Fresh off another disappointing playoff exit, the Dallas Cowboys are determined to break through in the postseason. Although they haven't made many moves this offseason, the ones they have made indicate that they are going all-in this time.
The Cowboys made two huge trades by acquiring cornerback Stephon Gilmore from the Indianapolis Colts and wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the Houston Texans.
These two are not just strong players in their own right, but also fill positions of need for Dallas. Despite some losses like Dalton Schultz and Connor McGovern, the Cowboys have done pretty well for themselves this offseason.
However, there is still plenty of time to improve the roster even further. Free agency is mostly complete, so the big event on the horizon is the NFL Draft at the end of the month. Dallas holds the 26th overall pick, but the draft is so much more than just the first round.
In recent years, the Cowboys have found some nice diamonds in the rough later on in the draft. Some of their notable Day 3 picks over the last decade include Dak Prescott, Tony Pollard, Anthony Brown and more. These players have played a big role in the Cowboys' success and they're always looking for their next sleeper pick.
With that said, here are three sleeper prospects the Cowboys should target in the 2023 draft.
3. Zach Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion
After losing Schultz to free agency, the tight end position looks slightly concerning for Dallas. Jake Ferguson (19 REC, 174 YDS, 2 TDS) and Peyton Hendershoot (11 REC, 103 YDS, 2 TDS) showed some promise as rookies in 2022, but they likely won't make up for Schultz' production by themselves.
For this reason, it wouldn't hurt to add another tight end before the season starts.
With more pressing needs, though, this seems like a need the Cowboys would address later on in the draft. In that case, Kuntz could be a good selection in the third or fourth round. Kuntz has some concerns, such as being 24 and missing most of last season with injury. However, he also has enough positives to mitigate those concerns.
Kuntz showed just how productive he can be in 2021, recording 73 receptions for 692 yards and five touchdowns. His intangibles are also great, standing at 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds and running a 4.55 second 40-yard dash.
He put on an absolute show at the combine, finishing among the top three tight ends in every drill. With strong weapons throughout the Cowboys' offense, Kuntz could become a key contributor for the group.
2. Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane
Linebacker is another position that isn't a dire need for the Cowboys, but they would like to add more to it. Leighton Vander Esch returns on a new deal after recording 90 tackles last season, but Anthony Barr is gone after recording 58 of his own.
Jabril Cox, the projected starter in place of Barr, has just eight total tackles in two seasons. He could develop into a quality starter, but throwing him into the starting role now seems a bit risky.
With that in mind, picking up another linebacker in the draft seems like a good idea. Among projected Day 3 picks, Williams might have the most potential to be an impact player right away.
Williams has been a consistent force for Tulane's defense, with 297 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in the last three seasons.
He also has good speed running a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, the fourth-best among linebackers. With great coverage skills as well, Williams has the tools to make an immediate impact for Dallas' defense.
1. Moro Ojomo, DT, Texas
Contrary to the other positions represented on this list, interior defensive line- especially run defenders- represents a big need for the Cowboys.
Their run defense wasn't great last season, ranking 22nd in the league with 129.3 yards allowed per game. More concerning is the fact that they finished 24th in run-stop win rate at just 29%. Bringing back Johnathan Hankins on an affordable deal is a good start towards fixing it, but there's still plenty of work to be done.
Fortunately for the Cowboys, a good, under-the-radar prospect who thrives in this role played his college ball in their home state.
Ojomo has been a consistently strong option for Texas, playing 50 games over his five-year career. Although he never stuffed the stat sheet (95 TKL, 13.5 TFL, 5 SCK), he did exactly what he needed to to carve out a niche for himself.
As alluded to earlier, Ojomo's value comes in his strength against the run. He's on the shorter side for his position at 6-foot-2, but his 34.5-inch arms still help him shed blocks.
Analytics back up his prowess in this area, as he finished with the fourth-best run-defense grade among defensive tackles, per PFF. His 90.6 overall grade was also eighth among 857 defensive linemen last season.
Ojomo likely won't be a three-down player right away, but his excellent run defense should give him a clear role right away. For a Day 3 pick, it's hard to ask for much more.
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