Cowboys 7-round 2024 NFL mock draft after Tyron Smith loss

2. 56th overall: Patrick Paul, OT, Houston

After going with the center position in round one, the Cowboys just have to hope and pray that they're able to land a starting-caliber tackle here with their second-round pick.

By the time the NFL Draft rolls around, perhaps Dallas will have alternatives in place. There are still free agents they could sign at the time of this post being written, and perhaps a reunion is in the cards between Mike McCarthy and a player the Packers drafted when he was the head coach in Green Bay: David Bakhtiari.

But even if Dallas signs a player like Bakhtiari, which is a realistic option at this point, they should pair him with a talented rookie like Patrick Paul, who scored exceptionally well athletically and has 36.25-inch arms.

3. 87th overall: Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas

The Cowboys said goodbye to Tony Pollard in NFL free agency, one of the many key departures for this roster. Last offseason, they said goodbye to Ezekiel Elliott. They are going to need to overhaul the running back position one way or another, and after sitting out of free agency (up to this point), the NFL Draft is the clear plan of attack.

Jonathon Brooks was hurt last season at Texas but he has tremendous talent. Is it a guarantee he's going to be available at pick no. 87 overall? No, it's not even a guarantee he'll be there at 56. But if he's on the board here, he's a no-brainer.