Jerry Jones has gone on record to confirm that the Dallas Cowboys are going to target offensive line in the first round of 2022 NFL draft unless a truly elite player like CeeDee Lamb or Micah Parsons falls to them at pick #24. Whether that will be offensive tackle or interior offensive line may depend on which players are still on the board and on the influence of Cowboys OL coach Joe Philbin. The Cowboys have lost some key starters via free agency, trade, and as salary cap casualties such as Amari Cooper, Randy Gregory, Connor Williams, and Cedrick Wilson. Will McClay and the scouting department will have their work cut out for them to fill some of those holes in the draft. Here is a full 7 round Dallas Cowboys mock draft version 2.0 for 2022. This mock draft emphasizes players that the Cowboys have shown interest in and are therefore likely to draft.
ROUND 1, PICK #24……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
KEYNON GREEN, OG, TEXAS A&M
Keynon Green is big, powerful lineman who can dominate in the NFL as a run blocker. He is one of the better interior offensive line prospects in the draft but could be available for the Cowboys at 24 being less athletic than guys like Tyler Linderbaum or Zion Johnson. If the Cowboys did draft Green in the first round, he projects to be an immediate starter for them at guard with the potential to develop into a pro-bowl caliber offensive lineman.
ROUND 2, PICK #56……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
SAM WILLIAMS, EDGE, OLE MISS
Sam Williams has become a popular selection in Dallas Cowboys mock drafts ever since Dan Quinn worked him out at his Pro-Day. Williams also revealed to reporters that he has had several conversations with the Dallas Cowboys during the draft process. The second round might seem a bit rich for Williams but it does make a lot of sense for the Cowboys to draft him here for several reasons. Edge rushers are a prime position and tend to get drafted earlier than projected. Dan Quinn appears to have quite a bit of influence in the war room and if he is high on Williams, the Cowboys might be inclined to be more aggressive. Williams does have some character concerns but that has never really stopped Jerry Jones in the past and the second round of the draft is where he traditionally likes to roll the dice. For all these reasons, it makes a ton of sense that the Cowboys would draft Williams at pick #56.
ROUND 3, PICK #88……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
JOHN METCHIE III, ALABAMA
The Cowboys are bringing in some of the top wide receivers in the draft for 30 visits in Drake London, Treylon, Burks, and Chris Olave. John Metchie III is not on that list but he is an intriguing option for the Cowboys outside of the top tier receivers. Metchie is coming off of an ACL tear which will impact his draft stock. It is plausible that he could be an option for the Cowboys in the third round and could immediately start for them as a slot receiver as a rookie if healthy. Metchie is an extremely smart and hard nosed football player coming from the wide receiver factory at Alabama. He is a very good route runner and he is highly elusive in the open field with the ball in his hands. He could quickly evolve into one of Dak Prescott’s most trusted options in the passing game.
ROUND 4, PICK #129……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
JELANI WOODS, TE, VIRGINIA
Another hot name among Cowboys fans is Virginia TE Jelani Woods. Woods is skyrocketing up many peoples draft boards because of his freakish combine performance and his truly rare size. He is not the most polished player at his position but he offers tremendous upside. The Cowboys franchised tagged Dalton Schultz in the offseason to remain the starter but they are clearly looking to draft and develop a tight end for the future. Jelani Woods is one of several tight ends on the teams’ radar including Jalen Wydermyer, Isaiah Likely, Jeremy Ruckert, Grant Calcaterra, and Cade Otton. I fully expect the Cowboys to draft a tight end on day 2 of the 2022 draft or very early on day 3.
ROUND 5, PICK #155……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
CADE MAYS, OL, TENNESSEE
Cade Mays is a player once projected to be an early round pick but his draft stock has plummeted substantially over the past few weeks. Mays has experience playing all 5 positions on the offensive line but that may work against him as he may be considered a jack of all trades but master of none. Mays also comes with some injury concerns which may also cause him to fall down draft boards. The Cowboys have four 5th round picks and could use one of them to draft a player who could provide depth at multiple positions or as a developmental offensive lineman wherever they see his best fit would be in the pros.
ROUND 5, PICK #167……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
KHALAN TOLSON, LB, ILLINOIS
Khalan Tolson is a versatile player who can play multiple spots at linebacker. He has good coverage skills and impressive speed. Tolson would potentially provide depth at linebacker for the Cowboys and play on special teams if he were drafted and if he can crack the 53 man roster.
ROUND 5, PICK #176……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
MARKQUESE BELL, S, FLORIDA A&M
Markquese Bell is a long, and extremely fast safety from a small school who fits the mold of the Dan Quinn protypical defensive back. He is probably more suited to be a box safety as he is not very strong in coverage. He could be a future replacement for Jayron Kearse if he is good enough to make the initial roster or stick around on the practice squad.
ROUND 5, PICK #178……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
MALIK DAVIS, RB, FLORIDA
At the NFL combine, Will McClay had hinted that there were some quality running backs in this years draft class. One of the players linked to the Cowboys is Florida’s Malik Davis. Davis has an extensive injury history but he turned a few heads at his recent Florida Pro-Day. It would be worth using a late 5th round pick to add depth to the Cowboys RB room after both Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard were both banged up last season.
ROUND 6, PICK #193……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
CHARLESTON RAMBO, WR, MIAMI
Charleston Rambo’s draft stock has dropped a bit since the combine after he underwhelmed in his athletic testing. Rambo has shown fairly good game speed and crisp route running. Drops have been a big issue for him but if the Cowboys drafted him he could come in and compete for a roster spot with the departure of Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson leaving a big hole in the Dallas Cowboys WR corps. Michael Gallup will be back but he is likely to miss a few games to start the season.