Dallas Cowboys: Way too early 2023 7-round mock draft

Things are about to get very interesting for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, they have a crop of free agents they’d like to bring back, and changes to the coaching staff on both the offensive and defensive sides of the football. Both of those situations will have an immediate effect on how the Cowboys will approach this year’s NFL Draft. Last season it was pretty clear what Dallas needed to do going into the draft, but this season, with the changes that have been made and the potential for new players added in free agency, this year’s draft in Dallas is going to be a very interesting one.

This draft class is pretty deep once again at cornerback, tight end, and wide receiver but a lot thinner at other positions. We know Dallas likes to take the best player on their board regardless of the position, but with needs along the offensive line, safety, and linebacker the Cowboys may have to reach or trade to get a player they feel will help this team at positions of need. With that being said let’s get into this draft.

The Dallas Cowboys are on the clock!

With the 28th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select…..

Cam Smith – Cornerback – South Carolina

Height: 6’1  Weight: 190lbs

Career Stat Line: 91 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, 6 interceptions, 18 passed defended

We all know the Cowboys had their eyes on two cornerbacks in the 2021 draft but were wiped out before they had the opportunity to draft them. This time around the Cowboys will be able to get one of the cornerbacks they are sure to have interest in draft Smith. He’s an aggressive cornerback much like Jaycee Horn who Dallas really liked coming out of the same school. He’s a willing tackler in the running game, aggressive at the line of scrimmage with fluid hips that allow him to open up and run with receivers effortlessly.

Smith in his last season was the main cornerback for South Carolina who was tasked with taking on the opposing team’s best receivers, a challenge he willingly excepted and was successful at. Adding another corner with the potential to lock down receivers opposite Trevon Diggs would boost this Cowboys’ defense immensely.

With the 58th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select…..

Cedric Tillman – Wide Receiver – Tennessee

Height: 6’3  Weight: 215lbs

Career Stat Line: 109 receptions, 1,622 receiving yards, 14.9 yards per catch, 17 touchdowns

From the looks of it, the Cowboys swung and missed last season when they drafted Jalen Tolbert in the third round last year. This year they can’t afford to waste another high draft pick on a player that can’t even get on the field, lucky for them the receiver class is deep once again so they will have another shot at getting Dak Prescott a reliable receiver and CeeDee Lamb a counterpart that can help take the pressure off of him. Tillman is a receiver I believe has that ability, when you combine his size with his speed he seems like a player who could be a consistent mismatch Prescott can use to attack defenses.

Tillman may be overlooked thanks to Jalin Hyatt’s playmaking ability on the field but he shouldn’t be overlooked. Especially if the Cowboys want to open up the offense and take shots down the field. The big man can move and could turn out to be a red-zone monster for the Cowboys.

With the 90th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select…..

Andrew Vorhees – Guard – USC

Height: 6’6  Weight: 320lbs

The Cowboys love position flex along the offensive line, something that soon-to-be free agent Connor McGovern gave them with his ability to play guard and center. Vorhees has that same position flex but has also played tackle in the past, and if taken by Dallas he would be able to come in and start if needed.

He’s very physical in the running game using his size and lower body strength to maul defenders and open up lanes for his running backs. He still has work to do in pass protection but he isn’t someone who would be a liability either.

Dallas needs to add another offensive lineman to a squad they are trying to revamp and Vorhees would be a nice piece to add to the young talent they have already been adding with Tyler Smith and Terence Steele.

With the 129th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select…..

Brodric Martin – Defensive Tackle – Western Kentucky

Height: 6’5  Weight: 320lbs

Career Stat Line: 62 total tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 3 passed defended

The Cowboys run defense got a lot better when they were able to get an active big-bodied defensive tackle in the middle of that offensive line who can hold his double-team blocks. So it only makes sense that they try to find cheap options in the draft and Martin is someone to keep an eye on. He plays with good hand placement which allows him to hold at the point of attack and shed blockers to make plays. Thanks to his ability to get off the ball quickly he does have some ability to pressure the quarterback on passing downs but should be looked at as more of an early-down defender.

You can never have too many big defensive tackles who excel in defending the running game. The Cowboys’ biggest weakness is stopping the run and Martin would help in shoring up that weakness and making this defense even tougher to beat.

With the 163rd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select…..

Kenny McIntosh – Running Back – Georgia

Height: 6’1  Weight: 210lbs

Career Stat Line: 1,582 rushing yards, 5.7 yards per carry, 861 receiving yards, 11.9 yards per catch, 20 touchdowns

We should assume that the Cowboys aren’t going to let Tony Pollard leave the building but Ezekiel Elliott is another situation entirely. Whether or not the Cowboys and Elliott work something out they need to find a running back in the draft that will be able to come in and help them keep the ball moving on the ground. McIntosh might be that guy, he’s a well-rounded running back who during his time at Georgia was used in rotation and will have very little wear and tear. He’s a patient runner who sees holes and hits them quickly, can run through contact, and has the ability to make big plays once he reaches the second level of the defense.

