The 2025 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away and there hasn't been any talk about teams potentially trading up.
That doesn't mean chaos won't ensue on April 24, but that is perhaps a testament to this class not being nearly as as strong as its predecessors. In fact, insiders are hearing it is more likely that teams try to trade out of the first round.
The Dallas Cowboys are a wild card in this regard, though it stands to reason they would much rather trade down to net another day two pick than move up. That could change if Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter or even Mason Graham fall to within striking distance, but the odds of that happening are very slim.
There simply aren't many prospects worth trading up for this year. Don't tell that to Gennaro Filice of NFL.com, though. In his second mock draft, Filice has Dallas moving up to No. 8 overall to select one of Micah Parsons' favorite players in the class: Georgia OLB Jalon Walker.
Cowboys trade up for Jalon Walker, who Micah Parsons loves, in new mock draft
"Wait, doesn’t Dallas already have a twitchy LB/edge hybrid?," Filice writes. "Yeah, but why settle for one when you can have two?! Alright, that comp’s aggressive, but the pairing would be undeniably fun. And Parsons is a well-documented fan of Walker's game."
Filice is right that Parsons is a fan of Walker. On multiple occasions last season, Parsons tweeted out his admiration for Walker's game. While Parsons would love for Dallas to draft Penn State edge Abdul Carter, Walker would be one of Parsons' favorite picks in the first round.
But it wouldn't be the best pick for Dallas - at least not on these terms.
Filice did not reveal the compensation required to move up for Walker. It would probably cost the Cowboys their third-round pick this year since they would move into the top 10. It would be huge to keep the No. 44 pick, but this roster has too many needs to go without a pick in rounds three and four.
If Dallas loses its third (No. 73 overall), they wouldn't address one of wide receiver, running back or cornerback until day three. They can get away with that at RB, but WR and CB are a different story.
Walker split his snaps at outside linebacker, inside linebacker and edge rusher. He could moonlight at all three positions in the NFL. His versatility and upside as a pass-rusher make him one of the best players in the draft.
The former Bulldog would be a fun addition to a defense that already boasts downhill thumpers like Parsons, DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Liufau. It'd be an interesting conversation if he dropped to No. 12, but a trade-up should be out of the equation because the front office hasn't done nearly enough to paper over the other cracks of the roster.
Sorry, Micah.
