Dallas Cowboys

Another SEC standout was high on the Dallas Cowboys' 2025 NFL draft board before they selected Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said team officials deliberated between Booker and another prospect in the first round throughout Thursday. That player was still available with the No. 12 pick. According to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen was the prospect in question.

Nolen wound up going 16th to the Arizona Cardinals.

The 2024 consensus All-American had 48 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss as a junior with the Rebels. He was the No. 14 overall player on Bleacher Report's big board.

The Cowboys allowed 137.1 yards per game on the ground and 4.8 yards per carry. Bolstering the interior of their defensive line would've made sense.

The offensive line was an area of need as well, though. Tyron Smith's departure as a free agent last offseason continues to loom large, and Zack Martin's retirement in March left a massive void at guard.

B/R's Brent Sobleski argued Dallas "made the right move by replacing the retired Martin with a tailor-made right guard who will immediately take over as the alpha in the room and a tone-setter on the field."

A lot of Cowboys fans were probably hoping the team would land Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty or perhaps Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Unfortunately, both of those players were gone in the top 10.

Even Nolen would've been a slightly more exciting choice because it's more fun to watch a disruptive defensive tackle than a road-grader along the offensive line.

But Booker should make an immediate impact in Dallas.

In need of another reliable wide receiver to play opposite CeeDee Lamb, the Dallas Cowboys are believed to be looking at pass-catchers with the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the expectation within the NFL is the Cowboys will target a skill player in the first round, with Tetairoa McMillan and Matthew Golden being potential options.

ESPN's Matt Miller reported that sources are "adamant" McMillan would be the Cowboys' pick if he's available.

If the Cowboys go against consensus, there's reportedly an SEC defender they could have in mind.

According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell is a "name to watch" for Dallas entering Thursday night.

The Cowboys have frequently been linked to wide receivers throughout the offseason, not just in the draft. There were some rumblings about pursuing a trade with the Denver Broncos for Courtland Sutton, but those have been debunked.

B/R's NFL scouting department is projecting McMillan to Dallas in its most recent mock:

"McMillan is a great fit alongside Lamb. He plays all three wide receiver positions/alignments. A physical X-receiver with developmental potential is exactly what the Cowboys need. McMillan runs routes and separates from coverage. The 6'4" target is a ball-winner with outstanding body control, leaping ability and hand strength to make contested catches look routine."

There is a significant difference in the playing styles between McMillan and Golden. McMillan is a big-bodied target with a wide catch radius and power to bully defenders.

Golden has tremendous downfield speed, as evidenced by his 4.29 40 time at the NFL scouting combine, and has been praised by at least one NFL coach as the best route-runner in the 2025 class.

There is no wrong option for the Cowboys if they are picking between the two. McMillan might be a better fit since his skill set is different from Lamb's that it opposing defenses have to prepare for separate styles, whereas Golden could be redundant because he's similar in style.

The biggest obstacle for the Cowboys if they want the choice of McMillan or Golden is that the former may not be available. There has been some late buzz that McMillan could go as high as No. 5 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

McMillan has also been linked to the Las Vegas Raiders with the sixth pick. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on Tuesday they were working on "two pretty substantial trades" ahead of the draft.

It's unclear what those trades might consist of, or if they will even happen, but the Cowboys might have to move up if they want to have a chance at selecting McMillan.

Micah Parsons doesn't want to wait too long to sign a new deal.

The Dallas Cowboys star told reporters Tuesday it is "extremely important" for him to sign a contract extension before the 2025 season starts.

"You really see a lot of players struggle when guys aren't participating in camp and they get off to slow starts. I don't want to get off to a slow start, I want to hit the ground running and establish ourselves in this league and get some wins early in the season."

Micah Parsons on the importance of getting a new contract done before training camp pic.twitter.com/SCkBzxrAUW

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) April 23, 2025

Micah Parsons said back in December that he didn’t need $40 million per year on his next deal. Since then, Maxx Crosby ($35.5 million per year) and Myles Garrett ($40 million per year) have changed the market with new deals. How does Micah feel now? pic.twitter.com/nMI8gaqc16

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) April 23, 2025

Dallas signed quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to contract extensions before the 2024 season, and Parsons figures to be the next member of the team's core to land a deal.

After all, he is entering the final season of his current contract and has surpassed expectations that were already high when he entered the league as the No. 12 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft. His resume already includes a Defensive Rookie of the Year, four Pro Bowl selections and two First-Team All-Pro nods.

