Way-too-early first round targets for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2025 NFL Draft

Draft talk? Already?

Sure, it may be a little early, but the college football season is already halfway to conference championships, and draft-eligible players are starting to separate as the calendar approaches November.

For the Dallas Cowboys, they sit in the middle of the pack of the NFL standings going into their week-seven bye, which gives us an opportunity to look at some potential mid-first round targets for the Cowboys if they were to pick around that range. Of course, a lot of variance is expected between now and draft day in April, but these handful of names should be ones to keep a close eye on as the college football season hits its second half.

Ashton Jeanty, Running Back, Boise State

An early favorite is emerging on social media for most Cowboys fans in Ashton Jeanty, and it’s for good reason. The Frisco native has gone from a hipster RB1 pick in the preseason to a candidate for the Heisman Trophy and a surefire top-15 pick in April’s draft.

The 5-foot-9, 215-pound bellcow for Boise State has rushed for 1,248 yards in six games (208 yards per game) on 9.9 yards per carry. If he holds his current pace, he could threaten one of college football’s “unbreakable” records in Barry Sanders’ 2,628 yards, a record set back in 1988.

For the Cowboys, it almost makes too much sense. A running game that continues to disappoint in its by-committee approach, a Frisco native that grew up playing high school football in the Cowboys’ practice facility at The Star, and a productive running back that could immediately enhance an offense all create the perfect storm if he is available when Dallas is on the clock.

A question that would have to be answered beforehand would be if the Cowboys would be willing to spend a first-round selection on a running back, a position that has continued to see a decline in value since Ezekiel Elliott was selected fourth overall by the franchise in 2016. But then again, would they view Jeanty as a player that could immediately contribute to a declining running game in Dallas?

Deone Walker, Defensive Tackle, Kentucky

Drafting a defensive tackle in the first round in two out of three years would be a tough pill to swallow for a personnel department that put a lot of trust in Mazi Smith when he was drafted by the Cowboys back in 2023, but with the expiring contract of Osa Odighizuwa and the need for improved play in the middle, making a move for one in the first round isn’t out of the realm of possibility at all.

The Cowboys would need power from a defensive tackle selection, and it’s tough to find any prospect in the class with more strength than the 6-foot-6, 345-pound Deone Walker. The Kentucky product and native of Detroit has been a reliable run stuffer for the Wildcats in the SEC since a freshman when he was named a True Freshman All-American. He’s quick off the line, manhandles ball-carriers and is a three-time captain for a defense that has shined in Lexington during his time at Kentucky.

Walker may trend toward the back half of the first round, but a lot is still to be determined about where exactly he could fall. His positional versatility up and down the defensive line along with his testing numbers at the NFL Combine could stamp his placement in the top 25.

Tetairoa McMillan, Wide Receiver, Arizona

The Cowboys are heading into the bye searching for answers at the wide receiver position with CeeDee Lamb off to a slower-than-usual start and Brandin Cooks on the injured reserve. With Cooks in his final year of his deal with the team, the Cowboys could move on from the veteran in favor of a younger product in the draft.

Tetairoa McMillan is starting to emerge as the firm WR1 in a class that has talented playmakers that can stretch the field and move offenses down the field in a hurry. The Cowboys haven’t had a true possession receiver since Dez Bryant, and McMillan would give them that red zone ability and jump ball ability as soon as he touches the field.

A former top volleyball prospect out of high school in Anaheim, Calif., McMillan’s vertical ability paired with his 6-foot-5, 212-pound stature makes him a mismatch with almost any defensive back he lines up against as he thrives in contested catch opportunities. What he might lack in long speed, he directly makes up for in vertical ability.

McMillan has used his physical skillset to haul in 42 receptions for 724 yards and four touchdowns in Arizona’s first six games, including a school record-setting 304 yards in the Wildcats’ season-opening win over New Mexico.

Malaki Starks, Safety, Georgia

In identifying the Cowboys’ many early season defensive struggles, the safety play from Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson have regressed in the first season under defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. There is still a lot of football to be played and both are locked up under contract until 2026, but an argument could be made to add a young body in the room with elite skills.

