The Dallas Cowboys are the owners of eight picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. While they have just three of those picks in the first two days, they’re stacked with mid-round selections to continue to add depth and potential value players this offseason. After trading away Amari Cooper, the Cowboys’ draft needs have changed, as have their draft picks.
Here’s a look at exactly where the Cowboys are picking in 2022.
Dallas Cowboys draft picks in 2022
- Round 1 | Pick 24
Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa - Round 2 | Pick 56
Sam Williams, EDGE, Ole Miss - Round 3 | Pick 88
Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama - Round 4 | Pick 128
Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin - Round 5 | Pick 155 (from CLE)
Matt Waletzko, OT, NDSU - Round 5 | Pick 167
DaRon Bland, CB, Fresno State - Round 5 | Pick 176 (compensatory selection)
Damone Clark, LB, LSU - Round 5 | Pick 178 (compensatory selection)
John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas - Round 6 | Pick 193 (from CLE)
Devin Harper, LB, Oklahoma State
The Cowboys sent Cooper to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for multiple draft picks. Packaging Cooper with their own sixth-round pick (No. 202), Dallas received Cleveland’s fifth- and sixth-rounders in the 2022 NFL Draft. Those selections are Nos. 155 and 192.
Now, from early in Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Cowboys will be major players. With a bevy of picks in the middling portions of the draft, Dallas could stand to come away with more than just valuable role players.
With their first pick in the draft, the Cowboys reached a ton for Tyler Smith from Tulsa. He’s a bit undersized and overmatched to play tackle in the NFL, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Dallas kick him inside to guard.
Cowboys 2022 NFL Draft team needs
The Cowboys were already slated to need wide receiver help this offseason. With the unknown status of Cooper heading into the new league year, it was expected they were going to move on from the former Las Vegas Raiders receiver. With Cooper now gone, the wide receiver position certainly moves up the priority list for Dallas.
Fortunately for Cowboys fans, the wide receiver class is stacked with talent. Due to the influx in receivers over the first few rounds of the past two drafts, many have devalued the group — as a whole — this year. That means some players that may have slipped into the Round 1 discussion in years past may now be available in Round 2. Dallas could play it safe and see who falls into their laps in Round 2, or they could be aggressive and take care of a big need in the first round.
Here are the Cowboys’ biggest needs after trading away Cooper:
- Wide Receiver
- Safety
- Defensive Tackle
- Linebacker
- Offensive Guard