A better draft strategy than standing pat in draft order

[Bobhaze]

The Cowboys enter the upcoming draft with 10 of the draft’s 257 picks. With holes at almost every position group on this roster, and with this organization’s refusal to take free agency as a serious way to upgrade the roster, we need a plausible approach that can upgrade this team quickly in the upcoming 2025 draft. Here are the Cowboys current picks by round:

• Round 1: No. 12
• Round 2: No. 44
• Round 3: No. 76
• Round 5: No. 149
• Round 5: No. 174 (compensatory pick)
• Round 6: No. 204 (from Lions)
• Round 6: No. 211 (compensatory pick)
• Round 7: No. 217 (from Titans)
• Round 7: No. 239 (from Packers)
• Round 7: No. 247 (from Chiefs)

It’s great having 10 picks but only 3 of them are in the top 100. That gap between pick 76 and 149 is huge. Having 7 picks in the back end of the draft decreases the chances of immediate impact. Five of those current picks will be in rounds 6 and 7 where most of those players will be STers or deep backups at best.

So…what if we could get aggressive and do a couple of trade downs to give us 5 picks in the top 100 instead of just 3?

• Trade down at 12 to pick up an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick.
• Consider trading a current player on the roster in a draft pick trade.
• Use some of the compensatory picks at the bottom to sweeten a deal.

Bottom line for me: Having only 3 top 100 picks and having 7 picks from rounds 5-7 is not enough help. We should convert some of the compensatory picks and round 6 and 7 picks into less overall picks but more in the top 100.

Without some move ups, our draft picks will mostly be bottom of the talent pool.

 

[thunderpimp91]

I love the idea of trading back early on, and packaging a few late picks to try and move up in the middle rounds.

Trading a player becomes interesting, I'm just not sure who the ideal guys to trade might be that could actually net you a decent draft pick. Hoffman? Tolbert? Ferguson? Bland probably gets you a decent pick but that would be daring given the current DB status of this team. Might depend on what this team does in round 1. If they end up going WR I could absolutely see them shopping Tolbert around.

 

[Jarntt]

This team needs more top end talent. We aren't winning a SB this year. Take a star at #12. Do what you want after that but don't give up on a potential All Pro (with luck) to pick up another guy to "fill a hole". We just aren't good enough to be thinking like that right now IMO. If anything I'm being more aggressive and trading up in any of the first 3 rounds if there is a guy on the board that we feel is worth it.This year is a draft to get us moving in the right direction

 

[Bobhaze]

I love the idea of trading back early on, and packaging a few late picks to try and move up in the middle rounds.

Trading a player becomes interesting, I'm just not sure who the ideal guys to trade might be that could actually net you a decent draft pick. Hoffman? Tolbert? Ferguson? Bland probably gets you a decent pick but that would be daring given the current DB status of this team. Might depend on what this team does in round 1. If they end up going WR I could absolutely see them shopping Tolbert around.

Yeah our player trade options might be slim.

But other than Parsons, Lamb and Tyler Smith, who is untouchable? In my mind anyone else is a trade option if it makes us better in the long run.

 

[Bagman]

The Cowboys enter the upcoming draft with 10 of the draft’s 257 picks. With holes at almost every position group on this roster, and with this organization’s refusal to take free agency as a serious way to upgrade the roster, we need a plausible approach that can upgrade this team quickly in the upcoming 2025 draft. Here are the Cowboys current picks by round:

• Round 1: No. 12
• Round 2: No. 44
• Round 3: No. 76
• Round 5: No. 149
• Round 5: No. 174 (compensatory pick)
• Round 6: No. 204 (from Lions)
• Round 6: No. 211 (compensatory pick)
• Round 7: No. 217 (from Titans)
• Round 7: No. 239 (from Packers)
• Round 7: No. 247 (from Chiefs)

It’s great having 10 picks but only 3 of them are in the top 100. That gap between pick 76 and 149 is huge. Having 7 picks in the back end of the draft decreases the chances of immediate impact. Five of those current picks will be in rounds 6 and 7 where most of those players will be STers or deep backups at best.

So…what if we could get aggressive and do a couple of trade downs to give us 5 picks in the top 100 instead of just 3?

• Trade down at 12 to pick up an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick.
• Consider trading a current player on the roster in a draft pick trade.
• Use some of the compensatory picks at the bottom to sweeten a deal.

Bottom line for me: Having only 3 top 100 picks and having 7 picks from rounds 5-7 is not enough help. We should convert some of the compensatory picks and round 6 and 7 picks into less overall picks but more in the top 100.

Without some move ups, our draft picks will mostly be bottom of the talent pool.

Been saying this for years with this FO approach. We need quality over quantity if we want improvement. Give me 4 stud players in the draft every year and this team is a SB contender in 3 years. Drafting guys in the 6-7th rds every year, only to cut them in training camp is a complete waste.

 

[CCBoy]

The only player trade I would look for during the draft would be a low round draft pick for a defensive lineman.

As to pick trading down from pick 12, someone would then trade up to take Golden away from Dallas.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Yeah our player trade options might be slim.

But other than Parsons, Lamb and Tyler Smith, who is untouchable? In my mind anyone else is a trade option if it makes us better in the long run.

Yeah personally I would be open minded for trades if I'm the Cowboys, and with a new coaching staff its very possible they will be if these coaches don't love certain guys as much as the last staff did. Personally I've always been a fan of shopping some of these guys on expiring deals rather than letting them walk for comp picks, but Stephen Jones seems to wholeheartedly disagree.

 

[CCBoy]

Been saying this for years with this FO approach. We need quality over quantity if we want improvement. Give me 4 stud players in the draft every year and this team is a SB contender in 3 years. Drafting guys in the 6-7th rds every year, only to cut them in training camp is a complete waste.

