency cycle saw Green Bay make some moves in the secondary, and more are expected in the future with a potential dealing of Jaire Alexander. Next up will be adding some talent to their defensive front, and Shemar Stewart provides some powerful athleticism off the edge, something the Packers got to dig deeper on when they sent GM Brian Gutekunst to Texas A&M’s Pro Day.
24. Minnesota Vikings - G Tyler Booker (Alabama)
The Vikings seem perfectly fine rolling out J.J. McCarthy at quarterback in 2025, and they will need reliable pieces in front of him to give him time in the pocket to adjust to the NFL and for being injured all last season. Tyler Booker is arguably the best true guard in the draft and would provide immediate day one reliability.
25. Houston Texans - T Josh Simmons (Ohio State)
The Texans shockingly dealt Laremy Tunsil and Kenyon Green this offseason, and they will need to put some new pieces on that offensive line. Simmons is one of the most complete, clean tackles in the class, but injury concerns from 2024 may see him still on the board when Houston is up.
26. Los Angeles Rams - QB Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss)
It’s time for Los Angeles to start preparing for life post-Matthew Stafford, and adding Jaxson Dart to marinate behind the Super Bowl winner would be the ideal transition plan for Sean McVay. Even more, the Rams are able to get Dart on a fifth-year option to further ease the transition.
27. Baltimore Ravens - DE James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee)
While character concerns around James Pearce Jr. have gotten loud during the draft process, he’s still a first-round talent. The Ravens have been a dominant defensive force up front for over two decades and have not been scared to continuously invest resources to their pass rush weaponry. Pearce can be another feather in the cap, if he works out. If he doesn’t, they are still just fine.
28. Detroit Lions - DE Mykel Williams (Georgia)
A run on defensive ends comes late in the first round, as the Lions get in on the action after seeing so many injuries at the position last season by drafting a similar physical presence to Aidan Hutchinson in Mykel Williams who showed up in big games for the Bulldogs last season.
29. Washington Commanders - S Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina)
Dan Quinn once drafted a long, lengthy defensive back out of Oregon State in Nahshon Wright when he was defensive coordinator for the Cowboys in 2021. This has similar vibes for a Washington team that needs some length on the backend.
30. Buffalo Bills - DT Derrick Harmon (Oregon)
Adding Joey Bosa is a big boost to an aging defensive line, and Derrick Harmon could bring some more juice out of the interior with his motor and athleticism. It’d be a surprise if Harmon slips this far, but it’s possible if a couple of teams swing on quarterbacks late.
31. Kansas City Chiefs - OL Grey Zabel (North Dakota State)
The Eagles exposed some major holes on the Chiefs offensive line in the Super Bowl that were lying beneath the surface, and Grey Zabel could step in and start at multiple spots at best, or provide legitimate competition to elevate the protection unit as a whole at worst.
32. Philadelphia Eagles - WR Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State)
How do you make the best offense in the NFL better? Give it another weapon! Emeka Egbuka could be a versatile chess piece for the Eagles that could open up even more for the entire array of weaponry in Philadelphia.
SECOND ROUND
33. Cleveland Browns - RB TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State)
34. New York Giants - QB Tyler Shough (Louisville)
35. Tennessee Titans - WR Luther Burden III (Missouri)
36. Jacksonville Jaguars - OL Donovan Jackson (Ohio State)
37. Las Vegas Raiders - DE Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College)
38. New England Patriots - DT Kenneth Grant (Michigan)
39. Chicago Bears - RB Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State)
40. New Orleans Saints - DT Darius Alexander (Toledo)
41. Chicago Bears - DE Nic Scourton (Texas A&M)
42. New York Jets - CB Maxwell Hairston Jr. (Kentucky)
43. San Francisco 49ers - DT T.J. Sanders (South Carolina)
44. Dallas Cowboys - CB Trey Amos (Ole Miss)
45. Indianapolis Colts - LB Carson Schwesinger (UCLA)
46. Atlanta Falcons - DT Walter Nolen (Ole Miss)
47. Arizona Cardinals - OT Aireontae Ersery (Minnesota)
48. Miami Dolphins - S Xavier Watts (Notre Dame)
49. Cincinnati Bengals - DT Tyleik Williams (Ohio State)
50. Seattle Seahawks - WR Jayden Higgins (Iowa State)
51. Denver Broncos - RB Kaleb Johnson (Iowa)
52. Seattle Seahawks - OL Anthony Belton (NC State)
53. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DE Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss)
54. Green Bay Packers - CB Azareye’h Thomas (Florida State)
55. Los Angeles Chargers - TE Elijah Arroyo (Miami)
56. Buffalo Bills - CB Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame)
57. Carolina Panthers - LB Oluwafemi Oladejo (UCLA)
58. Houston Texans - DT Omarr Norman-Lott (Tennessee)
59. Baltimore Ravens - OL Marcus Mbow (Purdue)
60. Detroit Lions - OL Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona)
61. Washington Commanders - DE Landon Jackson (Arkansas)
62. Buffalo Bills - CB Shavon Revel Jr. (East Carolina)
63. Kansas City Chiefs - DE JT Tuimoloau (Ohio State)
64. Philadelphia Eagles - DL Jordan Burch (Oregon)
This story was originally published April 18, 2025 at 11:32 AM.
