2023 NFL Draft It has come and gone, and the Cowboys now have a clearer picture of what their roster will look like for the season. The roster will still see some changes between now and the start of pre-season, but for now we can take a moment to look through the entire roster and assess its strengths and remaining areas for improvement.
quarterback
No changes here, because not only did the Cowboys draft a quarterback — as many expected — but they didn’t even sign anyone in undrafted free agency. Dak Prescott is the star here, and nothing changes that. But now it looks like a lock we’ll once again see Cooper Rush battle with Will Grier for the top reserve spot. Rush looked great in that role last year, but the team traded for Grier two seasons ago and he seemed excited about him last year before an injury caused him to miss most of the preseason.
running back
This will definitely be a stand to watch. Tony Pollard is now Top Dog after Ezekiel Elliott was released, although he is still recovering from a leg injury sustained in the final game. Behind him stand Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis, two players who have played primarily special teams thus far, as well as forward Ronald Jones.
In the sixth round, Dallas added Deuce Vaughn, an explosive but diminutive rider who offers a similar skill set to Pollard. With Pollard only on the books for one year, and his franchise mark number already placing him in eighth place in consecutive pay, could Vaughn be prepared this season to replace Pollard in 2024 at a fraction of the cost?
Dallas also brought in Hunter Luebke in undrafted free agency. Listed linebacker at North Dakota State, Luepke has already recorded 274 carries and 24 touchdowns a college. He’s featured a running back as a short-range fullback – a role Elliott has filled in recent years – with the added ability to act as a key blocker as a full-back. Luepke will likely be a practice squad call-up player for a few games this year, with the potential to spend more time on the active roster.
Overall, Dallas has quite a few pieces to work with in this running back room, which will also have a new coach in Jeff Blasco, who has been transitioned from his role as assistant coach of the offensive line. How each of these pieces fit together, however, is a larger question.
wide future
The Cowboys did their real work at the position long before the draft when they traded Brandin Cooks, so it wasn’t surprising to see them not handle the situation until their final draft pick. Dallas also has Jalen Tolbert still waiting in the wings after being effectively redshirted last year.
Jalen Brooks, the receiver they drafted with the 244th overall pick, is somewhat of a player in the project. The other three men brought through unrecorded free agency—Jalen Moreno Cropper, David Durden, and Jose Barbon—are bodies at camp with an up-and-coming practice team.
We pretty much know what to expect from this group. CeeDee Lamb is the star, Chef is the smart road runner, and Michael Gallup could be a worker again if he finally gets healthy. The Cowboys may also be able to get some miles from guys like Simi Fehoko, KaVontae Turpin, and Tolbert, though each has shown the ability to help out on special teams at least.
tight end
Well, the Cowboys didn’t go to tight end in the first round, but they used their next pick at center field to take out Michigan’s Luke Schoonmaker. While the selection has generated some backlash, Schoonmaker’s selection tells us all exactly what Dallas plans to do with the tight end position.
In terms of style of play, Schoonmaker is very similar to Jake Ferguson and even Dalton Schultz. Schoonmaker is a much better athlete, but he is a similar type of player in that he can work well as a pass blocker and pass blocker. Taking Schoonmaker allows Dallas to continue to operate at intensity among the 12-man, with the ability to run or pass at will from that formation, without having to decide now on which top tight end will be on the depth chart.
Each of these players will need to prove themselves once the season begins, but Dallas has a strong pool of young talent in this tight end room.
offensive line
The offensive line remains a question after the draft, if only because it is still not clear who is lining up where. Tyler Biadache at center and Zach Martin at right guard look like locks, but then? Tyron Smith has only played at right tackle in 2022, Tyler Smith has everyone excited about him playing left tackle now, and Terence Steele — who tore his ACL and MCL in Week 14 — has found himself in discussions about moving to left guard.
It’s all a little amazing, but the Cowboys seem to understand who the top five are. Also in the mix are Chuma Edoga, Matt Waletzko, and Josh Ball, all of whom seem to offer versatility for indoor and outdoor play.