He’s also a weapon in the passing game with soft hands and someone who when matched up against linebackers can beat them with his speed or make them miss in space. Adding a weapon with a similar skill set as Pollard would not only help Pollard but the play-caller who wouldn’t have to change plays based on who is in the backfield.

With the 170th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select…..

Chamarri Conner – Safety – Virginia Tech

Height: 6’0  Weight: 205lbs

Career Stat Line: 314 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles,19 passed defended

It’s going to be interesting to see what safety Donovan Wilson is going to be worth in free agency and if the Cowboys are going to be willing to pay it. If they aren’t then they need another safety who can cover out of the slot or play deep and make plays something Wilson was able to do in Dallas. Conner is someone who fits that profile perfectly, he’s played cover the clot in nickel defenses and also played deep safety, but what he’s really good at is coming up in the running game and making plays. Much like Wilson, if Conner has a running back or receiver in his sights you can expect him to take them to the ground, he’s also an effective blitzer off the edge.

We’ve seen how the Cowboys will bargain shop for safeties in free agency but this year they need to take someone and Conner could be someone who can lead the back end of the Cowboys’ defense if given the opportunity.

With the 176th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select…..

Ronnie Bell – Wide Receiver – Michigan

Height: 6’0  Weight: 192lbs

Career Stat Line: 145 receptions, 2,269 receiving yards, 15.6 yards per catch, 10 touchdowns

A lot has been made about how much the Cowboys prefer to find receivers who are good route-runners and are able to play any of the receiver positions on the field. Bell is something that fits the mold of a receiver Dallas would covet thanks to those traits along with the ability to find soft spots in zones. He projects as more of a slot receiver but one whose quick release would give Prescott a quarterback-friendly receiver in the middle of the field that can get open quickly and is dangerous in space.

Prescott is a quarterback that needs a quality slot receiver and Bell would give him one that he’s been missing since Cole Beasley left Dallas. He’s also a receiver that can see the field this season thanks to all of the talent he possesses and his room to build on it.

With the 204th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select…..

Cameron Young – Defensive Tackle – Mississippi St.

Height: 6’3  Weight: 320lbs

Career Stat Line: 110 total tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, 4 passes defended

I’ll say it again, you can’t have too many defensive tackles that can stop the run and the Cowboys decided to double-dip taking Young. Young isn’t going to give you the same quickness off the line that Martin does but what he will do is take on double teams and control the line of scrimmage. He is one of the stronger defensive tackles in the draft and had strong hands that he uses to hold up offensive linemen, shed them, and make plays on the football. He also has very long arms which he uses to get into the throwing windows of quarterbacks.

Young though is strictly an early down defensive tackle who won’t give you much of anything in the passing game unless given a good amount of time to hit a stationary quarterback in the pocket.

With the 212th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select…..

Jaren Hall – Quarterback – BYU

Height: 6’1  Weight: 205lbs

Career Stat Line: 468 completions, 6,174 yards passing, 52 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 65.2 completion percentage, 841 rushing and receiving yards, 10 touchdowns

Jerry Jones let everyone know that he should have been drafting quarterbacks and he’s going to follow through on that by taking Hall in this draft. Hall is a player who much like Prescott is a dual-threat quarterback, whether he’s standing in the pocket or on the move he has the potential to deliver a strike down the field. What really excited me about Hall was the way he keeps his eyes downfield when scrambling in order to find an open receiver instead of just taking off and running, that poise is something you don’t see out of most mobile quarterbacks.

Hall is someone that this Cowboys coaching staff would be able to work with in the same way they would with Prescott under center, making it easier for the entire offense to stay on the same page instead of changing up the play calling.

With the 246th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select…..

Ochaun Mathis – Edge – Nebraska

Height: 6’5   Weight: 247lbs

Career Stat Line: 181 total tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 6 passes defended

We’ve seen the type of edge defenders defensive coordinator Dan Quinn prefers and Mathis is someone who would fit right into Quinn’s defense. He has a nice array of pass-rush moves and quickness off the edge to generate pressure quickly and his size would allow him to be moved inside where he can use his length and a quick first step to get offensive linemen on their heels and into the lap of the quarterback. Mathis is still just scratching the surface of his potential and has room to improve in the running game.

That being said he can still be used on passing downs and taken off the field on run downs. The Cowboys need to continue bringing in players that can create pressure and Mathis can be one of those guys.