Like every other team in the league, the Dallas Cowboys only have a few weeks left to decide what to do with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
If Jerry Jones opts to keep the 12th overall pick, he'll have plenty of options from which to choose, as America's Team needs help on both sides of the football.
An edge rusher to play on the opposite end of the line from Micah Parsons could be a popular choice if Dallas goes the defensive route. The cornerback and linebacker positions might be on the table as well.
But as the draft draws closer, it seems more and more likely that the Cowboys will take an offensive player—and not a linemen this time around, as they've done that in two of the last three years.
The most popular choices, of course, are a No. 2 wide receiver to play opposite CeeDee Lamb on the perimeter or a shiny new running back to steal some reps from new additions Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders.
Now, there's also the possibility that Jones trades back in the draft, which he's done twice in the last four years.
The Cowboys moved from No. 10 to No. 12 in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021, ultimately taking Parsons, and then dropped from No. 24 to No. 29 last year in a deal with the Detroit Lions, selecting Tyler Guyton.
Naturally, Dallas received additional draft capital on top of the pick swaps, and NFL.com believes Jones may end up going that same route yet again this year.
NFL.com analyst offers up an interesting trade scenario involving the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos
NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter recently constructed six trade scenarios he thought could benefit both teams, one of which involved the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos.
In that particular plan, Dallas would send the No. 12 overall pick and a fifth-rounder (No. 149 overall) to Denver and would receive the Broncos' first-rounder (No. 20 overall) and second-rounder (No. 51 overall) in return.
Here's a portion of Reuter's analysis on the Cowboys' end of things:
"The Cowboys could move down for the third time in five years if running bac k Ashton Jeanty is not available when Dallas is on the clock at No. 12 overall.
"The Cowboys could stand pat and pick [Matthew] Golden or [Tetairoa] McMillan at 12, too, but a mid-second-round selection may be enough to induce a drop down the board. Golden or Emeka Egbuka could be available at No. 20, as could another well-regarded back in Omarion Hampton."
Reuter makes some excellent points here.
Ashton Jeanty is clearly on the Cowboys' radar at this point, as he should be after rushing for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns for Boise State this past season.
But Omarion Hampton is no slouch, as he rushed for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns for North Carolina in 2024. There's no guarantee he'd be on the board at No. 20, but it's undoubtedly a solid possibility.
And if the Cowboys want to go with a receiver, this is a strong draft class in that regard. So, even if they trade back, they might miss out on the top prospect or two, but even the third and fourth guys on the board would suffice.
And it's no secret that Jerry Jones loves extra draft picks, so this scenario could very well play out.
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