How do you then man the practice squad...no value? It's all time on clock and how many times on the game roster, then.

 

[Bagman]

How do you then man the practice squad...no value? It's all time on clock and how many times on the game roster, then.

Dallas has always been excellent at adding a UDFA class. They've been really solid in that area. More than enough talent for a practice squad. As Bobhaze said, we really need to push to get higher ranked guys in this draft.

 

[jazzcat22]

Been saying all off season. Trade down, get 2 extra picks in the top 4 rounds. Or if only one pick, and a few picks in the later rounds. Package them and trade back up.
Or both.

10 drafts picks will not make the team or an impact. As 5 picks in the first 4 rounds, and a few late round ST development type players will.

 

[CCBoy]

Dallas has always been excellent at adding a UDFA class. They've been really solid in that area. More than enough talent for a practice squad. As Bobhaze said, we really need to push to get higher ranked guys in this draft.

My preference is fixing top end potential for special skill value up front.

 

[CCBoy]

Been saying all off season. Trade down, get 2 extra picks in the top 4 rounds. Or if only one pick, and a few picks in the later rounds. Package them and trade back up.
Or both.

10 drafts picks will not make the team or an impact. As 5 picks in the first 4 rounds, and a few late round ST development type players will.

So one says four is more important than top end special skill talent up front...don't agree at all.

Trade a future 2 Rd pick to gain 2 3rd round picks in this draft. One they have already.

 

[jazzcat22]

on the other hand. When the draft was 12 rounds. Your first 6 rounds or 7 was considered getting good players. And rounds 8 through 12 was your take a shot type player.

Now fans feel rounds 5 to 7 are take your shot type players.
And you can only get good players in 1 through 4.

Remember Larry Brown was a 12th round draft pick.
Drew Pearson was a UDFA after a 12 round draft.
Everson Walls was an UDFA, also after a 12 round draft.

 

[CCBoy]

on the other hand. When the draft was 12 rounds. Your first 6 rounds or 7 was considered getting good players. And rounds 8 through 12 was your take a shot type player.

Now fans feel rounds 5 to 7 are take your shot type players.
And you can only get good players in 1 through 4.

Remember Larry Brown was a 12th round draft pick.
Drew Pearson was a UDFA after a 12 round draft.
Everson Walls was an UDFA, also after a 12 round draft.

One still drafts the man...

 

[jazzcat22]

So one says four is more important than top end special skill talent up front...don't agree at all.

Trade a future 2 Rd pick to gain 2 3rd round picks in this draft. One they have already.

I did not say that.
How did you get that?

No way trade a future 2nd round in this draft. It is not that deep of a draft. Use the late round picks and package a few to trade up.

 

[CCBoy]

I did not say that.
How did you get that?

No way trade a future 2nd round in this draft. It is not that deep of a draft. Use the late round picks and package a few to trade up.

No, that is what I said...take your own meaning on your own merit. Defensive tackle and a cornerback are still strong positions. You aren't the site Scout...

 

[morat1959]

The Cowboys enter the upcoming draft with 10 of the draft’s 257 picks. With holes at almost every position group on this roster, and with this organization’s refusal to take free agency as a serious way to upgrade the roster, we need a plausible approach that can upgrade this team quickly in the upcoming 2025 draft. Here are the Cowboys current picks by round:

• Round 1: No. 12
• Round 2: No. 44
• Round 3: No. 76
• Round 5: No. 149
• Round 5: No. 174 (compensatory pick)
• Round 6: No. 204 (from Lions)
• Round 6: No. 211 (compensatory pick)
• Round 7: No. 217 (from Titans)
• Round 7: No. 239 (from Packers)
• Round 7: No. 247 (from Chiefs)

It’s great having 10 picks but only 3 of them are in the top 100. That gap between pick 76 and 149 is huge. Having 7 picks in the back end of the draft decreases the chances of immediate impact. Five of those current picks will be in rounds 6 and 7 where most of those players will be STers or deep backups at best.

So…what if we could get aggressive and do a couple of trade downs to give us 5 picks in the top 100 instead of just 3?

• Trade down at 12 to pick up an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick.
• Consider trading a current player on the roster in a draft pick trade.
• Use some of the compensatory picks at the bottom to sweeten a deal.

Bottom line for me: Having only 3 top 100 picks and having 7 picks from rounds 5-7 is not enough help. We should convert some of the compensatory picks and round 6 and 7 picks into less overall picks but more in the top 100.

Without some move ups, our draft picks will mostly be bottom of the talent pool.

This makes too much sense for our incompetent FO.

 

[CCBoy]

This makes too much sense for our incompetent FO.

Reinvent leadership and organization to your criteria ... I'll wait.

 

[morat1959]

on the other hand. When the draft was 12 rounds. Your first 6 rounds or 7 was considered getting good players. And rounds 8 through 12 was your take a shot type player.

Now fans feel rounds 5 to 7 are take your shot type players.
And you can only get good players in 1 through 4.

Remember Larry Brown was a 12th round draft pick.
Drew Pearson was a UDFA after a 12 round draft.
Everson Walls was an UDFA, also after a 12 round draft.

The players you referenced come from 2 polar opposite FOs. The current FO is run by an incompetent GM. The organization is rotten at the top and it filters down through the entire organization.

 

[FanofJerry]

Kind of depends what McClay and his scouting staff think of the overall talent in this draft.

Does he think there are 200 good players, does he think there are 85?

Trading just to look smart doesn't mean anything if the scouting director doesn't think the talent is deep enough this draft.

McClay might tell Stephen that this draft isn't supplying the talent make a bunch of moves and end up with 7 picks instead of 10. Will might think standing pat, based on this year's talent and having 10 picks is better than 7 or 13 picks.

Having a plan is good, though.