Many fans were frustrated with the first pick for the Dallas Cowboys draft in 2022 when the team selected raw offensive tackle prospect Tyler Smith instead of one of several highly rated players that were still on the board. Time will tell if the Cowboys made the right choice or completely missed and in the process passed on a perennial Pro-Bowler. In any case, here is a look at the how the Cowboys draft class could have looked like, if team had gone in an entirely different direction.
ROUND 1, PICK #24……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
TYLER LINDERBAUM, C, IOWA
The Cowboys indicated that they were not high on Linderbaum because he only plays one position. While that may be true, he does play that one position a lot better than anyone else in the draft class. Concerns about size be damned, the Cowboys solidify their offensive line for years to come with a potential All-Pro anchoring the unit for the next decade.
ROUND 2, PICK #56……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
NAKOBE DEAN, LB, GEORGIA
Sam Williams was almost a foregone conclusion to be drafted at pick #56 by the Cowboys. He is a player the Cowboys loved and were therefore willing to gamble on some character concerns. Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean was a player that wasn’t expected to fall to pick #56 and especially not into the third round where the rival Philadelphia Eagles scooped him up. Cowboys fans would have been ecstatic if Dallas pulled the trigger on a falling Nakobe Dean in the second round of the draft.
ROUND 3, PICK #88……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
JALEN TOLBERT, WR, SOUTH ALABAMA
For many Cowboys fans, Jalen Tolbert was their favorite pick in the entire draft. So, why mess with a good thing. If the people are happy with Tolbert at pick #88 I am not going to mess with that.
ROUND 4, PICK #129……the Dallas Cowboy select…………….
ISAIAH LIKELY, TE, COASTAL CAROLINA
The Cowboys drafted tight end Jake Ferguson with their fourth round pick but many fans would have preferred Isaiah Likely who is a better receiver was ranked higher than Ferguson on Dane Brugler of the Athletic’s prospect rankings.
It was after Jake Ferguson was drafted, that Cowboys fans generally stopped complaining about the team’s draft picks. In fact, it was widely believed that day 3 was by far the best day of the draft for the Cowboys so I am going to leave the remaining picks just as they were. Below is a comparison of the 2 draft classes: Which would you have preferred?
| Dallas Cowboys 2022 Draft Class | Dallas Cowboys 2022 “What If” Draft Class |
| Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa | Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa |
| Sam Williams, DE, Ole Miss | Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia |
| Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama | Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama |
| Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin | Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina |
| Matt Waletzko, OL, North Dakota | Matt Waletzko, OL, North Dakota |
| Daron Bland, CB, Fresno State | Daron Bland, CB, Fresno State |
| Damone Clark, LB, LSU | Damone Clark, LB, LSU |
| John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas | John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas |
| Devin Harper, LB, Oklahoma State | Devin Harper, LB, Oklahoma State |