Look no further than Malaki Starks who has played the majority of his three seasons at Georgia at deep safety, but has the versatility to play at slot corner or elsewhere in the secondary. His elite speed and overall athleticism makes him a chess piece for any coordinator that drafts his services in April. The ability to track and cover speed out of the receiver position makes Starks an invaluable player for Georgia with the ability to directly translate that strength to the NFL.

Expected to be one of maybe just a couple of safeties to go in the first round, Starks’ versatility in the secondary and elite speed in the defensive backfield makes him a worthy selection around the middle of the first round.

Walter Nolen, Defensive Tackle, Ole Miss

While the Cowboys do need to get bigger in the middle and there are certainly beefier interior defensive line prospects than Walter Nolen (6’3”, 305 pounds), the Ole Miss product could serve as a bigger option at the 3-Tech position than Osa Odighizuwa (6’2”, 280 pounds) if the team decides to not bring him back in free agency.

Nolen, who began his career at Texas A&M after being signed as the No. 2 overall recruit in the country in the 2022 class, has elite quickness off the line that rivals some edge rushers in the impending draft class. He combines that twitch with a knack for identifying and clogging running lanes which could make him a valuable interior asset for a Cowboys defensive line that lacks consistent gap integrity.

While he may not be the pass rusher that some other defensive line prospects could bring to the NFL, his run defense ability alone (six tackles for loss in seven games) makes him an elite draft prospect that could see him comfortably land in the first round in April.

Luther Burden III, Wide Receiver, Missouri

While Luther Burden III may not be the jump ball savant that McMillan is for Arizona, his speed, separation and route running makes him a big play machine for Missouri that could directly translate to the NFL.

If the Cowboys decide to move on from Brandin Cooks and direct their draft attention toward a prospect with a similar skillset as the 11-year veteran, Burden could immediately inject youth in each area that Cooks excels at to a receiver group in Dallas. Additionally, Burden has shown an ability to be a red zone threat with his vertical ability that sees him utilize his 208-pound strength to work in elite body control against more physical defensive backs in contested catch situations.

While inconsistent quarterback play hasn’t allowed for Burden to have his true breakout game this season just yet, he is maintaining his 2023 pace that saw him haul in 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore.

Jahdae Barron, Defensive Back, Texas

Another versatile defensive back that has experience playing at outside corner, slot corner, safety and in the box during his five-year career at Texas, Jahdae Barron turned down an expected day two draft selection in 2024 to go back to Austin for one more season, and it has paid off so far.

Barron is a thumper in the secondary and has elite instincts in zone coverage to cut off complex route schemes across the middle of the field. In one-on-one coverage, Barron has NFL-ready speed that could translate to him being a slot corner at the next level. Similar to the versatility of Starks, Barron could play a variety of roles in a Dallas secondary that could be looking for some more youth coming out of the 2025 draft.

While Barron isn’t quite bubbling as a surefire first-round selection just yet, don’t be surprised if name starts jumping up in mock drafts as he continues to lead a Texas defense that has given up just 38 points in its first six contests. Leading the way, Barron has already accounted for five pass breakups and an interception while allowing just 78 passing yards when targeted.

Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M

While the Cowboys did spend a second-round selection on Marshawn Kneeland this past April, it could make sense for Dallas to go right back to the EDGE group for a first-round selection given the depth need that has been exposed early in the year with mounting injuries and the expiring contract of DeMarcus Lawrence.

A 6-foot-4, 285-pound defensive end with a rare combination of athleticism and power off the edge, Nic Scourton uses his length and strength to make life difficult in the run game for opposing offenses while also utilizing an impressive bend ability to rush the passer (10 sacks for Purdue in 2023).

A native of Bryan, Scourton returned to Brazos County to play for Texas A&M in 2024 and has been its most consistent defender in stopping the run (10 tackles for loss) and rushing the passer (4.5 sacks) through six games.

With his stock continuing to explode, Scourton may play himself into the top 10 if all goes right, but seeing his name in the late teens wouldn’t be a shock either.