Dallas Cowboys Top REALISTIC 2023 Draft Prospects
We are doing our due diligence this year to prepare for the 2023 NFL Draft.
Over the past 2 months, we have done 6 mock drafts to date and we are starting to see some patterns emerging.
Now, this is based off of PFF’s mock draft simulator. So, you can take that for what it’s worth! But if there is any bit of truth in the results, then we can be pretty comfortable with the following list.
We broke down rounds 1 to 5 and made a list of our top realistic draft prospects for the Dallas Cowboys. Our list includes: Best Player Available for Need (BPAN), Smartest Pick, Feels Wrong But Fits Right, and Ledge Picks.
Best Player Available for Need is just picking the best player available for the highest positional need.
Smartest Pick is the draft pick that makes the most sense, regardless of the draft prospects draft board ranking.
Feels Wrong But Fits Right is the pick that nobody wants, but that would help to improve the team overall.
Ledge Picks are the players that we think are last available prospects on a tier above the next group of players.
You can watch the full episode below, or keep reading if you just want words instead of a video.
Let’s get into it!
Round 1, Pick 26th
Best Player Available for Need
Bijan Robinson HB
Smartest Pick
O'Cyrus Torrence G
Feels Wrong, Fits Right
Michael Mayer TE
Dalton Kincaid TE
Ledge Picks
Jordan Addison WR
Bryan Bresee DI
Bijan Robinson would be a dream come true.
If Bijan Robinson makes it all the way down to 26th, you have to draft him. The dude has power, speed, he’s elusive; he will replace what everyone wanted Zeke Elliott to be the last 2 seasons and the Cowboy’s backfield shouldn’t miss a beat! You have to consider Tony Pollard is coming off a gruesome injury, and so I think RB is a much higher need than people are suggesting.
O’Cyrus Torrence is a controversial pick. Some argue that Cody Mauch or Steve Avila are the clear number 1 and 2 over Torrence. That being said, this is based off of the PFF mock draft simulator, and Mauch or Avila never made sense. The Cowboys have a very awkward pick at 26th, and I think that we are going to be reaching more often than not, so if Mauch or Avila get the praise from the Cowboys front office, I’m on board! The smart pick here is a versatile guard.
Michael Mayer is the pick no one wants to admit makes sense. It’s not really addressing a big need, but, if Mayer can block at an NFL level, he can help the offensive line to protect Dak. And we know he can catch the football. He’s got perfect height for a tight end and could easily have that ability to break a game wide open. It’s risky, and not a high need, but it makes sense.
Round 2, Pick 58
Best Player Available for Need
Zach Charbonnet HB
Smartest Pick
Eli Ricks CB
Julius Brents CB
Feels Wrong, Fits Right
Michael Wilson WR
Ledge Pick
Tuli Tuipulotu ED
AT Perry WR
Rashee Rice WR
Zack Charbonnet, Darlin’, Charbonnet!
You don’t want to go RB in round 1 and 2, and in fact, if Bijan isn’t available at 26, I don’t really want an RB until the 3rd round. That being said, I fucking love Zack Charbonnet. He’s creative. He’s strong. He can catch the football. He carried an average of 20 touches a game throughout his college career. Charbonnet definitely has put on a lot of miles with 640 career college touches, and nothing elite stands out about his game, but when you see this guy on tape, if he doesn’t get you excited, then nothing will!
Eli Ricks is a corner back who the Dallas Cowboys will certainly have a chance at selecting; it just needs to make sense. And with the Gilmore trade, and performance of Bland during the second half of last years season, I’m not stoked about a CB this high in the draft. That being said, if he’s there and RB isn’t on the table for whatever reason, I don’t mind increasing depth at CB. One injury is all it takes (knock on wood…).
Another CB who made the list is Julius Brents. This guy kind of reminds me of a combination of Donovan Wilson and Trevon Diggs. He hits hard, behind the line of scrimmage, and he finds himself to be in the right place at the right time to pick up non-perfect passes. I actually might like this dude over Ricks, because Ricks comes with injuries.
