How ’bout them Cowboys? The NFC East champions saw their season end in an unceremonious fashion, as they lost a close battle to the San Francisco 49ers that was mired in controversy. 12-5 teams don’t often draw this much uncertainty, but there are questions for the Cowboys to answer in the 2022 NFL Draft. They can’t fix the refs, but they can kick off 2022 on a strong note with this 7-Round Dallas Cowboys NFL Mock Draft.
Dallas Cowboys 7-Round NFL Mock Draft
After losing in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Cowboys sit at 24th overall in the latest NFL Draft order. At the moment, the Cowboys have seven picks in the 2022 NFL Draft — one each in Rounds 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, as well as two picks in Round 4.
Those selections were utilized in this 7-Round Dallas Cowboys 2022 NFL Mock Draft, conducted using the free PFN Mock Draft Simulator with trades. While the draft order is still being settled, we’ll avoid trades and simply familiarize ourselves with the current lineup. Let’s not waste any more time. The Cowboys are on the clock.
Round 1, Pick 24: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan
Jayron Kearse was a pleasant surprise for the Cowboys this year, but his contract is up. Donovan Wilson, meanwhile, took a step back due to injury, and his long-term future is uncertain. The Cowboys need another blue-chip player to keep building their secondary around, and Daxton Hill qualifies in Round 1.
Hill was often used out of the slot for Michigan in 2021, but the star defensive back has the ability to do just about anything you ask of him. If there’s a word beyond elite, that would be the word to describe his explosiveness. Hill closes ground in the blink of an eye, but he’s also physical, fluid in his hips, and proactive as a playmaker. Move him from single-high to two-high to the box to the slot — it doesn’t matter. Play him everywhere and prosper.
Other alternatives at No. 24: Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State; Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa
Round 2, Pick 56: Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama
Even with Dan Quinn potentially heading out the door this offseason, it’s likely that some of his concepts and tendencies stick around in Dallas. If the Cowboys continue playing more odd fronts, they’ll need a defensive tackle who can line up at 0 and 1-technique. But they could also use some more sauce farther outside at 3-technique. Why not look for both in one player?
Phidarian Mathis isn’t quite your elite space-eater, and he may need to strengthen his anchor a bit more before he can be relied on to two-gap consistently. But Mathis can line up at nose and 1-technique if needed. He has the versatility to move around on the interior because his best traits translate wherever he lines up. He’s explosive, laterally quick, powerful, and violent with his hands, and he has a nonstop motor as well.
Other alternatives at No. 56: Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State; Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
Round 3, Pick 88: Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota
Under no circumstances should the Cowboys stop using Micah Parsons on the edge. The man is a pressure factory. But at the same time, the pure EDGE position shouldn’t be neglected by Dallas. Randy Gregory is a free agent. DeMarcus Lawrence, soon to be 30 years old, was sidelined for half of 2021 with an injury. By bringing new talent in at EDGE, the Cowboys can stay creative with Parsons and give him more help in the trenches.
The 2022 EDGE class is the perfect one to dip into because, in Round 3, you might still be able to find a guy like Minnesota’s Boye Mafe. Mafe is a freak athlete, with a recorded 4.57 40-yard dash and a 40.5-inch vertical at 6’4″, 265 pounds. His explosiveness pops on tape, but he’s also bendy for his size, and he has some rip combos in his arsenal. He can be more consistent overall, but the ceiling is somewhere in the ionosphere.
Other alternatives at No. 88: Logan Hall, DT, Houston; Dare Rosenthal, OT, Kentucky
Round 4, Pick 126: Erik Ezukanma, WR, Texas Tech
The buzz for Erik Ezukanma right now feels like fringe Day 3, but the Texas Tech standout is a top-50 prospect on my board. Ezukanma has it all — a 6’3″, 220-pound frame, elite contested-catch ability with his length and body control, hip sink, explosiveness, and contact balance as a ball carrier. He’s a stellar value deal in this 7-Round Dallas Cowboys 2022 NFL Mock Draft, and he’s in line to take Michael Gallup’s workload.
Other alternatives at No. 126: Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB, Alabama; Cameron Jurgens, C, Nebraska
Round 4, Pick 142: Jamaree Salyer, OT, Georgia
Part of me wanted to address offensive tackle earlier, but the defense took precedence. And then, of course, Ezukanma in Round 4 was a no-brainer. But the Cowboys can still find viable offensive linemen on Day 3. Jamaree Salyer might be a guard at the next level, but I don’t think you need to pigeonhole him. A powerful lineman, Salyer improved his pad level and hand placement in 2021 and has experience at both tackle and guard. He’s a valuable depth player who could be an eventual starter.
Other alternatives at No. 142: Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin; Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois
Round 5, Pick 166: Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State
Leighton Vander Esch is all but gone in 2022. Thus, it’s reasonable for the Cowboys to seek out new talent at linebacker in this 7-Round 2022 NFL Mock Draft. Vander Esch was from Idaho — not exactly the football capital of the world. But in Montana State linebacker Troy Andersen, the Cowboys get another defender who’s “butte tough.” Andersen has similar athletic upside at 6’4″, 235 pounds. He’s raw, but he’s explosive, fluid, and flashes quick processing in the box.
Other alternatives at No. 166: Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska; Matt Henningsen, DT, Wisconsin
Round 6, Pick 203: Jermaine Waller, CB, Virginia Tech
For my money, Jermaine Waller is one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft. He’s battled injuries in the past, which will concern evaluators — especially when they see his 6’1″, 180-pound frame. But even with his lighter build, Waller is competitive at the catch point. In his last two healthy seasons — 2019 and 2021 — he had 7 interceptions and 15 deflections total. Waller is a smooth and fluid cover man, and he has the length and ball skills to capitalize.
Other alternatives at No. 203: Zach VanValkenburg, EDGE, Iowa; Derrick Deese Jr., TE, San Jose State