We have reached the point relative to the 2024 Dallas Cowboys where tracking the state of their first-round draft pick makes sense. Sometimes that is just the way that seasons go.
Through Week 10 the Cowboys are 3-6 and while there is a long way to go before this is locked and finalized, based on the current lay of the NFL they would hold the 11th overall pick.
Pick 11
Dallas Cowboys
Biggest needs: RB, WR, Edge, DT, CB
Week 11 opponent: vs. Texans
Remaining strength of schedule: .506 (17th)
The Cowboys should be looking for another young cornerback to pair with 2024 fifth-round pick Caelen Carson this spring. Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland have rarely been on the field at the same time the past two seasons due to injuries. Also, Dallas may need to replace impending free agents Jourdan Lewis, Israel Mukuamu and Amani Oruwariye.
It is understandable if you don’t want to root for the Cowboys to lose for your own reasons, but just know that Dallas has games remaining against teams that are currently ahead of them in the draft order in the New York Giants (Thanksgiving Day) and Carolina Panthers. Those will wind up being seismic as far as determining who picks where.
Speaking of those Panthers, in case you forgot, the Cowboys do not hold their fourth-round pick anymore. Also remember that Dallas sent their original seventh-rounder to the Detroit Lions in the trade during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. They did pick up a seventh-rounder with the Panthers though and will likely receive a few compensatory picks.
Here are the current Dallas Cowboys selections for the 2025 NFL Draft:
- 1st (11th overall as of Week 11)
- 2nd
- 3rd
- 5th
- 6th
- 7th (from Carolina)
(It should be noted that the Cowboys will receive up to four compensatory picks in 2025)
As noted, through nine games of this season the Cowboys have won only three and in none of the previous 12 instances has the team made the playoffs. On the subject of those teams, they can somewhat serve as a guide for where the Cowboys could wind up picking come the 2025 NFL Draft beyond doing so based on current NFL standings.
This year’s team is the 10th one in the Jerry Jones era to have won only three of their first nine (not all of those teams played 17 games obviously so remember that), and each of the previous nine teams wound up picking in the top 12 of the following year’s draft.
Here is each of those years (to be clear we are talking about the draft year following the bad season) and the spot that the Cowboys earned/held in that first round. They did not always pick there.
- 1990: 1st (forfeited)
- 1991: 12th
- 2001: 7th
- 2002: 6th
- 2003: 5th
- 2005: 11th
- 2011: 9th
- 2016: 4th
- 2021: 10th
Yes, the Cowboys really forfeited what would have been the number one overall pick in 1990 thanks to utilizing the supplemental draft the year prior. Imagine that happening today!
Obviously we all want the best pick possible. The highest that we have seen the Cowboys climb as of late was fourth overall in 2016 when they selected Ezekiel Elliott. Generally speaking, the picks in question here have all turned into franchise cornerstones which is why, again, we want to ensure it is one that can be used effectively.
Who do you want the Cowboys to target in the first round, wherever they wind up picking?
