Cowboys 2022 NFL Draft: BTB staff predicts Dallas’ nine draft picks

We are now hours, not days, away from the big event of the offseason, the 2022 NFL Draft. All of the speculation and buildup is coming to a head, as is the excitement surrounding who the Dallas Cowboys will select with the 24th overall pick in the first-round. While there are endless predictions as to who that player may be, our staff here at Blogging The Boys got together to take it a step further and attempt to predict all nine of the Cowboys picks.

Here is how the BTB staff selected:

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Aidan Davis

1.24 - OG Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

2.56 - OT Abram Lucas, Washington State

3.88 - LB Brian Asamoah, Oklahoma

4.129 - DT Neil Farrell Jr., LSU

5.155 - WR Tyquan Thornton, Baylor

5.167 - RB Brian Robinson, Alabama

5.176 - TE Daniel Bellinger, San Diego State

5.178 - LB Micah McFadden, Indiana

6.193 - K Cameron Dicker, Texas

Analysis: This is more of a mock of how I hope the Cowboys draft rather than how I expect them to. The increasing popularity of Zion Johnson makes it less likely that he reaches 24, but with Kenyon Green similarly talented, he shouldn’t be on the board past Dallas’ pick. In the second round, they dip right back into the offensive lineman pool to take their favorite offensive tackle, allowing him to develop until he can replace Terence Steele or fill in if Tyron Smith gets injured. Across the next two rounds, they address holes on the defense with players that might slip in the draft because of technique or combine concerns, but both Asamoah and Farrell were incredibly productive in college. From there, they look to fill what might become future needs such as HB and TE, while adding a WR with upside like Thornton. They finish out the draft by taking another shot on a late-round flyer at LB, and snagging a kicker they like with their final pick.

David Howman

1.24 - WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas

2.56 - LB Troy Anderson, Montana State

3.88 - EDGE Drake Jackson, USC

4.129 - TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State

5.155 - S Sterling Weatherford, Miami (OH)

5.167 - iOL Dawson Deaton, Texas Tech

5.176 - LB Micah Rose, Iowa State

5.178 - RB Sincere McCormick, UTSA

6.193 - OT Obinna Eze, TCU

Analysis: The best part about this draft is Treylon Burks, whose explosive play style will make everything else easier on the offense. Beyond that, there’s a lot of picks who figure to make good rotational players or valuable special teams contributions. Offensive line is still a question mark, but Dawson Deaton has all the tools to be the next Joe Philbin success story like Terence Steele.

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Danny Phantom

1.24 - OG Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

2.56 - LB Christian Harris, Alabama

3.88 - WR Khalil Shakir, Boise State

4.129 - DT Neil Farrell Jr., LSU

5.155 - TE Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin

5.167 - DE Isaiah Thomas, Oklahoma

5.176 - S J.T. Woods, Baylor

5.178 -IOL Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina

6.193 - RB Ty Chandler

Analysis: I’m crossing my fingers that one of the elite wide receivers falls as a player like Chris Olave or Jameson Williams would start this draft off with a bang. Even though guard is a more pressing need, taking a player at one of the “money 5” positions seems smarter. Alas, I don’t expect the cards to fall that way and the Cowboys end up with one of the guards. The love for Zion Johnson is shared by others and he gets stolen out from underneath the Cowboys, forcing them to settle for Kenyon Green. Landing Harris at 56 makes me feel better as the team gets an immediate starter, allowing Micah Parsons to do Micah Parsons things. Wide receiver Alec Pierce is my pet cat from this draft and I’d love him at 88, but I don’t expect him to make it. Shakir is the last exit before the WR group becomes a little murky. The Cowboys spend Day 3 collecting value. Players like Farrell Jr., Thomas, and Woods all have some nice rotational appeal on the defensive side of the ball. Ferguson and Chandler are darts who could help replace offensive players who may leave in 2023, and Ezeudu could be the team’s next utility knife reserve offensive lineman.

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Tony Catalina

1.24 - OG Zion Johnson, Boston College

2.56 - LB Leo Chenal, Wisconsin

3.88 - WR Khalil Shakir, Boise State

4.129 - OT Kellen Diesch, Arizona State

5.155 - TE Daniel Bellinger, San Diego State

5.167 - LB Micah McFadden, Indiana

5.176 - WR Joshua Johnson, Tulsa

5.178 - OG Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina

6.193 - QB Brock Purdy, Iowa State

Analysis: Widely speculated to be one of the Cowboys top choices in round one, Johnson would come right in and fill a need at LG and be a day one starter. Linebacker is a sneaky big need with Micah Parsons being moved around, Jabril Cox coming off an ACL tear, and Leighton Vander Esch on a one-year deal. Chenal would come in be a strong run-stopper and another LB that has the ability to play in the offenses backfield. Shakir is an electric pass catcher that plays with a high motor and is a tough competitor that will be a productive receiver in the NFL. Super athletic and long is a nice way to describe todays ideal tackle prospects and is a perfect way to describe Diesch. Tight end is an interesting position for the Cowboys. Dalton Schultz is on a franchise tag, Blake Jarwin is not here any longer, and not much production and experience beyond that. Insert Bellinger, a solid receiving option who will look to polish his entire game and have a chance to get involved early. The Cowboys will look to develop McFadden and have him contribute on special teams right away, The LB room will look much different and younger this year with hopes of a youth movement bringing some athleticism to pair with Parsons for years to come. Johnson possess deep threat ability and strong hands, two things the Cowboys could surely add to their offensive weaponry. Ezeudu has some things you would like to work with to develop as he has solid athletic ability and good length, making him an intriguing prospect. The Purdy pick is nothing more than having a young arm to develop and have in your system for cheap.

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Brian Martin

1.24 - WR Chris Olave, Ohio State

2.56 - LB Quay Walker, Georgia

3.88 - iOL Marquis Hayes, Oklahoma

4.129 - iDL John Ridgeway, Arkansas

5.155 - OT/OC Zach Tom, Wake Forrest

5.167 - TE Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin

5.176 - LB Brandon Smith, Penn State

5.178 - RB Hassan Haskins, Michigan

6.193 - K Cade York, LSU

Analysis: The selection of Chris Olave in the first round is all about upgrading Dallas’ receiving corps and maximizing the production of Dak Prescott. Quay Walker can compete for the starting job at WILL LB with Jabril Cox and provide depth/insurance in case Leighton Vander Esch reverts to his injury prone self. Marquis Hayes is a plug-and-play starter at LG, as is John Ridgeway as a 1-tech. Both players should help keep Dallas’ superstars (Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons) clean and up right to do their thing. In the fifth-round Dallas is getting a versatile offensive lineman to provide depth at OT and OC, a TE2 with starting upside, a versatile LB/DE, and a potential starting RB. To close it out, they are getting a field goal kicker who can hopefully replicate what Evan McPherson did for the Cincinnati Bengals as a rookie in 2021.

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RJ Ochoa

1.24 - OG Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

2.56 - WR John Metchie III, Alabama

3.88 - TE Jelani Woods, Virginia

4.129 - EDGE Isaiah Thomas, Oklahoma

5.155 - DL Otito Ogbonnia, UCLA

5.167 - LB D’Marco Jackson, Appalachian State

5.176 - RB ZaQuandre White, South Carolina

5.178 - OG/OT Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina

6.193 - LB Jack Sanborn, Wisconsin

Analysis: A wide receiver at 24 would be fine for me and if it were the case my preference is for Treylon Burks, but even though he was on the board in the simulation I ran I still went with Kenyon Green. The offensive line is the one position of need that we have yet to see the Cowboys address this offseason so it just makes the most sense in my opinion. I realize that Connor Williams was not popular at the very end, but I do believe that this team will miss him and needs a proper replacement. Metchie carries the obvious injury risk, but it is for that reason that he feels like a classic second-round pick for this team. Jelani Woods has all of the athletic traits to become an elite tight end in the NFL and I am fine spending a top 100 pick on him. Outside of that things are obviously a little bit more difficult later on, but addressing linebacker twice feels like enough depth to keep bodies around for the attrition that the season can generally be.

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Sean Martin

1.24 - WR Drake London, USC

2.56 - OL Darian Kinnard, Kentucky

3.88 - LB Channing Tindall, Georgia

4.129 - EDGE Amare Barno, Virginia Tech

5.155 - WR Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech

5.167 - CB Chase Lucas, Arizona State

5.176 - TE Cole Turner, Nevada

5.178 - DL Eric Johnson, Missouri State

6.193 - EDGE Luiji Vilain, Wake Forest

Analysis: This draft focuses on high upside players, as the Cowboys have made clear their need to hit on potential starters all throughout this draft. London and Kinnard are obvious fits, with wide receiver and guard being their most pressing needs. A double dip at receiver gives them another slot option in Ezukanma, while Chase Lucas and Channing Tindall are solid depth at cornerback and linebacker.

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Matt Holleran

1.24 - OG Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

2.56 - EDGE/DT Logan Hall, Houston

3.88 - WR Alec Pierce, Cincinnati

4.129 - LB Brian Asamoah, Oklahoma

5.155 - TE Daniel Bellinger, San Diego State

5.167 - IOL Joshua Ezedu, UNC

5.176 - RB Hassan Haskins, Michigan

5.178 - S Markquese Bell, Florida A&M

6.193 - LB Damone Clarke, LSU

Analysis: Outside of the first round, I think this is one of the more open-ended drafts in recent Cowboys history. It seems pretty clear that Dallas will either go OL or WR with pick 24, but after that, they can go in a variety of different directions. I was pleased with the first three picks in my draft, getting two potential day-one starters in Kenyon Green and Alec Pierce, and a defensive lineman with tons of upside in Logan Hall. After that, we were still able to add two potential solid contributors in Asamoah and Bellinger and then finished out the draft getting some depth at positions it is needed. Overall, I’d be happy if the Cowboys walked away with this haul.