Cowboys address their biggest roster need in The Athletic’s latest 2022 mock draft

With the 2022 NFL Draft just a month away, The Athletic decided to celebrate and get all of their beat writers together for a virtual mock draft. To provide context for each selection, they also invited in NFL Draft guru Dane Brugler. And, acting on behalf of the Dallas Cowboys, playing the part of Jerry Jones, was none other than Jon Machota.

What did he decide to do with the Dallas Cowboys No. 24 pick?

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24. Dallas Cowboys: Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M

Jon Machota: The offensive line needed upgrades before Connor Williams signed with the Dolphins and La’el Collins was released. Fortunately for the Cowboys, they appear to be in a good spot here to get either Green, Zion Johnson, Bernhard Raimann or Tyler Linderbaum. Drafting someone with the versatility to play multiple positions, like Green, was too intriguing to pass up.

Wide receiver and edge rusher will certainly be in play also, but the players at both positions worthy of the 24th pick were all off the board when the Cowboys went on the clock. If Jermaine Johnson had fallen to around 18, I was going to offer picks No. 24 and 88 to move up for him. It seems unlikely that any of the top edge rushers will fall this far, especially after Michigan’s David Ojabo suffered a torn Achilles during his pro day. Don’t rule him out for the Cowboys in the second round. They’ve proven to be very interested in using their second-round picks on first-round talents who have fallen because of injury or off-the-field concerns.

Brugler: The Cowboys are determined to get better on offense, making wide receiver or offensive line the clear favorites here. Green needs to iron out some inconsistent habits, but he is very skilled at staying balanced before and after contact and offers the versatility to play multiple positions on the line. The Cowboys met with Green at the combine and will soon schedule a 30 visit with him at their facility.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. That certainly seems to be the case in regards to the Cowboys interest in Texas A&M’s versatile offensive lineman Kenyon Green. Not only did the Cowboys meet with Green at the combine and are making him one of their allotted 30 pre-draft visitors like Dane Brugler already mentioned, but they also met and worked him out at his Pro Day.

Kenyon Green certainly seems to be one of the favorites for the Dallas Cowboys right now at No. 24. His addition would without a doubt fill arguably the Cowboys biggest roster “need” as a potential plug-and-play starter, and a Connor Williams replacement, at left guard. And, his added versatility to play just about any other position on the offensive line is just an added bonus.