FRISCO, Texas – First round is in the books and the Cowboys have made a huge step forward in stopping the run. Mazi Smith was their selection at 26th overall and is the first box to be checked in a long weekend of picks.
Now, the focus turns to the second and third rounds of the NFL Draft where plenty of names remain for the Cowboys to choose from. Specifically, there is a need for offensive talent after their first-round pick was used on a defender. Because of this, there are multiple possibilities on the offensive side to bolster their attack.
Much like the first round showed, there could be multiple situations that happen between pick 32, pick 58, and again until pick 90. That opens the door for more debate to emerge as the day goes along. Here are the names that could be in play for the Cowboys on Day Two.
First round is in the books and the Cowboys have made a huge step forward in stopping the run. Mazi Smith was their selection at 26th overall and is the first box to be checked in a long weekend of picks.
Drew Sanders, LB (Arkansas)
There is a notable need at linebacker. There are questions following the departure of Anthony Barr and Luke Gifford, paired with the young core of Damone Clark and Jabril Cox. And based off the short draft history of Dan Quinn and the linebacker position, they love value and pass rushing ability. Sanders brings both into the second round, after there was chatter he could even be the selection at 26.
Sam LaPorta, TE (Iowa)
Speaking of chatter at 26, LaPorta had plenty of it entering the first round. There is a known interest between the Cowboys and the former Hawkeye, but they felt Mazi Smith was the more impactful pick in the first round. Should LaPorta fall into the middle of the second, expect Dallas to debate his name again to give Dak Prescott another weapon on offense.
Michael Mayer, TE (Notre Dame)
LaPorta is not alone. One of the highest-rated tight ends in the draft did not go in the first round as anticipated. Instead, he fell victim to a deep draft at the position and it could continue to push his tag deeper into the weekend. Teams across the league still believe Mayer is a starting-caliber tight end and he could go early in the second round.
Cody Mauch, OL (North Dakota State)
With one of the key needs for Dallas out of the way on night one, the attention now turns to another one. The offensive line. It's no secret that Dallas needs to find a starting caliber guard to plug in up front. Or at the least, build depth on the front line. Why not build that depth with an elite motor and the high upside of Mauch? Who shined at the Senior Bowl and through the draft process.
O'Cyrus Torrence, IOL (Florida)
Torrence is another name up front that has been talked about for months. He slid out of the first round, which was not an unforeseen possibility, but can he last to 58? If he does, there is a strength and size skillset that could be too intriguing to pass up. His footwork would need to be polished, and his build will have to continue toning up. Either way, he'd be a force at the guard spot.
Matthew Bergeron, OT (Syracuse)
With many of the top options at offensive tackle off the board in the first round, teams will aim to jump at the versatile talent listed in the second. Bergeron fits that mold as an inside-out player that is strong and long enough to play either tackle or guard. His technically sound footwork and elite balance make him a plug-and-play lineman.
Zach Charbonnet, RB (UCLA)
The Bijan Robinson talk did not last as long on night one as it did over the last few months, as Atlanta selected the tailback at pick eight. However, the window hasn't passed on adding a high-level compliment for Tony Pollard in this draft. Charbonnet tops that list because of his natural fit and physicality. Not only the perfect fit with Pollard, but an element Dallas will be missing without Ezekiel Elliott.
Devon Achane, RB (Texas A&M)
There is a vast difference between the run style of Charbonnet and that of Achane. Charbonnet is power, Achane is blistering speed. Dallas would love either. Achane brings another home-run hitter to the backfield and complete a lethal one-two punch for a defense. Yes, a lot of his skillset lines up with Pollard, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing to line up with a player that was just handed the franchise tag.
Daiyan Henley, LB (Washington State)
Along with the linebacker need mentioned earlier, Henley could also fill the mold of a coverage-heavy linebacker and a sideline-to-sideline tackler. He may fit the value of a third-round linebacker if Dallas wants to wait that long. But the only reason he could even last into the third is the early indication given by Sanders availability on day two.
Jordan Battle, DB (Alabama)
Entering 2023, the safety position may be as secure through an entire offseason as ever before. Even with the confidence though, there is still uncertainty heading past this season. Battle emerged as one of the most reliable and sound secondary players in the country. He always found a way to make an impact for the Crimson Tide, all over the secondary. He could do the same for Dan Quinn.
