Cowboys believe latest rebuild of offensive line in NFL draft is path to contention

By Canadian Press on April 26, 2025.

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Not long after the Dallas Cowboys completed a rebuild of their offensive line through the NFL draft a decade ago, they finished a season as the top seed in the NFC and had the league’s rushing leader twice in three years.

Dallas is using the same formula again now, having taken a blocker in the first round three times in the past four drafts after getting Alabama guard Tyler Booker with the 12th overall pick.

The trio back then was left tackle Tyron Smith (2011), center Travis Frederick (2013) and right guard Zack Martin (2014). Smith and Martin just wrapped up stellar careers by retiring a month apart.

Booker, who could end up replacing Martin, joins left guard Tyler Smith (24th pick in 2022) and left tackle Tyler Guyton (29th last year).

Quarterback Dak Prescott, who is entering his 10th season on the first NFL contract to average $60 million per season, was the 2016 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year with a big assist from fellow first-year star Ezekiel Elliott, that two-time rushing champ from their early years together.

“I feel like we’re taking that journey now and it all starts right there,” executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones said. “We want to protect the guy who is the most expensive guy in the league and we want to complement (receiver) CeeDee (Lamb) and what we’re doing with him. I think all of this helps bring that all together.”

Owner Jerry Jones also looked back on that 2016 season, when the top-seeded Cowboys lost at home to Green Bay in the divisional round.

Dallas went to the playoffs and won a wild-card game two years later, and just had a three-year postseason streak stopped with a 7-10 record in 2024. The injury-filled season led to the departure of coach Mike McCarthy and the hiring of first-time head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who was an NFL assistant for 25 years.

“You may disagree with me, but I feel we were hanging around the rim,” Jerry Jones said. “We were knocking at the door. The makeup that we have on our team and the players we have right now — this is a very good way to get something big-time done in the next two or three years.”

Next in class

The Cowboys stayed with their board in the second and third rounds, getting Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku 44th overall and East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. at 76. Revel probably would have gone higher without a knee injury sustained early last season.

Those picks clearly weren’t dictated by need with Dallas still looking for its next dominant running back after Elliott, and no clear No. 2 receiver behind Lamb.

The Cowboys finally got a running back with their fourth choice — Texas’ Jaydon Blue in the fifth round. Dallas added another with Clemson’s Phil Mafah in the seventh, but didn’t draft a receiver.

At the moment, 2024 midseason trade acquisition Jonathan Mingo and free agent pickup Parris Campbell join Jalen Tolbert and Ryan Flournoy among the current Cowboys looking to be Prescott’s second option at receiver.

“I really do think that we’re deep in terms of guys that are young,” Schottenheimer said. “It’s not as easy to always just plug and play a guy as a rookie receiver. He comes in, and ‘Oh, he’s going to have a monster year.’ It’s not always that easy, but we’re never done looking for new players and acquisitions.”

Rest of class

Dallas traded up in the fifth round to get Florida linebacker Shemar James and selected Oregon offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius in the sixth.

The Cowboys took two defensive tackles in the seventh round, starting with UCLA’s Jay Toia — a true nose tackle — at No. 217 overall. Tommy Akingbesote of Maryland was the 247th choice.

Tyler trio

All three of Dallas’ first-round offensive linemen since 2022 are Tylers. It’s enough to raise the question of what blocking prospects named Tyler might be available next year.

“If there is, we will find him,” said vice president of personnel Will McClay, happily playing along. “If he is good enough, then he will be a part of this ‘Great Wall of Tyler’ or whatever we are calling it now.”

Mic drop

Ezeiruaku grew up in New Jersey cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles, an NFC East rival of the Cowboys. He wasted no time pivoting even after admitting he was surprised the Cowboys selected him because he didn’t have much pre-draft interaction with the club.

“I’m here right now celebrating with my family, and we’re at a country club and there’s some people from my hometown that is here,” Ezeiruaku said. “They actually have Eagles gear on. I said to go ahead and take that off right now.”

Asked about the Eagles winning the Super Bowl, Ezeiruaku said, “That was pretty cool in my last year as an Eagles fan.”

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Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press