The last time the Dallas Cowboys moved up in the first round of the NFL Draft was in 2012 for cornerback Morris Claiborne. Perhaps as a reaction to the poor result of that move, they haven't tried it again since.
Going into the 2025 NFL Draft, it seems unlikely that will change. The Cowboys have way too many roster needs and have publicly talked about moving down to gain more draft picks, which the front office famously sees as more valuable assets than the average franchise given its philosophy to build through the Draft.
But is there a unique talent that could push them to making a shocking move in the next handful of hours? A to Z Sports' Draft expert Destin Adams believes so.
In his final mock draft of the year, Adams surprisingly has the Cowboys moving all the way up from No. 12 to No. 5 and picking running back Ashton Jeanty:
It wouldn't be the NFL Draft without a few trades, now would it? The Cowboys were heavily connected to Ashton Jeanty early in this process, but his draft stock continued to rise ahead of their draft slot at 12. In recent days, all the smoke leads to the Jaguars taking Jeanty if they stay at 5, but that getting out this close to the draft smells awfully like a team trying to generate trade interest. So the Cowboys moved a hefty package of picks to move up and land the 2024 Heisman runner-up to drastically improve a running game that desperately needs it. - Destin Adams
Earlier in the year, it seemed every mock draft your eyes came across had Jeanty and the Cowboys penciled in together. That changed the closer we got to the Draft as the star running back began to emerge as a surefire Top 7 draft pick.
To make such a move, the Cowboys would likely need to be willing to part ways with their second-round draft pick at minimum. Per the Rich Hill trade chart, that would make it close to an even trade. The Jags' pitching in Pick 142 in the fifth round would make it dead even but there's usually a premium when it comes to moving into the Top 5.
Would the Cowboys seriously entertain this scenario?
Predicting the NFL Draft is dangerous business if you go around saying "never." But it would be an enormously uncharacteristic move from the Cowboys. It's true they badly need a running back and one must wonder if earlier in the year they thought they'd have a better shot at landing Jeanty.
"Well, Saquon (Barkley) and Philadelphia got your attention," Cowboys GM Jerry Jones told reporters Tuesday. "There's no question about it, you'd be down if you’re doing what we do and don’t see that happen."
Jones added the importance of the Eagles' offensive line and argued the Cowboys' struggles at the position had more to do with the team's trenches.
But regardless of how much of a need the Cowboys consider running back to be, the truth is this front office values its picks and doesn't give them up easily. As special as Jeanty is in an otherwise questionable draft class, I don't see them throwing their usual strategy out the window tonight.
But this is the NFL Draft. Never say never.
