FRISCO, Texas — The pace is definitely picking up for the Dallas Cowboys as they begin to put a bow on the final day of the 2024 NFL Draft. After waiting the entirety of the fourth round, due to not having a selection, they've now made a total of three picks and the latest includes their third offensive lineman of this year's draft.
With the 233rd-overall pick, the Cowboys selected offensive tackle Nathan Thomas out of Louisiana, a native of New Orleans who can also offer value on the interior of the O-line.
Round 7, No. 233: Nathan Thomas, OL, Louisiana
Three things to know:
- Offensive tackle with guard ability
- Full-time starter in 2022
- NFL Combine invite
I'll lead with value here because, yet again, the Cowboys have landed exceptional value in getting Thomas in the seventh round when, on several boards, he was rated as high as a fourth-round pick.
He'll enter an offensive line unit that is, for all intents and purposes, being rebuilt around Tyler Smith, Zack Martin and Terence Steele, with voids at offensive tackle and center taking the main stage ahead of this year's draft. Standing at 6-foot-5, 332 lbs.,. Thomas has massive hands that maul anyone he locks into and a wingspan that helped him flash many good things at Louisiana as an edge protector.
As a pure athlete, he's more than respectable for his size, landing a 7.49 grade on the Relative Athletic Score on a scale of 1-10, so no worries about Thomas being able to manipulate his own mass.
He can, and fairly easily.
Look to him as more of a guard at the NFL level, though. That's because he's still working to perfect his pass protection, but he's a road grader as a run blocker. In other words, due to his playing demeanor that regularly seeks to manhandle someone, he's usually more comfortable seeking contact (run blocking) than receiving it (pass protection).
Big hands, as noted, combine with a seriously strong grip to allow him the ability to steer defenders like UTVs, which is ironic when considering he's not afraid to get dirty.
His lateral movement will need coaching and, again, that's a reason to expect he'll be moved inside by the Cowboys, where he'll have a better chance of excelling at the NFL level and to help Dallas resolve their issues with the rushing attack.
