The Dallas Cowboys head into the 2024 NFL Draft with some clear needs to fill, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Luckily for Jerry Jones and company, this is a deep offensive draft, with good players available throughout at positions the Cowboys need, like offensive line, wide receiver, and running back. Here's what the full selection haul could look like for Big D this year in our Cowboys' seven-round 2024 NFL mock draft.
Round 1, No. 24: OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
The 6-foot-8, 340-pound tackle only started eight games at Georgia. He sat behind Broderick Jones then dealt with a foot injury this season. Still, when Amarius Mims was out there, he looked fantastic.
The big Bulldog has all the physical traits you want in a tackle and athleticism to burn for a person his size. Yes, after only eight collegiate starts there are still a lot of raw techniques and traits that need to be coached out, but in a player possessing these physical gifts, it’s worth it.
The Cowboys desperately need tackles after letting Tyron Smith walk in free agency, and luckily, this is an incredibly deep and talented offensive tackle NFL draft class. Dallas will continue to address the O-line throughout the proceedings, but Mims is the perfect start to rebuilding what has been the key to the Cowboys' success over the last decade.
While there are downsides to Mims’ inexperience, there are upsides, too. Since he’s not a longtime starter at a position, he doesn’t truly have a position yet. Mike McCarthy can play him on the left side, the right side, or even at guard depending on how the line shakes out at training camp. With that kind of floor, Mims is too good a prospect to pass on.
Round 2, No. 56: RB Jonathon Brooks, Texas
The Cowboys have one of the worst running back situations in the league right now, so they need to be one of the first teams to take an RB off the board when the run on running backs starts, which should be somewhere in the second round. If the run starts earlier in the round, the Cowboys should trade up to get in on it.
Jerry Jones has never been afraid to take the best player on the board, even if they are coming off an injury. Texas RB Jonathon Brooks may have been in the late first-round discussion if not for his ACL tear this year.
Brooks is 6 feet, 216 pounds, and has excellent speed, burst, and wiggle. He is an excellent zone runner and can be a home run hitter on the outside. The former Longhorn is also an excellent pass-catcher, making him a true three-down back.
Round 3: No. 87: WR Jalen McMillan, Washington
The Cowboys still don’t have a true No. 2 to CeeDee Lamb, and they need to pick up a pass-catcher in the 2024 NFL Draft to try and get one.
Washington WR Jalen McMillan is a somewhat forgotten man with all the Michael Penix Jr and Rome Odunze hype. However, the 6-foot-1, 197-pound wideout is a good player in his own right. He missed some games in 2023 and just crested 500 yards, but posted over 1,000 yards the season before that.
The knock on McMillan is that he will probably only work in certain NFL systems, specifically West Coast-type passing games.
Well, guess which team has one of the last coaches running as close to a pure West Coast scheme as you’ll see in the NFL these days? That’s right. How ‘bout them Cowboys!
McMillan is ultimately a nice scheme fit here, so the Cowboys can get a steal drafting him in the third round of this 2024 NFL mock draft.
Round 5, No. 174: C Beau Limmer, Arkansas
You’re telling me the Cowboys need a center, one of the best players on the board right now is one, AND he’s an Arkansas Razorback just like Jerry Jones? Well, “Wooo Pig Sooie!” big Beaux Limmer is the no-brainer pick here.
Limmer is a versatile lineman who could potentially fill the Cowboys’ starting center role. At Arkansas, he started 29 games at right guard, 11 games at center, and one game at left guard. He can play all over the interior of the line and therefore would be a valuable backup with upside to really fill a need.
To get a player like that in the fifth round is a good deal.
Round 6: No. 216: DL Gabe Hall, Baylor
Up to this point of the Cowboys' seven-round 2024 NFL mock draft, mock Jerry Jones has played it safe, taking players with high floors along with decently high ceilings. Now that we are in Round 6, though, it’s time to take a swing for the fences.
Baylor defensive lineman Gabe Hall is a boom-or-bust prospect. At 6-foot-6, 291 pounds the athletic Bear is a versatile defensive lineman who can play defensive tackle or defensive end in different fronts. His best position is as a 3-4 DE, which would fit well with the Cowboys.
He has all the physical skills you want to see, but his effort and consistency just aren’t there. Hall may never figure out how to get the most out of his incredible traits. But you can’t teach his size, skill, and strength, so rolling the dice that the Cowboys coaches can figure him out is worth it at this point.
Round 7, No. 233 (from Raiders): LB Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
The Cowboys have mostly gone offense in this 2024 NFL mock draft (and will return to it again), but after taking a defensive lineman in the sixth, look for them to grab an off-ball linebacker in the seventh.
Nathaniel Watson is an old-school thumper at 6-foot-2, 233 pounds. He can plug a hole and play downhill against the run game. He’s also an excellent blitzer, racking up 21 sacks and 31 tackles for a loss in his last three seasons at Mississippi State.
Watson isn’t a perfect modern linebacker, but last year’s third-round pick, DeMarvion Overshown, is more the undersized, coverage, hybrid safety type, and the two could make a nice platoon or pairing.
Round 7: No. 244: OT Frank Crum, Wyoming
The Cowboys’ seven-round 2024 NFL mock draft started with an offensive tackle and now it’s going to end with an offensive tackle. The Joneses have never been afraid to look at small-school guys, and Frank Crum could be a steal toward the end of the draft.
Crum is 6-foot-8, 313 pounds, and has experience playing both left and right tackle. He is an excellent run blocker already, and with some work, his pass protection could get to an NFL level, too.
In Round 7, you know you’re probably not getting a Week 1 starter, but taking a player like Crum to add depth and potentially give you a valuable swing tackle is a solid move.
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