3 Easter eggs the Cowboys could find waiting for them in the upcoming NFL draft (2024)

Happy Easter, Cowboys Nation!

This will be a joyous day for many young children as they will dress up in their Sunday best only to brush along the high-cut grass of grandma’s backyard in search of those beautifully decorated Easter eggs. As children ourselves at one point in our lives, we understand the feeling this brings when a discovery is made.

For children everywhere, that day has come. For draft junkies, we are just 25 days away from when our beloved Dallas Cowboys will attempt to fill their basket with fresh new college prospects. The NFL draft is a big weekend for the Cowboys who have scoffed at any of the March Easter candy from free agency. They’ll pass on the overpriced chocolate bunnies, who tempt buyers with an abundance of deliciousness only to be hollow inside. Forget about those dreadful marshmallows peeps that people get suckered into ingesting every year only to be reminded that they are, in fact, disgusting.

Instead, the Cowboys will patiently stroll along looking for the perfect eggs. It’s a successful hunt they have pulled off many times before and with less draft capital this year, they’ll need to find a way to leave the draft with a basket full of goodies. Here are three eggs that could make an immediate impact for the Cowboys this upcoming season.

AN ALL-PRO TACKLE IN THE FIRST ROUND

After losing both Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz in free agency, many will say the Cowboys have backed themselves into a corner where they have no choice but to take an offensive lineman with pick 24. But rest assured, the Cowboys are ahead of the game. They will take a lineman, not because they have to, but because that’s where the talent lies in this year’s draft class. Think about this, four quarterbacks will go top 10 with the possibility of two more being taken late in the first round. Six wide receivers are expected to go in the first round. And this tackle class features eight players who are possible first-round selections. That’s ridiculously deep.

Jordan Morgan, Arizona

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Honestly, who the Cowboys take is anyone’s guess. There are a lot of great choices. Arizona’s Jordan Morgan is a guy who fits the description as he’s not a clear top guy and the Cowboys like to dance to the beat of their own drum. Remember, six offensive linemen were taken ahead of Tyler Smith in 2022, but Smith was that Cadbury creme egg.

Morgan is an experienced lineman who possesses both strength and athleticism. With long arms and a powerful punch, he does a good job keeping pass rushers at bay upon attack. He’s also effective in the run game as he can get out in space and twist defenders out of the play once engaged. He’s not likely to be the most eye-catching egg lurking in the grass, but this one has substance.

ONE OF THE TOP COLLEGIATE LINEBACKERS IN ROUND TWO

As great as they have drafted in the early rounds, round two hasn’t always been as kind to them. Some less-than-flattering second-round selections over the last decade include Kelvin Joseph, Trysten Hill, Jaylon Smith, and Randy Gregory. Even last year’s pick, Luke Schoonmaker, has raised plenty of eyebrows.

But that doesn’t mean the Cowboys aren’t capable of finding a stud if the draft falls a certain way. That’s exactly what happened back in 2020 when Trevon Diggs was still available at pick 51.

Just as the Cowboys “reached” for Morgan in the first round, they’ll have a stud fall into their lap in round two. Again, the deep talent at QB, WR, and OT will push the talent at other positions down the board, and when you add all the defensive linemen who will start popping off the board in round two, this could leave one of the top linebackers in this year’s draft class.

Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M

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Cooper has the prototypical size for an NFL linebacker, which the Cowboys lacked last year. His long arms make him a wrap-up beast, but what’s impressive is his seek-and-destroy play style. This guy is a missile to his target with exceptional closing speed. He’s a relentless pursuer who always finds his way to the ball carrier. Adding him to a group that already features two youngsters in DeMarvion Overshown and Damone Clark alongside the veteran tutelage of Eric Kendricks could suddenly make linebacker a position of strength for the Cowboys.

A FOUR-YEAR STARTING RUNNING BACK IN ROUND THREE

The Cowboys running back group once featured Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, but in back-to-back offseasons, both of them are gone. Adding concern to the equation is that the front office has done next to nothing to remodel the position group. No offense, Rico Dowdle.

With no external veteran free agent added (at least not yet), the Cowboys must come away with a new running back from this year’s draft. The good news is half a dozen options should be available starting after the Cowboys' second-round pick and lasting until their third. Some are targeting Florida State’s Trey Benson in the second round, which isn’t the worst idea in the world, but if they wait, they could end up finding a winner a round later.

Jaylen Wright, Tennessee

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From the moment his highlight film graced the eyes of this fan, Wright became an early pet cat. His 4.38 speed can take it the distance which is something the team lacked last season as Pollard’s longest run was just 31 yards. More than just that, Wright is a patient runner who will wait for the holes to develop, and then attack. He’s not a wiggly guy who will break many ankles, but if the defense takes a wrong angle, look out. He also possesses the physical toughness and pass protection savviness to step in and take on the bulk of the workload right out of the gate.

What would be your ideal scenario after the first three rounds of the draft?