The Cowboys made the bold decision to let Tyler Biadasz walk in free agency last offseason with the hope that they could replace him in a strong center draft. They were able to accomplish that after trading down in Round 1, picking up an additional third-round choice that they ended up using on Cooper Beebe from Kansas State.
Beebe started 16 games at center for the Cowboys, making the transition from guard to center in the NFL. Beebe did not start a game at center at Kansas State, instead, he played left tackle and guard for the Wildcats. He was immediately thrown into the starting lineup, but managed to improve as the season went along. But where does he rank among his peers going into a pivotal 2025 season?
In a recent article by Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus, he ranked the top 32 centers in the league heading into the 2025 season. Beebe finished right in the middle of the pack, coming in at No. 16, one spot behind Biadasz, the player he replaced in 2024.
Cowboys' second-year OL Cooper Beebe is a star in the making
Here is why the site is optimistic about Beebe going into Year 2:
"Beebe had a bit of a tough start to his rookie campaign, posting just a 60.5 PFF overall grade during the first half of the season. But he performed well to close out the year and earned a 69.6 PFF overall grade through the final eight weeks, which ranked in the top 10 at the position over that span. If Beebe can carry that momentum into Year 2, he has the ability to climb these rankings."
Mason Cameron, Pro Football Focus
Beebe will play next to two first-round picks at guard in Tyler Smith and Tyler Booker, which should be excellent news for his long-term outlook. And if Booker can be as good as advertised for Dallas, the Cowboys could have one of the league’s best interior offensive lines right away. He's also one of the younger centers in the league, turning 24 in May.
The good news for Beebe is that he has had a full offseason to prepare for playing center compared to last year when he was training for the NFL Draft. It wasn’t until May when he finally started to practice snapping. For that reason alone, he should be significantly better during the 2025 season as he has plenty of snaps under his belt.
If Beebe can continue to play at the level we saw in the second half of the year and perform as a top 10 center, who knows just how high the ceiling might be for this offensive line. His development will be one to watch as the season progresses as he has all of the traits to be a dominant center in the NFL..