Parsons also finished each of his first four seasons with double-digit sacks, including when he posted 12 in 13 games last year.

From the Cowboys' perspective, getting this deal done sooner rather than later would make sense. The price tag is only going to go up as time progresses and more contracts are signed around the league, especially for an elite talent like Parsons who is still just 25 years old.

Of course, coming to terms on what figures to be a massive deal is easier said than done as both sides continue to exchange figures and negotiate. 

Myles Garrett agreed to a contract with the Cleveland Browns this offseason that pays him an average-annual value of $40 million with $123.5 million in guarantees. That could be something of a baseline blueprint for the Cowboys and Parsons as they do their own negotiating.

But it is clear the pass-rusher hopes those negotiations don't last into the season.

The Dallas Cowboys have been connected to Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, Tennessee edge-rusher James Pearce and Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen ahead of the NFL draft, per Jane Slater of NFL Network.

And don’t rule out being comfortable moving down bc of these guys

— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) April 22, 2025

The Cowboys, who are looking to bounce back from a 7-10 season, have 10 draft picks starting with No. 12 overall.

All three players are considered first-round prospects per the B/R NFL Scouting Department. Nolen is 14th overall, Golden is 21st and Pearce is 31st.

All three make sense as fits for the Cowboys. Their defense took a major step back last year, finishing second-last in points allowed. They could use help on the interior of the defensive line as well as more edge-rushing assistance to get after the quarterback and support Micah Parsons.

On the flip side, the Cowboys also need a No. 2 wide receiver to go along with superstar wideout Cee Dee Lamb. Dallas hasn't had a wideout not named Lamb amass 700 or more yards in a season since 2021.

Simply put, the Cowboys need help in multiple areas, and it wouldn't be a surprise if Dallas potentially moves down to get even more picks.

Slater reported that fans shouldn't rule out the team "being comfortable moving down because of these guys." Right now, they are all considered mid-to-late first-rounders, so that would certainly make sense.

The latest B/R NFL Scouting Department mock draft has the Cowboys selecting Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan with the 12th overall choice. But maybe Dallas could find any of those players a little later. Nolen went 22nd to the Los Angeles Chargers, Golden went 25th to the Houston Texans and Pearce was slated 32nd overall to the Philadelphia Eagles.

For now, Dallas is sitting at 12th, where a host of talents should be available. The draft kicks off Thursday from Green Bay at 8 p.m. ET.

The Dallas Cowboys added Syracuse LB Justin Barron as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 NFL draft.

Justin Barron is a converted safety who could potentially become a decent coverage linebacker in the NFL. However, his run defense and tackling need work, which likely pushes him into undrafted-free-agent territory.

Barron figures to spend his first year or two in the NFL on a practice squad, but he has the potential to eventually become a decent backup linebacker and special teams contributor.

MEASUREMENT AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 226

HAND: 9⅛"

ARM: 31⅛"

WINGSPAN: 76¾"

40-YARD DASH: 4.68

3-CONE: 6.98

SHUTTLE: 4.38

VERTICAL: 34"

BROAD: 10'0"

POSITIVES

— Former defensive back and a good athlete to help cover wide receivers on short routes or running backs and tight ends.

— Can back pedal or turn and run to ROBOT against play action and take away the middle of the field.

— Has the acceleration to click and close when playing zone coverage.

— Takes on blocks with his hands.

— Decent speed in pursuit.

NEGATIVES

— Shaky instincts as a run defender. Plays passively and doesn't seem to understand when he can attack downhill.

— Not physical when taking on blocks and lacks the mass and strength to anchor against offensive linemen and blocking tight ends.

— Doesn't have much force when tackling and has a habit of lunging, leading to a lot of misses over the last two seasons.

— Overpursues and struggles to break down when trying to make open-field tackles.

— Will get caught staring into the backfield too long when playing zone coverage.

NOTES

— Born Oct. 25, 2001

— 3-star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Injuries: 2023 (Broken hand, played through it and didn’t miss a game)

— 2023 Honorable Mention All-ACC

— 2024 Honorable Mention All-ACC

GRADE: 5.4 (Backup/UDFA with Roster Potential — UDFA)

OVERALL RANK: 307

POSITION RANK: LB23

PRO COMPARISON: Jalen Reeves-Maybin

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters that his wife, Gene, cried after finding out that the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.

#Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called Luka Doncic 'a personal friend' and said his wife, Gene, cried when she learned of the trade pic.twitter.com/CoHSof1ojV

— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) April 22, 2025

Gene Jones probably wasn't the only person who cried after the Mavs traded Dončić, a five-time first-team All-NBA selection who has averaged 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists over his seven-year career. Dončić is a franchise legend who played in Dallas for six-plus years and just led the Mavericks to a Western Conference title.

Naturally, NBA fans around the world were shocked when Dallas dealt Dončić on Feb. 1 in a massive deal that brought Anthony Davis to Dallas.

The 32-year-old Davis, a 10-time All-Star, is a tremendous player in his own right. But Dončić is a generational talent with plenty of great basketball left at 26 years old.

He just dropped 37 points in Game 1 of the Lakers' first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, albeit in a 117-95 loss.

But the Lakers are in the playoffs, and the Mavericks are not after being kicked out in the play-in tournament.

After the season, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who has been the face of this infamous trade and has received a tremendous amount of criticism, spoke with reporters in a postseason news conference.

"I did know that Luka was important to the fan base," Harrison said, per the Associated Press. "I didn't quite know it to what level."

The fact that Jones is even talking about the impact the trade had on his wife, let alone nearly three months after the fact, speaks volumes as well.

While Dallas is left reeling, the Lakers are looking for a championship. L.A. is facing an uphill battle after the Game 1 loss, but the Luka- and LeBron James-led squad is still alive, which is more than Dallas can say at this point.

Any speculation that the Dallas Cowboys were interested in acquiring Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton was quickly put to rest on Tuesday.

Jane Slater of NFL Network reported that there's no truth to the rumors linking Sutton to the Cowboys, with one source telling her it's "fake news."

Sutton is entering the final year of his contract with the Broncos and will count for a $20.2 million cap hit this season. He has been the subject of trade rumors for quite some time, as ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported last September that "several teams have tried" to trade for the 29-year-old.

Denver owns the No. 20 pick in this year's draft, but Broncos general manager George Paton made it clear earlier this month that the team is willing to move up or down the draft board.

"We've made calls — this week you make a lot of calls and then next week [are] the more serious calls," Paton told the team website last week. "'Hey, if this player is here, we want to move up,' or what have you. I've talked to most [general managers] in the NFL to set the table or set the plan of, 'Hey, if your player is here and you move up, what's the range?' You start talking parameters. It gets more serious next week and then really draft day."

The Cowboys own the No. 12 pick and are in need of a No. 2 wide receiver to pair with star wideout CeeDee Lamb. However, drafting a prospect like Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan, as B/R's NFL Scouting Department predicted in its mock draft, could be the wiser choice for Dallas than trading for a veteran in a contract year.

It sounds like Sutton is off the table for the Cowboys for now, but anything can change with Thursday's draft drawing nearer.

If there was any doubt that the 2025 NFL draft is right around the corner, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones talking about potential deals is the surest sign we are getting close.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Jones said the Cowboys have been working on "two pretty substantial trades" that could happen "before or after" the draft.

One deal that is apparently not being worked on, despite some online chatter, is the Cowboys acquiring Courtland Sutton from the Denver Broncos. NFL Network's Jane Slater quoted one source informed on the situation as saying the rumor is "fake news."

This is the second time in less than a month that Slater has had to debunk an unsubstantiated trade rumor. She previously did it on March 26 about Dak Prescott being dealt to the Cleveland Browns.

As for what the Cowboys might actually be trying to do, that remains a bit of a mystery.

Executive vice president Stephen Jones said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan on April 15 (h/t Patrik Walker of DallasCowboys.com) that he "doesn't necessarily" see them trying to trade up in the first round based on how the board is shaping up.

That could be usual front-office posturing, especially since the Cowboys were at one point frequently connected to Ashton Jeanty. It seems virtually impossible now to believe the Boise State running back will still be on the board when they make their first pick at No. 12 overall.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler has called the Jacksonville Jaguars at five a potential "sleeper" for Jeanty. The Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6), New York Jets (No. 7) and Chicago Bears (No. 10) are also popular landing spots for the 2024 Heisman runner-up.

B/R's NFL scouting department is projecting Jeanty to the Bears, with the Cowboys landing Tetairoa McMillan in its most recent mock draft.

