The Dallas Cowboys had the second-best point differential in the NFL last season and the No. 1 offense. And yet, they couldn’t get out of the Wild Card Round of the playoffs after losing to the San Francisco 49ers at home. Now, the Cowboys are in a mini-rebuild as they look toward the future. The team has moved on from Amari Cooper, Randy Gregory, Cedrick Wilson and Connor Williams.
But is it possible for the Cowboys to nail their 2022 draft class and become a legitimate contender in the NFC again? Or do they have too many needs to compete with the Rams, Packers and Buccaneers in the conference?
Texas sports betting has not been legalized, but Arkansas and Louisiana have legal mobile sports betting, along with retail sportsbooks.
Here are the Cowboys’ 2022 draft picks, along with their biggest needs:
Dallas Cowboys 2022 NFL Draft Picks
- Round 1 (No. 24)
- Round 2 (No. 56)
- Round 3 (No. 88)
- Round 4 (No. 129)
- Round 5 (No. 155)
- Round 5 (No. 167)
- Round 5 (No. 176)
- Round 5 (No. 178)
- Round 6 (No. 193)
Dallas Cowboys Biggest Needs in 2022 NFL Draft
- Left Guard
- EDGE
- Linebacker
With Connor Williams leaving in free agency for the Miami Dolphins, the NFC East champion Cowboys are left with a giant hole at left guard. Connor McGovern started a few games there last season and the Cowboys quickly pulled him off the field. They need to use one of their premium picks to fill that spot. If the Cowboys decide to use a first-round pick to fill their left guard need, Boston College’s Zion Johnson would make a ton of sense at No. 24.
Another need for Dallas is at defensive end after the team botched the Randy Gregory deal. The Cowboys thought they had an agreement in place with Gregory, but some disagreements over offset language allowed him to bolt for Denver. The Cowboys re-signed Dorance Armstrong, but they need some more juice off the edge. Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson is a good fit as he has the size, athleticism and production to be a star in Dan Quinn’s defense.
But the Cowboys also have another option at defensive end. They could use Micah Parsons more in that role as we saw him become an All-Pro player last year rushing the passer. That might be the best option for the Cowboys, but they would then be in the market for more off-the-ball linebacker help.
Nakobe Dean (Georgia) is a name to keep in mind in Round 1. But look for the Cowboys to explore some linebacker possibilities on Day 2. Channing Tindall (Georgia) and Damone Clark (LSU) are two of the most athletic sideline-to-sideline linebackers in this class and both could be starters right away for Dallas. Both are expected to be picked sometime between picks 50-100.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Cowboys will need help at receiver after trading away Amari Cooper. They have CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup under contract, but another first-round receiver isn't out of the equation. Keep an eye on Treylon Burks (Arkansas) as the Cowboys have a lot of interest in him.
Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl 57 Odds
The Cowboys have seen their Super Bowl odds drop throughout the offseason as they are now just +1600 to win the Super Bowl on DraftKings. They are still the favorites to win the NFC East (-115), but their overall roster is just much worse than it was at the end of last year. The Cowboys still have some sleeper appeal considering their quarterback, but it’s tough to get too excited about this roster and team overall.