Dallas also drafted North Carolina tackle Asim Richards, another prospect cited by some with the versatility to play multiple positions. Richards probably won’t be pressing for a starting job, but he should provide some nice depth for an offensive line that could look many different ways by the time Week 1 starts.
internal defensive line
The Cowboys broke their 32-year streak of not drafting a defensive tackle in the first round when they took Mazie Smith with the 26th overall pick. Smith has been a dominant player in Michigan’s running back, an area that defense has struggled in 2022.
The Cowboys were average in stopping runs last season, and they held noses in the first round to improve their run defense.
Mazie Smith finished second in the Big Ten in total running defense points when aligned as a DT (0-4i DL-tech) ⛔#Cowboys in Dallas pic.twitter.com/8xiLMtwISg
– SIS Football (football_sis) May 9, 2023
Between drafting Smith and re-signing Jonathan Hankins, whom they traded over last season specifically to bolster their run defense, Dallas have to feel good about reinforcing their biggest weakness on Dan Quinn’s side of the ball.
However, the Cowboys are also looking for better pass production in the interior of their defensive line. Osa Odighizuwa and Neville Gallimore have both brought out potential at various points in their careers, but never really capitalized on it. There’s also Isaac Alarcón, who’s switching to defensive tackle after playing offensive line for the past three years, though he’ll likely be on the practice squad again due to international player path program rules.
Edge Rasher
Continuity has been key to the Dallas defense, and for good reason. He’s swelling up to play on the line of scrimmage more, Micah Parsons said, and DeMarcus Lawrence remains an essential part of this unit that also has a deep stable of rushing games.
The Cowboys added Williams Fiocco in the fourth, a high-speed rusher from San Jose State, giving them more depth on the rim. It’s unlikely that Fehoko will see much action this year, which goes to show how good this group is.
full back
There will be some uncertainty here, but not a great deal. Leighton Vander Esch is back on the team after a very strong season, and Damon Clarke figures will be in the mix after a promising NFL debut last year. Not much is known about Gabriel Cox, who struggled to see the field in his first two seasons.
Taking DeMarvion Overshown as high as the third round suggests he might get into the defensive lineup as well, though Overhown likely won’t be a full-time starter right away. His selection, however, indicates that the Cowboys view the quarterback as a flexible position at the moment, making the offseason program necessary to sort out who will play where in 2023.
noon corner
Like the receiver, this position was addressed in the most critical way prior to the draft. The addition of 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Stefon Gilmour promptly upgraded the secondary. Trevon Diggs is entering the final year of his rookie contract, while DaRon Bland will have healthy competition with veteran Jourdan Lewis for the starting slot role.
The depth in the corner is where most of the intrigue lies. Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright may be fighting for their jobs, especially after Dallas traded this Eric Scott Jr. draft pick without even mentioning the possibility that Israel Mukwamo would see more corner work after filling in as a fullback in the playoffs last year. We know the top four spots in the corner this year, but after that the competition will be tough.
safety
Dallas did the smart thing and kept everything safe. Their trio of Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker, and Donovan Wilson is special, and they have good depth in Mukuamu and Markquese Bell. It wouldn’t be controversial to say that this is the team’s best set in the entire team.
special teams
Nothing has changed here, because Dallas has not added any special team in the draft or undrafted free agency. They can always add someone later, especially on the kicker to challenge Tristan Vizcaino. After all, many well-known names, like Mason Crosby and Robbie Gould, are still free agents.
Outside of the Specials, though, the Cowboys seem to be well positioned on special teams again. Recent history tells us that many rookies will contribute to special teams, with Overshown, Fehoko, and Scott seeing plenty of playing time there. Vaughn could also enter the mix as a comeback man, though it’d be hard to get the cast away from Turpin at this point. The Cowboys have been braves on special teams for the past three years and look forward to preparing to continue that.