Because the Dallas Cowboys are “America's Team,” they will always be front and center when it comes to the public eye watching them with their roster building. This year, the team has a somewhat premier draft pick, as they are drafting 12th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Fans are intrigued to see who Jerry Jones adds to the roster, especially because the team is coming off the first season in which they didn't appear in the postseason in four years.
The Cowboys' roster has regressed significantly over the last couple of seasons, and they need to have a hit in the first round this year. So, what are the team's biggest draft needs, and which player perfectly fits the roster and can help get them back on track?
Cowboys' positional needs
The Cowboys have/will have a lot of money invested in three players. CeeDee Lamb is one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in NFL history, and Dak Prescott's deal pays him the highest average annual value of any NFL player ever. Even Micah Parsons, who is still playing on his rookie contract, will likely reset the market when he signs a new deal.
With such big investments in their big three, the Cowboys have struggled to build a complete and deep roster. They are particularly thin on offense. Their once-elite offensive line isn't nearly as talented as it used to be, especially now that Zach Martin has retired. The skill positions are pretty weak, too.
Lamb is one of the best receivers in football, but he has almost no help, which has led to Prescott force-feeding the ball to his top target. Another receiving option would really open up the offense. The Cowboys running back room is also a disaster. Last year, after letting Tony Pollard walk in free agency, the Cowboys had a well-past-his-prime Ezekiel Elliott and an unproven Rico Dowdle as their top backs.
Both ball carriers struggled, and now neither is on the team. They were replaced by free agent acquisitions Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, but neither of those players should be looked at as upgrades despite the Cowboys finishing near the bottom in rushing yards in 2024.
Williams and Sanders have both struggled with efficiency in recent years, and the Cowboys would be best off using them as backups. Williams hasn't looked like the same player who showed tons of potential as a rookie since he suffered an early-career knee injury, and Sanders' impressive 2022 season has looked like a massive fluke. Sanders has put up underwhelming numbers in both of his seasons since leaving the Philadelphia Eagles.
Cowboys' perfect 2025 NFL Draft fit
Considering Ashton Jeanty is one of the best running back prospects in recent memory, a lot of fans will plead for the Cowboys to draft him. The Boise State product finished second in Heisman voting after having one of the best single-season rushing campaigns ever. Jeanty ran for 2,601 yards, which only trails Barry Sanders for the college football record.
However, a running back at pick 12 might still be a little bit early for some, which means that Jeanty isn't the Cowboys' best fit. The Cowboys have experienced first hand what drafting an elite running back prospect early is like. The team took Elliot fourth overall in 2016, and he went to three Pro Bowls within his first four years. However, injuries and a high usage rate started to add up, and Elliot quickly started to regress.
A short prime could be something that scares the Cowboys off from taking Jeanty, which means that they should address the receiver position. Matthew Golden and Tetairoa McMillan both have a cases as the best pure receivers – Travis Hunter is a two-way player – in this class.
Golden is a speed threat, but McMillan's possession ability will better fit alongside Lamb. McMillan is 6-foot-5, so he thrives coming down with jump balls and winning battles in the red zone. Prescott had a disappointing 2024 season, but a security blanket player like McMillan could help get him back on track.
