The Dallas Cowboys will likely use the 12th overall selection in the upcoming NFL Draft on an offensive player, but could also look to fill meaningful roster holes on the defensive side of the ball.
Despite Dallas needing help at both the wide receiver and running back positions on offense, the team could take the best player available in the first round, which could mean a defensive selection based on who is selected before their pick.
If the Cowboys choose to select defense in the first round, they will likely focus on two specific positions that have significant holes, with cornerback and defensive tackle standing out as the biggest needs.
Cornerback
Cornerback has not been a widely discussed need for Dallas leading into the draft, but it is arguably the biggest concern due to a combination of personnel and injury concerns.
Dallas will likely rely on DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs for the entire 2025 season, but the lack of depth at the position could cause major issues if injuries occur.
Outside of Bland and Diggs, the Cowboys have only Kemon Hall, Kaiir Elam, and Andrew Booth Jr as realistic options at the position.
While each of these players could make an impact during short stints on the field or during special teams snaps, none of these options should be considered a starter on a proficient defense.
These concerns increase when Diggs’ injury history is taken into account. The former Pro-Bowler has played in just 13 games over the past two seasons and could miss the beginning of the 2025 season due to injuries.
Dallas must find a reliable cornerback at some point in this draft.
If the Cowboys address this need with the 12th pick, potential options include Texas’s Jahdae Barron or Michigan’s Will Johnson.
Barron has the flexibility to play outside cornerback and in the nickel to remain on the field with both Diggs and Bland, while Johnson is one of the best outside cornerbacks available in the draft and could become an immediate starter for the team.
Defensive Tackle
The Cowboys’ second most important defensive need is at defensive tackle, as the team struggled to stop opposing teams’ rushing attacks for the entirety of last season.
Dallas allowed 2,331 rushing yards last season, the third-most of any team in the league. This indicates that the defensive tackle position must improve for this defense.
Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith improved significantly throughout the 2024 season and should continue to make strides as a tackler, but Dallas must consider adding another impactful player at the position to improve the run defense.
Defensive tackle is not likely to be a position that the Cowboys address with the 12th overall selection unless Michigan’s Mason Graham falls, but multiple intriguing options could be selected in the second and third rounds.
Prospects such as Tennessee’s Omarr Norman-Lott and Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams could be potential selections for Dallas in the second round of the draft. Both players have the potential to help Dallas at the position early in their careers.