The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2023 NFL Draft in a great spot. They brought essentially all of their starters back on defense following a stellar free agency period plus the trade for former Defensive Player of the Year cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore plugged a significant hole defensively opposite Trevon Diggs in the Cowboys secondary. Dallas’ biggest offensive need was also addressed, a legit No. 2 wide receiver opposite CeeDee Lamb, with the trade acquisition of Brandin Cooks.
Given these developments, the Jones family, Jerry and Stephen, decided to go with a “needs-based” pick instead of a “best player available” selection as they went with Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith with their 26th overall pick. Players at potentially more impactful positions like edge rusher (Georgia’s Nolan Smith and Clemson’s Myles Murphy), cornerback (Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr.) and tight end (Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer) were also available to Dallas.
Yes, starting defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins is 31 years old and on a one-year contract, but after the Cowboys crushed free agency and have hit home runs on each of their last three first-round picks (Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons, and offensive lineman Tyler Smith), Dallas had higher expectations for this pick. Although given the magic Quinn has worked on this defense the last two seasons, Smith could easily become a solid contributor sooner rather than later for the Silver and Blue.
The second round was a same story for the Cowboys, another “needs-based” selection out of Michigan with their second-rounder, the 58th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, in tight end Luke Schoonmaker. With Dalton Schultz’s departure to the Houston Texans on a one-year, $6.3 million deal in free agency, the Cowboys were left with 2022 fourth-round pick Jake Ferguson (19 catches, 174 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns in career), 2022 undrafted free agent Peyton Hendershot (11 catches, 103 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns in career), and 25-year-old Sean McKeon (two catches and 11 receiving yards in career) at the tight end position.
Given that state of their tight end room, Schoonmaker comes off the board, making him the fifth player at his position selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. The selection makes him the Cowboys’ highest-drafted tight end since Gavin…
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