Daniel Jeremiah mock draft: Analyst projects Cowboys to land star WR who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds

The Dallas Cowboys are coming off of a massively disappointing season last year, partially due to Dak Prescott's injury. They can now use the offseason to make adjustments to their roster as they look to get back to the playoffs in the upcoming season.

Following a relatively quiet free agency period so far, they can now turn their focus to the 2025 NFL Draft. They have several areas of their roster that would benefit from upgrades, but one of their biggest holes in recent years has been their depth at wide receiver.

Their offense has received little production behind superstar wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Finding another reliable option to line up across from him should be one of their biggest prioities this offseason. NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah predicts they will waste no time addressing the situation in his most recent mock draft.

Jeremiah expects the Cowboys to pick Texas Longhorns wide receiver Matthew Golden with their 12th overall pick in the first round. Golden significantly improved his draft stock recently by running the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds at the NFL Combine. Jeremiah notes that Golden can "take the top off a defense" and give Lamb a legitimate receiving partner.

Brandin Cooks was previously signed to fill this role, but after a disappointing run in Dallas, the Cowboys have decided to move on from him. This further creates a need for them to improve their wide receivers, so it makes sense for them to target one in the first round. In this mock draft, he is the first player in his position off of the board, ahead of other prospects like Tetairoa McMillan and Luther Burden.

Cowboys 2025 NFL Draft outlook with 12th overall pick

Jerry Jones

The Dallas Cowboys are in a prime position to select an impact player in the 2025 NFL Draft as they currently own the 12th overall pick in the first round. Targeting a wide receiver seems to make a ton of sense and they could potentially have their choice of any of this year's prospects in the position.

If they decide to go a different route, many around the league have speculated that Boise State Broncos superstar running back Ashton Jeanty could be their desired pick. They moved on from Rico Dowdle during the offseason, replacing him with Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, but many assume they will also be targeting a rookie.

Jeanty is the consensus top running back prospect, and for what it's worth, Daniel Jeremiah's mock draft has him going to the Las Vegas Raiders at sixth-overall. If it plays out this way, the Cowboys would be unable to pick him unless they trade up in the draft.