Jerry Jones' comments don't suggest the trades are only being limited to the draft. There's no obvious trade candidate on the roster who rises to the level of a "substantial" trade, unless something unexpected were to happen with someone like Micah Parsons as he waits for a new contract.

The Cowboys have a knack for dragging out negotiations with their star players, so Parsons still being unsigned going into the final year of his rookie contract isn't a cause for concern.

Jones said earlier this month he had a meeting with Parsons that lasted "five or six hours" and the two sides were in "agreement" on most of the issues, despite not having a formal deal in place.

Whatever Jones and the Cowboys might be up to, we might find out the answer starting on Thursday when the first round of the draft begins.

Veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore visited with the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday.

"We're always looking to make things better," executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters. "It doesn't always mean that if they're in the building that there's a deal in the works."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport cautioned the Cowboys "are not signing Stephon Gilmore today."

Gilmore started 15 games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. He finished with 56 tackles, one interception and nine pass breakups. According to Pro Football Reference, opposing quarterbacks averaged 11.5 yards per completion when targeting him and had a 94.1 passer rating.

There's a reason the 34-year-old remains unsigned to this point in the offseason. He's no longer the corner who was a back-to-back All-Pro and earned Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.

Depending on how the 2025 NFL draft shakes out, though, signing Gilmore is something that could be worth considering for Dallas.

Trevon Diggs had knee surgery in January, and his status for the regular season could be in flux. The Cowboys watched another of their entrenched starters, Jourdan Lewis, leave as a free agent. Their depth at cornerback is seriously lacking.

Here was the #Cowboys CB room before the Kaiir Elam trade:

Daron Bland
Trevon Diggs (major knee injury)
Caelen Carson (major shoulder injury)
Josh Butler (torn ACL)
Kemon Hall (ended season on IR)
Andrew Booth (bad)

— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 12, 2025

In addition to his wider experience in the NFL, Gilmore has some familiarity in Dallas after spending the 2023 season there.

With the team's decision to not sign him now, it looks like the Cowboys are waiting to see if an opportunity presents itself in the draft. Otherwise, Gilmore would be a solid acquisition for the secondary.

The Dallas Cowboys selected Boston College EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku with the No. 44 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Donovan Ezeiruaku was one of the best pass-rushers in the country this year with 16.5 sacks and several multi-sack performances during the regular season. He was also productive in 2022 (8.5 sacks) but had a down year as a junior, getting to the quarterback just twice.

Ezeiruaku wins by setting up his pass-rush moves, stemming inside or outside and using a euro-step to cover ground laterally and get to the other side. His primary moves are cross-chop and dip-rip and his bend borders the elite category to win around the edge. Also, he has a couple of good counters with an inside arm-over/swim move and ghost rush.

The biggest issues with the Boston College product as a rusher are he lacks burst off the line to win with speed, his quickness is more average than good for someone of his size, and he's undersized and doesn't have the strength to turn speed to power.

The lack of size and strength will also impact Ezeiruaku as a run defender at the next level. He's physical and can hold his own against tight ends, but NFL offensive tackles can push him around and prevent him from setting the edge.

Because of that, he'll be more of a third-down rusher at first and needs to spend more time in the weight room before becoming a complete defender.

MEASUREMENT AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 248

HAND: 9¼”

ARM: 34"

WINGSPAN: 83¾”

3-CONE: 6.94

SHUTTLE: 4.19

VERTICAL: 35.5"

BROAD: 9'11"

POSITIVES

— Great production as a pass-rusher.

— Sets up his pass rush moves well by stemming inside and using a euro-step to win outside or vice versa.

— Has several moves he can win with: cross-chop, dip-rip, arm-over, and ghost rush.

— Very good bend at the top of the rush to corner, it looks easy and natural for him.

— Physical at the point of attack and takes on blocks with his hands to be an effective run defender against tight ends.

NEGATIVES

— Undersized and lacks the strength to hold up against offensive linemen as a run defender in the NFL.

— Has a habit of working around blocks or leaving his gap early against the run.

— Lack of size and strength also shows up when trying to turn speed to power as a pass-rusher.

— Not very explosive off the line to win with speed around the edge.

NOTES

— 3-star recruit in the 2021 class, per 247Sports

— No major injuries

— 2024: ACC Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-ACC

— 2022: Second-Team All-ACC

GRADE: 7.4 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 64

POSITION RANK: EDGE10

PRO COMPARISON: Nick Herbig

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder