Cowboys draft 2023: Dallas has set themselves up comfortably for pick 26

We are just under 10 days away until the first round of the 2023 NFL draft and at this point every scenario, every selection, and every possible thing in between has been discussed and analyzed. Coming off the heels of a free agency period that has widely been applauded, it’s important for the Cowboys to get the next step right in this upcoming draft. Heading into the draft, the Cowboys currently have seven selections with the hopes of coming out of the weekend a better team than they entered it. Finding talent that can not only help in the future, but right now as well, is always the goal.

Naturally the pressure is on the scouting department and the front office to get these picks right or face drop in talent on the roster that will be felt for years to come. However, at pick 26, due to their ground work, picking a player because of need won’t be the issue if the first-round pick doesn’t work out long term.

Depending on who you ask, the Cowboys could go in a variety of different directions in round one. Many are trying to connect dots on who will actually raise the Cowboys jersey on Thursday night.

Ease your mind Cowboys fans, because as we sit here now, and the way the team has built the roster to date, has let the urgency and need in the first round dissipate, leading to a very friendly draft board for the Dallas Cowboys to examine. As we all know, the board is unpredictable but that’s okay. For Dallas specifically, there is no absolute glaring need on this team right now, and they can truly wait and see how it unfolds and make the best decision for the club.

Coming into the offseason the consensus was clear that the Cowboys needed to upgrade the wide receiver and cornerback positions and they accomplished both via trade. They brought back Jonathan Hankins and Leighton Vander Esch to secure the middle of the defense as well as Donovan Wilson to help secure the back end. That rounds out a strong nucleus on the defensive side of the ball.

Offensive line is probably still their biggest question mark on the roster but to get them to a functional place they brought in Chuma Edoga with guard and tackle flex pre-draft, before allowing the board to unfold how it may to see when and if they can upgrade the spot. Regardless, they have addressed it to have it at a non-dire situation heading into the draft. They still have the options of possibly putting Tyler Smith there, and there is also talk of moving Terence Steele over.

All these moves, plus others not mentioned, have led the Cowboys to head into round one with an open plan of attack. For argument sake, if they were to draft a running back, which has been a topic of debate for the fanbase, the Cowboys are doing so with the hopes of adding a player at a position that would be in most cases the clear best player available at the time. While many believe it’s not an ideal selection for the long run, it’s a move that would produce immediate results in most cases for the offense, and if that’s what the Cowboys think they need to do take it over the top, regardless of how you feel about it, they’ll make the move confidently.

Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images

Conversely if the Cowboys took a wide receiver or cornerback in round one, even though the position has been addressed already, it would be viewed as a move that can help now but with an eye for the future and would be welcomed. You can never have too many athletes on your roster and to get a first-round talent at those positions will only help the team.

On the other hand, tight end seems to be a popular selection at this time among the fanbase, and while some view it as a luxury pick, it’s hard to argue with adding a first-round security blanket for Dak Prescott. A move like this would round out the position nicely and would be adding another talent in that room with Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot.

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The most comfortable and widely approved strategy across the fanbase seems to lean towards selections on the interior lines. If an offensive guard is drafted in round one you’re going to get a plug-and-play player to help protect your franchise quarterback. On the other side of the ball, a defensive tackle can be the run-stopper they desperately need but never seem to draft.

Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Outside of quarterback in the first round, most could at least understand the reasoning behind any of these selections. The draft can go many different ways and while there may be a general idea of who we think may be available, the reality is there is a real chance that someone we are counting out could very well be there and change the whole draft plan.

The idea that the Cowboys have a plethora of options as they go on the clock is very real, including a trade back to get more picks. Anything goes for this team, and as you truly examine the position they put themselves in with roster construction, it may very well be tough for the team to truly mess up the first pick up.