Those high-profile first-round draft picks are supposed to be stars, and even Round 2 prospects are considered locks to contribute. But how a team does in Rounds 3 and beyond often tells the real story. Who did the Cowboys find in those later rounds of the draft who will exceed expectations? It depends on who you ask. To kick off this recap of the day’s headlines, we’ll look at three different prospects who could easily be in the mix to one day be called the club’s best-value draft pick for 2025.
Meanwhile, the UDFA paysheet has been released, and the disparity among some of the post-draft signees may come as a surprise. Also, we’ll dive in to the Cowboys’ DB situation and ask if they really got better, we’ll ID a few underrated gems on the roster, and we’ll tell you which two Pro Bowl defenders one Dallas rookie is trying to emulate. We’ll take a do-over on one notorious draft-day bust, we’ll tell you which AFC team is eyeing their own version of The Star, we’ll catch up with Dak Prescott lobbing balls in an unexpected venue, and we’ll tell you which rival city you’ll have to invade to attend the 2027 NFL draft.
Shedeur Sanders, Matthew Golden and every team’s best value pick from the 2025 NFL Draft :: The Athletic
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Shavon Revel, Jr. is the easy pick here for Dallas. He has first-round talent when healthy and many experts thought he’d get taken in the second round, so the Cowboys landing him in the third is highway robbery. Assuming his recovery from a torn ACL and partial meniscus tear stays on track, Revel could be ready for Week 1 and even compete for a starting job.
5th-round pick has surprisingly clear path to starting during rookie season :: Cowboys Wire
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Jaydon Blue, the Texas prospect who was picked by Dallas at No. 149 overall, is actually a potential midseason starter and could even be a long-term answer for the club at running back. He’s expected to begin the season behind Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams, but the home-run hitter (who’s also a legitimate receiving threat) could prove to simply be too talented to stay on the sideline.
Every team’s best-value selection in 2025 NFL Draft :: Bleacher Report
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Revel in the third round and Blue in the fifth could pay off handsomely for Dallas, but don’t overlook Phil Mafah, the Clemson running back taken in the seventh round. When healthy, he’s a hammer between the tackles, which provides a different skill set than anything the Cowboys’ three other backs can claim. A shoulder injury might have contributed to lackluster draft stock, but the 239th overall pick could be one-half of a one-two punch out of the Cowboys backfield by the end of the season.
Jay Toia wants to bring ‘havoc, destruction, finesse’ for Cowboys’ defensive line :: The Mothership
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The seventh-round pick out of UCLA has given himself a lot to live up to, based on who he says he tries to model his own game after. “Vita Vea and Dexter Lawrence, for sure,” he said. “I would say they’re similar, but different. I feel like Vita just causes havoc throughout the whole game, but I feel like Dexter Lawrence has a little finesse in his game.” The Cowboys hope that by putting Toia under alongside Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas, and the tutelage of heralded defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, Toia will become his own kind of wrecking ball in Dallas.
A Step Behind? Have the Cowboys upgraded their defensive back room from 2024? :: Cowboys Wire
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The loss of Jourdan Lewis is big, no doubt. So is the injury status of Trevon Diggs. Kaiir Elam and Shavon Revel, Jr. have been added, but both newcomers are outside cornerbacks, as is DaRon Bland. So there is a real question in how the Cowboys will cover the slot. The safety room didn’t change much; the veteran starters have gotten a year older, and the younger guys have gotten a year wiser. In all, there are too many contingencies to just automatically consider this unit better than last season’s.
Grading every NFL team’s 2025 draft class: Where does the Cowboys’ haul fit? :: Cowboys Wire
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A full week after the fact, the Cowboys’ draft class still looks like a good one, earning an A- grade in this roundup from the NFL Wire editors. After two down drafts where they attempted to cater to needs, they took the opposite approach this year and didn’t use that to dictate their approach.
Dallas Cowboys’ UDFA salaries and bonus money revealed :: SI.com
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Defensive back Alijah Clark tops the list with a $25,000 bonus and a guaranteed $234,000. Linebacker Justin Barron has a slightly lower bonus but the same guarantee, which equals a season of practice squad pay. At the other end of the spectrum, wide receiver Traeshon Holden, surprisingly, got just a $3,000 bonus and zero guaranteed money.
Dallas Cowboys hidden gems: 1 underrated veteran, free agent, and 2025 NFL Draft pick :: Blogging the Boys
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Jalen Tolbert may actually be much better than the fanbase is giving him credit for. Don’t be surprised if he becomes that precious No. 2 receiver in 2025… because he was already that to a point in 2024. Edge rusher Dante Fowler, Jr. could play a much more important role in the DE rotation if Matt Eberflus can play to the veteran’s strengths. And Shavon Revel, Jr. could prove to be as adept in coverage as any cornerback prospect in this draft class.
Dak Prescott gets in throws on pit road at Fort Worth race :: NASCAR on Fox
Cowboys swap linebackers to 2x Pro Bowler worth $48 million in draft do-over :: Cowboys Wire
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In PFF’s re-do of the 2006 draft, the Cowboys get to take back the somewhat infamous Bobby Carpenter pick at No. 18 overall. The Ohio State linebacker would go on to start just 10 games over seven seasons and remains a rare Cowboys bust. In this hindsight exercise, the Cowboys could have checked the same box much more successfully with Alabama linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who in reality was drafted with selection No. 33. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year and was a two-time Pro Bowler, starting 139 of 140 career games.
Houston Texans hope to build new team headquarters that could include an entertainment district :: Houston Chronicle
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The Texans could be the next NFL franchise looking to replicate what the Cowboys have created with The Star in Frisco. Several parties in the greater Houston area are interested in partnering with the team on a new headquarters and practice facility, which could include an entertainment/shopping/dining district. The Texans are currently one of four NFL clubs who base their day-to-day operations out of the stadium where they also play home games.
Cowboys rival, Washington Commanders will host 2027 NFL draft :: Cowboys Wire
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After a monster multi-day event in Green Bay, the NFL is taking the draft to the nation’s capital. It’s been announced that the 2027 draft will be held on the Washington Mall, with an attendance that could easily dwarf most presidential inaugurations.
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