Dallas Cowboys 7 Round Mock Draft | Cowboys prioritize protecting Dak Prescott

Derek Ringer's Dallas Cowboys 7 Round Mock Draft: Expect O-Line help to come from the 1st round

The Dallas Cowboys ended their season with a devastating playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. With the offseason departures of Amari Cooper and Connor Williams, the Cowboys have some glaring needs at both the offensive line and wide receiver position.

Jerry Jones has shown over the last two drafts that the Cowboys select their first-round picks based on the best available players rather than the team's needs. Their last two first-round picks, Ceedee Lamb and Micah Parsons, fell into their lap and the Jones family couldn't help but pull the trigger on the two talented youngsters.

If they are to finish as NFC East division champions, the Dallas Cowboys have some things they must address. First, they need to draft depth on the offensive line so Dak Prescott has more consistent protection that doesn't strictly rely on the health of Tyron Smith. Secondly, they need improvement at the linebacker and defensive line spots. Finally, the Cowboys should think about taking a receiver on day two to give Prescott another weapon on the outside.

While there are some important needs to be evaluated, the Cowboys sit at the bottom of the draft board. Unless the Cowboys attempt to trade up, there may not be any lineman that they desire available at the 24th pick

Below, you will see a full 7 round mock draft for the Dallas Cowboys.

Round 1, Pick 24: Zion Johnson OG, Boston College

Considered by many to be the top interior lineman on the board, Johnson would be able to step in and play on day one. If Johnson falls to 24, the Cowboys will turn their draft card in without hesitation. This selection fills one of the most important team needs at left guard, as well as giving franchise quarterback Dak Prescott some extra protection up front.

If Johnson ends up being taken, look out for Texas A&M guard Kenyon Green for a potential pick for the Cowboys at number 24. If there are a lot of linemen picked before Dallas, a few darkhorse selections for this first round pick would be Nakobe Dean or Treylon Burks.

Round 2, Pick 56: Troy Anderson, LB Montana State

Who? Well... Anderson is from a small school. However, the former quarterback turned linebacker is an athletic sensation on the field. While he's rather new to the position, Anderson has shot up recent draft boards because of his incredible athleticism and 4.4 40-yard dash speed.

Dallas would fill an extreme need at the linebacker position with a very projectable talent like Troy Anderson. Pairing an athlete like Anderson alongside another tremendous athlete in Micah Parsons is a prospect that could arouse the interest of both Stephen and Jerry Jones. Depending on how the first-round pick goes, this could be a spot where the Dallas Cowboys address the offensive line.

Round 3, Pick 88: Justyn Ross, WR Clemson

Number 88 is important to the Cowboys franchise and they find themselves selecting 88th overall in this year's draft. This is a prestigious number for a Dallas wide receiver to wear. Cowboys Ring of Honor and Hall of Famer members Drew Pearson and Michael Irvin were the first to rep that number. This was followed up more recently by Dez Bryant and Ceedee Lamb. Based on this information, they have to go receiver here right?

It would make a lot of sense for them to address the loss of Amari Cooper and take a receiver here. At Clemson, Ross had a great connection with Trevor Lawrence. The promising freshman and sophomore campaigns were derailed by two years of battling injuries.

If Ross hadn't dealt with nagging injuries and maintained similar production, he could have easily been considered a first-round talent. With a great NFL frame, Ross stands at 6'4 and weighs 205 pounds. Adding another weapon to this already dangerous offense could be very intriguing in the third round. This could be a potential steal for the Dallas Cowboys.

Round 4, Pick 129: Kellen Diesch OT, Arizona State

Drafting a potential successor to Tyron Smith at left tackle is a smart move here. Smith is entering his 31 season and hasn't played a full schedule of football since 2015. Whenever Tyron Smith is injured, the Dallas Cowboys have seen a significant decrease in offensive production due to the lack of a solid backup.

Right tackle La'el Collins also departed from Dallas, so the need for tackle depth is obvious. Strengthening the offensive line makes the most sense in the middle rounds of the draft because of the Cowboys' offensive priority to establish the run.

Diesch transferred to Arizona State from Texas A&M and played extremely well in his limited time at ASU. The few criticisms leveled against Diesch are his limited film sample size and his physical stature. The Dallas Cowboys could find a potential starter at left tackle in the 4th round.

Round 5, Pick 155: Haskell Garrett, DL Ohio State

As the draft gets into the middle rounds, expect Dallas to have already addressed the offensive line. They will most likely stay in the trenches, but go to the other side of the ball. After Randy Gregory accepted an offer from the Denver Broncos, the Cowboys' already thin defensive line became thinner. Outside of DeMarcus Lawrence, Osa Odighizuwa, and Micah Parsons, the lack of depth is evident.

Haskell Garrett is coming off a career-best 5.5 sack season. While that number may not be overwhelming, it is a solid number for a defensive tackle prospect. Garrett's ability to be disruptive in the run game isn't in question; rather, the question has been his ability to rush the passer. His sack numbers have increased in each of the last 3 seasons, which shows that he's improving as he gets more reps. Garrett played in a big-time program against great competition, so this pick would seem like a safe way to add depth to the defensive line for Dallas.

Round 5, Pick 167: Isaiah Thomas, DE Oklahoma

Like the previous pick, the Dallas Cowboys will look to add depth to their defensive line. Thomas brings freakish athletic ability to the table. At the NFL Combine, Thomas weighed in at 265 pounds and ran a 4.70 40-yard dash.

This is insanely fast for somebody of that size. Isaiah Thomas' athleticism would give defensive coordinator Dan Quinn a projectable prospect that he could mold into a productive edge rusher.

Round 5, Pick 176: Tyler Badie, RB Missouri

Another depth addition comes in the 5th round, this time at running back. Running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard form one of the best duos in the entire NFL, but Dallas may need to let Pollard go after this season. Ezekiel Elliott is entering the age range where many elite running backs begin to see a decline in production and health. With Elliott's massive contract still valid through 2026, it's unlikely that we will see any team willingly take on that contract.

With the potential departure of Tony Pollard after the 2022-2023 season, Dallas could swipe up another change of pace back in Tyler Badie. Badie had an incredible senior season, where he rushed for 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns. Putting those numbers up against SEC defenses shows how productive he could be at the next level. At 5'8 and 197 pounds, Badie is similar to Pollard and with 4.4 speed, he could potentially have the same breakaway ability.

Round 5, Pick 178: Chris Paul, OT Tulsa

The Cowboys select another offensive lineman with their second-to-last pick in the draft. With most of the other needs already addressed, the only way to go would be the offensive line. As mentioned earlier, La'el Collins has departed and Tyron Smith has battled injuries the past five seasons. Adding more depth to the offensive line never hurts.

Paul has played both guard and tackle for Tulsa in his career, which provides flexibility that would be utilized by a team like Dallas. This seems like a good fit for both parties in this spot. Expect Dallas to draft at least three offensive linemen in this draft.

Round 6, Pick 193: Sterling Weatherford, S Miami (OH)

With the last pick in their 2022 draft, the Cowboys go with a developmental safety in Sterling Weatherford. Coming off his redshirt senior season, Weatherford has played a lot of football in his college career. At 6'4, he is an extremely physical safety that will hit a receiver hard coming over the middle. Since Weatherford seems to have the ability to be a special teams contributor from day one, Dallas could very well put a star on his helmet.

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