Dallas Cowboys 7-round mock draft: Picking all eight players using a simulator
The NFL draft is less than one week away, and the Dallas Cowboys are putting the finishing touches on the draft board over the next few days before making their final selections.
After acquiring a third-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers in the trade that sent away defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, the Cowboys now have eight picks in the draft and three in the top 100.
Using the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator, let’s do a seven-round mock based on what could happen for the Cowboys next week.
Note: No trades were used in this exercise.
No. 12: CB Mansoor Delane (LSU)
With defenders such as Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles and David Bailey off the board at No. 12, Mansoor Delane fell to the No. 12 pick in this exercise. This should be an easy pick for the Cowboys, as they seek out a starting-caliber cornerback. Arguably, there is no more NFL-ready corner than Delane in the class.
In defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s scheme, he would step in as a day-one starter on the outside, and his talent is high enough to where he would be a top-15 cornerback as early as his rookie season. Simply put, this would be a home run pick.
No. 20: DE T.J. Parker (Clemson)
If No. 12 had been anything other than a defensive back, then drafting Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood would have been the easy choice here. But considering Delane fills that need, taking a defensive end that the Cowboys have circled around during the draft process in T.J. Parker makes sense.
The Cowboys could very well trade back into the 20s if they find a tango partner such as the Chicago Bears at No. 25 or the Houston Texans at No. 28. Even in those scenarios, Parker should still be on the board. Parker would give a physical presence to the run game with pass rush upside that could make him a capable mainstay in the 3-4 scheme.
No. 92: DB Jalon Kilgore (South Carolina)
The No. 92 pick could be a sweet spot for the Cowboys to find their nickel cornerback of the future, and Jalon Kilgore is an enticing option. His positional versatility offers safety intrigue at the next level as well, as his speed and size can be placed into multiple spots in the secondary.
Christian Parker has shown an infatuation early on in his time as defensive coordinator for versatile defenders, and it’s hard to get much more versatile than Kilgore in this draft.
No. 112: G Beau Stephens (Iowa)
After letting Brock Hoffman walk to the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency, it’s time for the Cowboys to find their next depth interior lineman option to operate alongside T.J. Bass as the key reserves. Beau Stephens can provide that service from the OL-dependent Iowa program.
The Cowboys only brought in a small handful of offensive prospects into the facility for 30-visits earlier this month, and Stephens was one of them.
No. 152: LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr (TCU)
While Kaleb Elarms-Orr might not be your day-one green-dot linebacker, he is the first one drafted at the position after some unfortunate board falls earlier in this exercise. Elarms-Orr has the mental processing and athleticism that is required of being an NFL linebacker, but the change in pace from the Big 12 could offer some developmental time.
In the fifth round, Elarms-Orr would be a great pick to put another athlete in the second level — even if the veteran piece they would need in the middle would still have to be addressed.
No. 177: LB Lander Barton (Utah)
Lander Barton is your prototypical middle linebacker with his ability to step into run lanes decisively and make quick, physical decisions. He has lapses in coverage, but his ability that he has shown early in his career at Utah (freshman All-American in 2022) could offer some upside at the next level.
Adding a run-diagnostic player like Barton in the middle is crucial for the Cowboys to come away feeling like they got better at linebacker after a season last year where diagnosing run lanes was a disaster.
No. 180: TE Jaren Kanak (Oklahoma)
A former linebacker who made the switch to tight end in his final year at Oklahoma, Kanak could provide an athletic pass-catcher to the tight end room on day three at best and a heavy special teams contributor at worst.
It appears as though the Cowboys want to add to the position group in the draft, and snatching up Kanak makes some sense after they formally met with him at the NFL combine.
No. 218: S Robert Spears-Jennings (Oklahoma)
Doubling up on Oklahoma products on day three wasn’t expected, but adding the physical, heat-seeking missle that is Spears-Jennings this late is a no-brainer. There’s a lot of Donovan Wilson in his game, as he handles action in front of him really well and closes on ball carriers with a hot pursuit.
Adding young rotational talent to the safety room is a requirement after letting Wilson and Juanyeh Thomas walk in free agency. Sure, Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke provide reliable depth, but could there be a future for a young player after the Malik Hooker’s contract expires?
