Dallas Cowboys add Texas speedster RB Jaydon Blue among day three draft picks
The 2025 NFL draft is in the books. Here’s a look an analytical view of the Dallas Cowboys selections:
No. 12 overall: Alabama OG Tyler Booker
Described by head coach Brian Schottenheimer as a pick that helps further the culture building in his first year as head coach, Alabama’s Tyler Booker was selected in place of what a lot of draft experts expected to be a wide receiver in the first round. Dallas fielded a trade call from the Houston Texans to move back to No. 25 overall, but they remained with the No. 12 selection and picked one of the top offensive linemen in the class. Booker comes to Dallas with three years of experience at Alabama where he mainly started at left guard. He will most likely be tasked with starting at right guard upon his arrival to the Cowboys.
No. 44 overall: Boston College DE Donovan Ezeiruaku
Just like the 2024 draft, the Cowboys opened with an offensive lineman and a defensive end in the first two rounds. In the second round, they select one of the top pass rushers from all of college football in 2024, as Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku will arrive in Dallas fresh off a 16.5-sack season, which was the second-highest total among all FBS players. His pass rush knacks will combine with Micah Parsons to further weaponize Dallas’ defensive attack on passing downs to get after opposing quarterbacks. Described as one of the most athletic players in the draft class, Ezeiruaku ran the fastest three-cone drill of any defensive lineman at the NFL Scouting Combine.
No. 76 overall: East Carolina CB Shavon Revel Jr.
After the departure of Jourdan Lewis in free agency and the furthering expectation that Trevon Diggs’ injured knee won’t be ready for the start of the season, Dallas addresses a major need at the cornerback position by drafting Shavon Revel Jr. out of East Carolina in the third round. Well, the Cowboys sort of addressed a need. Revel himself is rehabbing back from a major knee injury suffered in September, as he tore his ACL in a practice at East Carolina. Before the injury, draft experts expected him to be one of the first cornerbacks taken in the first round of the draft. Instead, the Cowboys get great value on a first round talent in the third round, but with the high risk of coming off of the injury.
No. 149 overall: Texas RB Jaydon Blue
The Cowboys finally draft a running back after watching the entire draft go by last year and two days of picks pass this year without addressing the position. Blue steps in after a career at Texas that saw him as a secondary option in a multi-option rushing attack with various weapons in the Longhorns offense. He steps in to join a room alongside Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders and Deuce Vaughn.
No. 152 overall: Florida LB Shemar James
Dallas traded its No. 174 overall pick and No. 204 pick to move up and select Florida linebacker Shemar James. James was a prospect that the team met with formally at the NFL Scouting Combine and came away impressed. He projects as a weak-side linebacker that can specialize in playing on passing downs as a middle-of-the-field coverage player and a situational blitzer.
No. 211 overall: Oregon OL Ajani Cornelius
The Cowboys add depth on the offensive line by selecting a player Dallas had an insight on in Oregon offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius. Playing right tackle at Oregon, Cornelius has versatility to slide inside to guard in the NFL with his broad build. Current Cowboys wide receivers coach Junior Adams was hired from Oregon in February and was one of the handful of Cowboys personnel to make the phone call to Cornelius to draft him.
No. 217 overall: UCLA DT Jay Toia
A big, physical presence in the interior of the defensive line was needed in this draft, and the Cowboys get good value on 341-pounder Jay Toia out of UCLA. He specializes in getting lateral in the run game and opening up opportunities for others, whether if it’s in the pass rush department or in run support for the second level. He will be inserted in a nosetackle spot that includes Mazi Smith.
No. 239 overall: Clemson RB Phil Mafah
Dallas doubles down at the running back position on day three with a physical early-down presence in Clemson’s Phil Mafah. At 6-foot-1, 234 pounds, Mafah will provide some inside zone presence to a running back room that mainly features outside zone, athletic options with the drafting of Blue to combine with Javonte Williams, Deuce Vaughn and Miles Sanders. With 2,000 yards over his last two seasons for a power program, Mafah brings production and power to the position group.
No. 247 overall: Maryland DT Tommy Akingbesote
With the final selection for the Cowboys in the 2025 draft, they decided to select Maryland defensive tackle Tommy Akingbesote rather than compete for him on the undrafted free agent market. Worked out by Cowboys defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton at his Pro Day a few weeks ago, he brings an established relationship with his position coach to Dallas as a twitchy big body in the interior.
This story was originally published April 26, 2025 at 1:46 PM.
