We are under a week away from the Dallas Cowboys making their first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Sitting at 12th overall, they are in a great position to grab a strong player, and it is very important they use that draft resource properly. Over the last few months, many draft enthusiasts have shared what they believe the 12th overall pick should be.
Everyone has an idea of what would be best, but how accurate are we really? If we were to look over the last five drafts and recollect some of our favorite players, who do we think the Cowboys would have ended up with if they were picking 12th? What would have been your selections? What would have been the correct selections with the benefit of hindsight?
This seemed like a fun exercise, and everyone will be on the honor system sharing their choices, but let’s see how you would have done. Fortunately, X keeps some good receipts, so I can search mine rather easily. Let’s hypothesize what type of players the Cowboys might’ve ended up with picking 12th in recent drafts.
2024
My pick: OT Taliese Fuaga, OSU
Best pick: WR Brian Thomas, LSU
While I am a Beaver alum, I consider myself an objective evaluator of talent (I was President of the “No More Nahshon” fan club). My affinity for the Cowboys far supersedes any hankering to see them draft a player from my alma mater. That said, the mammoth tackle from Oregon State was a good player and would have locked down the left tackle position for many years to come. He ended up being taken 14th overall by the New Orleans Saints.
My two favorite tackle prospects for the Dallas Cowboys are Washington-native Taliese Fuaga and Washington-native Troy Fautanu (both grew up in Tacoma, WA.), or as I like to refer to them, the WTF guys, as in WTF are other teams doing to let these guys slide in the draft! pic.twitter.com/0GNzCt7iqC
— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) April 13, 2024
There were a lot of talented receivers, with three of them going in the top 10. Oddly, it was fourth WR, LSU’s Brian Thomas, who finished the year as the rookie with the most receiving yards (1,282) and touchdowns (10).
2023
My pick: CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
Best pick: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
It was another Oregon player (this time from a hated rival) who looked like the steal pick for the New England Patriots at 17. Gonzalez was projected to be a top 10 pick, but for some reason slid in the first round. Even Emmanuel Forbes was taken before him by the Washington Commanders, and he didn’t even make it through his second year in the league (released by Washington in December). Gonzalez endured a tough break when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a game against the Cowboys, cutting his rookie season short, but he had a nice bounce-back year last season and still looks the part of the strong corner.
Gibbs was projected to be a late first-round pick, with Bijan Robinson being the standout running back from this draft class. Not so fast. While Robinson has been very good, so has Gibbs, and he’s put to rest any notion that the Detroit Lions reached a bit early for him when they took him 12th overall. Gibbs has been nothing short of electric, with over 3,000 scrimmage yards and 31 touchdowns through just two seasons in the league.
2022
My pick: S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
Best pick: CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
Hamilton was a unique talent. His speed and strength tagged him as a bit of a unicorn coming out of this draft. Like Gonzalez, he was projected as a top 10 pick, and it looked like another savvy AFC organization benefited from him sliding as the Baltimore Ravens selected him 14th overall. He was slow out of the gate in his rookie season but has come on strong, earning All-Pro honors in each of his last two seasons.
While a case could be made that Hamilton would have been the correct pick, another defensive back has looked good as well. Cornerback Trent McDuffie has been a strong addition for Kansas City. Like Hamilton, he’s earned All-Pro honors in each of his last two seasons.
2021
My pick: OT Rashawn Slater, Northwestern
Best pick: LB Micah Parsons, Penn State
Some of us were holding our breath that one of the top cornerbacks from this draft would make it to Dallas at pick 10, but both Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain were snatched up as back-to-back picks at eight and nine, respectively. The backup plan was thought to be the talented tackle, Rashawn Slater, but the Cowboys had other plans. After trading back to pick 12, Slater was still there, but they opted to select Micah Parsons instead. Good decision.
If Micah Parsons plays to his full potential like he’s what he’s teasing us with thus far, there should be ZERO regrets in passing up Rashawn Slater…regardless of how great Slater continues to look and despite what our OL is dealing with right now.
— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) September 5, 2021
Slater has been a great player for the Los Angeles Chargers, who selected him right after Parsons with pick 13. Slater has made the Pro Bowl in two of his first four seasons in the league. However, as good as Slater has been, Parsons has been out of this world better. Not only was he the best pick at 12, but retrospectively, he was arguably the best pick of the entire draft.
2020
My pick: OT Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
Best pick: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
The athletic Tristan Wirfs was projected to be the first tackle taken in the 2020 draft, but surprisingly, three tackles were selected before him. The New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets all took a different offensive tackle handing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a gift. The three other tackles have zero Pro Bowls between them, while Wirfs has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last four seasons, including earning All-Pro honors three times. Picking the right player for the position you need is important.
One of my biggest fears last year was that the New York Giants would select Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs no. 4 overall. They picked a different OT and Wirfs went on to protect Tom Brady in the Super Bowl.
What is currently your worst nightmare draft scenario involving a rival team?
— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) February 13, 2021
That argument also rang true for wide receivers that season. Two teams passed up on CeeDee Lamb, allowing the Cowboys to get him with pick 17. But Las Vegas (Henry Ruggs) and Denver (Jerry Jeudy) slipped up on taking the wrong receiver, the Philadelphia Eagles made it even worse when they picked Jalen Reagor at 21 instead of Justin Jefferson (Minnesota, pick 22). Despite being the fifth WR selected, Jefferson would have been the best pick at 12 in that draft.
Who would you have taken with the 12th overall pick in the last five drafts?
