The Dallas Cowboys planted their defensive line stake next to Osa Odighizuwa, and they’ll try to move on without the Zack Martin rock on the other side of the ball. Also in focus is the draft, and here is the Cowboys’ five-round post-combine 2025 NFL mock, according to the sometimes wonky Pro Football Focus simulator.
Dallas is coming off a 7-10 playoff-missing season. The fan base is restless after the hire of Brian Schottenheimer as head coach. So a good draft needs to happen for things to settle down.
Here’s what PFF spun out after the Titans put the wheels in motion.
Cowboys get Edge Shemar Stewart in Round 1
Perhaps the Cowboys landed delirious after the 49ers stole Tetairoa McMillan from under their noses with pick No. 11. That sent Jerry Jones scrambling to his draft board to see what remained.
Maybe that explains the curious pick of Texas A&M’s Stewart. Of course, Stewart isn’t a bad player. He’s 6-foot-5 and weighs 267 pounds. In other words, he’s a beast, according to profootballnetwork.com.
“Shemar Stewart is a defensive lineman renowned for his exceptional blend of size, strength, and athleticism,” PFN wrote. “Throughout his tenure at Texas A&M, he consistently demonstrated disruptive capabilities, amassing 31 tackles, including six for loss, and 1.5 sacks in his final collegiate season.
“Stewart excels in both run defense and pass rushing, utilizing his explosive first step and powerful hands to penetrate offensive lines and collapse pockets. However, his pass-rush technique remains unrefined, often relying on raw athleticism rather than a developed repertoire of moves. Stewart’s physical attributes and on-field production position him as a promising defensive line prospect.”
So it’s not a bad pick, but it doesn’t fit the first-round mold of what the Cowboys need. They needed a running back, wide receiver, or offensive tackle more than an edge rusher to pair with Micah Parsons.
I mean, this pick wouldn’t fly with Schottenheimer’s approval, according to nbcsports.com. He seems to want a running back.
“At at the end of the day, you have to be able to run the football,” Schottenheimer said. “We’ve made a commitment that we want to be great on both sides of the line of scrimmage. That’s a huge part of it. The way I say it, ‘When teams know you’re going to run the ball, you have to be able to run the ball and conversely stop the run.’ Again, depending on how the roster is filled and how it’s constructed, we want to be able to feature our guys and what they do well, and we want to be multiple.
“You want a guy that’s got vision. You want a guy that has contact balance. You’ve got to have a guy who is willing to run through arm tackles.”
The Cowboys left wide receivers Emeka Egbuka, Matthew Golden, and Luther Burden III on the table.
Safety Xavier Watts lands in Round 2 at No. 44
Again, the Cowboys fail to meet a need. They grab the potential and perhaps hope the other pieces will fall into place.
Watts is an intriguing player with versatility the Cowboys would love. But the back end isn’t a big need and he won’t help plug other holes.
Maybe Watts would help bring a little more threat to the Cowboys’ run defense.
“Watts is a versatile defender who displays the ability to play single high, as a split safety, and down in the slot,” PFN wrote. “A ball magnet, he’s a highly productive player who has the ability to impact the game and create turnovers. Watts is an excellent coverage player who excels because of his rare instincts and ball skills.
“He is tough and physical in the run game, displaying a quick trigger to come downhill and make tackles near the line of scrimmage. He’s able to diagnose runs quickly and shows no hesitation when working to the football. If anything, Watts comes in with too much aggression and urgency, as he will often fail to break down when coming to balance to make the tackle.”
Still, this pick is a huge whiff with Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins on the board. Judkins immediately landed with the Colts at pick No. 45.
RB R.J. Harvey moves to Dallas in Round 3
So the Cowboys finally get their running back. But it comes late in the party. His below-average size (5-8, 205) brings quick questions about his ability to sustain in the NFL.
“(Harvey) makes up for (lack of size) with a compact frame and possesses excellent lateral agility and a thick lower half, making him a very good tackle-breaker,” PFN wrote. “An explosive rushing creator who can consistently find the second level and make defenses pay for mistakes.
“Harvey is also a consistently reliable pass catcher who runs good routes and can serve as a third-down back, but he is a well below-average pass blocker whose technique is poor. He had very high levels of production in his college career, posting back-to-back seasons with at least 1400 rushing yards and at least 200 receiving yards. Harvey scored a whopping 38 rushing touchdowns over the past two years.”
Utah State receiver Jalen Royals could have been an interesting pick here.
Cowboys get WR Pat Bryant in Round 5
Well, he’s no Golden, Burden, or Egbuka. But at least the Cowboys finally netted one of their biggest needs.
Bryant is a physical receiver with good athleticism. And his combination of size (6-2, 204), ball skills, and intelligence make him a good pick at this stage of the game.
Overall, this draft didn’t give the Cowboys what they needed in terms of premier talent. It the kind of draft where the Cowboys will have to hope some of their later picks exceed draft expectations. Grade: C-minus.
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