An underwhelming performance from Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys front office during the free agency period of the 2022 offseason has the team looking towards next month’s NFL Draft in Las Vegas. After unceremoniously trading Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns, releasing La’el Collins, and losing out on Randy Gregory (twice), the Cowboys now find themselves piecing together a draft plan to fill more holes than previously anticipated.
If one thing has been made certain at this week’s NFL meetings in Florida, the first-round draft plan in Big D is pretty clear: Offensive linemen, unless a stud edge rusher slips. A least that was the blueprint laid out by Jerry Jones this week after saying “I think that I wouldn’t dismiss a great opportunity with a pass rusher,” via the team’s media page. “Obviously, I’d like to have a young offensive lineman at the positions that you could immediately come in and play.”
Having the 24th selection in the first round allows for the Cowboys to go in a number of directions, despite making it pretty clear that the offensive line is the top priority. There is the possibility of a quality edge rusher falling, or the Cowboys potentially trading back as they did in last year’s draft and hopefully landing an insane value as they did by selecting Micah Parsons. That said, the sheer number of issues up front for the Cowboys has us leaning towards Jerry and his staff sticking to their blueprint and landing hopefully the fourth star in a string of quality first-round offensive lineman selections (Zack Martin in 2014, Travis Frederick in 2013, and Tyron Smith in 2011).
The 3 best players the Cowboys can select with the 24th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft
3. Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
Northern Iowa is not quite the Iowa school we’re used to seeing quality lineman come out of, however, it’s produced one of the top prospects in the 2022 draft class and most certainly the best FCS prospect on the board. Penning’s immediate strength is his size, checking in at 6’7″, 325 pounds. With that kind of size paired with athleticism (check out this windmill dunk), Penning could potentially climb to a point where he may be out of the Dallas Cowboys’ reach.
Size, speed, and strength are cool, but what does it take to be a lineman in the NFL? Being nasty. Trevor Penning is exactly that.
Trevor Penning's run blocking tape is just a montage of him absolutely bodying dudes pic.twitter.com/WTyztwRR4i
— Ben Linsey (@PFF_Linsey) March 30, 2022
That kind of tenacity is not too unfamiliar, as Penning claims his game is modeled closely after Taylor Lewan. Unfortunately, it has been known to go a step too far with Penning, who drew 16 flags last season, including a few games where he saw multiple. However, he would be a natural fit at right tackle, where he could lead the way for star running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard.
2. Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College
Tackle is probably the more glaring need for the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line, however, they could benefit from an elite guard to go opposite Zack Martin since Connor Williams took his talents to South Beach on a two-year, $14 million deal with the Miami Dolphins.
Zion Johnson could be exactly what the Cowboys are looking for.
At 6’3″, 312 pounds, Johnson is your prototypical “phone booth guard” that creates an immense pop at the point of attack. With his stunning strength, Johnson has all the tools to be an impactful interior blocker in the NFL. That size and strength do come at a cost, as Johnson struggles in space and could face issues handling the much faster NFL defensive lineman. He does however shine as a double-team blocker, which would be much welcomed by the Cowboys’ one-two punch in the backfield.
1. Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
While Evan Neal and Ikem Ekwonu will likely be off the board at 24, there has to be at least one “sliding scenario” on our list. That potential slide could be Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross. Crows was a member of the 2020 All-SEC team as a freshman, where he played 720 snaps, allowing just 44 pressures and six sacks. 2021 was even better for Cross, where he played 919 snaps and only allowed 16 pressures and two sacks. His excellent size, length, and athletic profile make him one of the best raw talents in the draft. His polished pass protection footwork alongside his balance and posture make him one of the best all-around talents in the draft.
The only thing working against Cross is the fact that 99.8% of his collegiate snaps came at left tackle, a spot already spoken for by the aforementioned Tyron Smith. However, if Smith’s injuries woes continue, it could be a smooth transition to Cross down the line.