Round 3, Pick 90
Best Player Available for Need
Garrett Williams CB
Smartest Pick
DeWayne McBride HB
Tank Bigsby HB
Feels Wrong, Fits Right
Dorian Williams LB
Ledge Picks
Moro Ojomo DI
Tyjae Spears HB
Parker Washington WR
The problem with the 3rd round is that it just stinks. The Dallas Cowboys will have to reach if they want to improve positions that are in need.
Garrett Williams laughing off his ACL tear.
The best available player in round 3 is consistently Garrett Williams. Mostly due to him dropping round after round. I don’t like this as our pick. Yes, the dude shows up behind the line of scrimmage to make tackles for a loss. Yes, the guy will catch a football if it’s not thrown on target. On the other hand, he has had an ACL tear last season, which might restrict his ability to play in 2023. Williams has a high ceiling but a terribly low floor that really makes me shy with this selection.
The bread and butter of the 3rd round is between running backs DeWayne McBride and Tank Bigsby. If Bijan Robinson or Zach Charbonnet are not on the Cowboys roster, then you MUST draft McBride or Bigsby. I won’t hear another word of it! You could maybe wait to the 4th round to select one of these two backs, but I don’t like anyone else below these guys, except for Roschon Johnson.
Round 4, Pick 129
Best Player Available for Need
Kobie Turner DI
Smartest Pick
Andrew Vorhees G
Feels Wrong, Fits Right
Yasir Abdullah ED
Viliami Fehoko ED
Ledge Picks
Roschon Johnson HB
Davis Allen TE
Kobie Turner has a really nice smile. That is all.
I keep going back and forth on the need of a defensive interior after signing Jonathan Hankins to a one-year deal. At the same time, we lost Carlos Watkins, so I think it’s kind of a wash. In the 4th round, Kobie Turner makes me turn my head just a little. I could not for the life of me find this guy’s age, so he could be 21 or 37, but the 6’3, 290 pounder is a technical freak with a high motor. He’s ready to play physical in the NFL. But his quickness and ability to shed blocks are a concern. Still, it’s a position of need and a dude like Turner could turn out to be a steal.
Although I put Andrew Vorhees as the smart pick in round 4 because he’s a guard with high potential and a lot of experience across the offensive line, he tore his ACL. So, in the same breath, I can understand why this is not a smart pick. The door is open for the Dallas Cowboys to make a Super Bowl run, and that door will not stay open for long. Should the Cowboys take a risk by adding a player with high potential, but who probably won’t see the football field next year? Or should they try to find an athletic freak who can be a difference maker? For what it’s worth, I don’t mind investing in 2024 if this dude lingers.
Round 5, Pick 169
Best Player Available for Need
Davis Allen TE
Smartest Pick
Chandler Zavala G
Bryce Ford-Wheaton WR
Feels Wrong, Fits Right
Clayton Tune QB
Ledge Picks
TRADE!!!
Pick 169, dude! Gotta love it.
Davis Allen definitely auditioned to be captain of the high school football team for a Disney show.
If Davis Allen is on the board and we still haven’t selected a tight end, this guy is my dude, buddy! I liked what I saw in the few highlights that are available online. Allen can block and he made some really nice catches. He’s tall, long, and could be a nice safety net for Dak Prescott in short yardage plays, for first downs, and a threat in the end zone.
Chandler Zavala is a big guard who, although sometimes lacks a mean streak, has the power, agility, and speed to be a presence in the NFL. He’s got surprisingly good movement for his size and is an explosive run blocker, which could fit perfectly in a revamped offense under the watchful eyes of Big Mike McCarthy.
One of the guys who I think we must draft is Bryce Ford-Wheaton. I don’t see a weakness in this guy’s game, except for that he’s so confident in his ability, that he sometimes doesn’t put in the effort to create separation. He believes he’s going to catch the ball, and I like that. Although, the defenders in the NFL are elite competition and so every step he can muster to stay ahead of the other team will benefit him and the Dallas Cowboys offense. He’s big at 6’4, 220 pounds. He’s fast, with a 4.3 40-yard dash. And he can catch the ball and RUN!
So what do you think? Do you agree with our list of realistic Dallas Cowboys draft prospects, or do you think we missed the mark?
