Dallas Cowboys: Potential first-round trade-up candidates
A report surfaced on Wednesday, the day before the 2022 NFL Draft begins, that the Dallas Cowboys could look to trade-up in the first-round. More reports later surfaced that there could be some trade action in the top-15 on Thursday evening. The Dallas Cowboys currently hold the No. 24 overall pick in the first-round. Trading […]
A report surfaced on Wednesday, the day before the 2022 NFL Draft begins, that the Dallas Cowboys could look to trade-up in the first-round. More reports later surfaced that there could be some trade action in the top-15 on Thursday evening.
The Dallas Cowboys currently hold the No. 24 overall pick in the first-round. Trading up would likely require Dallas to part ways with multiple selections — including its second-round pick. Such a move has a fair amount of risk to consider.
With that said, the Cowboys would be smart to make a move if there is a player worthy of parting multiple picks for. Cowboys VP Stephen Jones recently revealed that the team considers there to be "14-16" first-round prospects in this year's class.
Jones also hinted that the team is not very high on the prospects that could be sitting there in the second-round. That leads to believe that the Cowboys are highly considering using its No. 56 overall selection to move up into the top-15.
There are a handful of players that would make sense for the Dallas Cowboys to trade-up for. The team has three obvious needs heading into draft weekend: offensive line, wide receiver, and edge. Therefore, it is not difficult to pin down who the Cowboys could have their eyes on.
Charles Cross — Mississippi State offensive tackle
Charles Cross is widely regarded as one of the top overall prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft class. The left tackle out of Mississippi State is a smooth athlete that made a career out of protecting the quarterback on the collegiate level. That has to be music to Dak Prescott's ears.
The former five-star recruit could very well be a top-five selection; however, some concerns about his ability to run block could cause Cross to slide. If in range, Charles Cross would be a great target for the Cowboys to trade up for. He has some versatility, with some teams thinking he can play guard, and could be the long-term successor to Tyron Smith.
Kayvon Thibodeaux — Oregon edge
Kayvon Thibodeaux is among the best talents in the entire draft. The former five-star prospect shined while at Oregon, becoming one of the top defensive players in all of college football. He is a plus-pass rusher and is strong playing the run.
A fall, however, could be possible due to teams questioning Thibodeaux's football character. Once considered by many to be the top player in the class, there seems to be a somewhat realistic possibility that Thibodeaux falls outside of the top-10. That would seemingly put him in range for the Cowboys to make a move and fill the loss of Randy Gregory.
Top wide receiver
Finally, the Dallas Cowboys could certainly trade-up for who the team considers to be the best wide receiver in the draft class. Who that is remains up for debate, but it does appear that the Cowboys have a lot of interest in USC wideout Drake London and Ohio State pass catcher Chris Olave.
Dallas met with both receivers in pre-draft meetings, and it looks like both could be off the board before pick No. 24. Therefore, the Cowboys would need to make a move ahead of receiver-needy teams like the Packers, Chiefs, and Eagles.
Either receiver would give the Cowboys a big boost offensively after the team traded away Amari Cooper. London is the physical receiver that can play inside and out, while Olave is the shifty pass catcher that provides a deep threat element.
One thing is for sure: the Dallas Cowboys are doing their due dilligence leading up to the NFL Draft. Whether that means the team trades up or not remains to be seen and will likely be determined by who is left on the board.
Cross, Thibodeaux, London, or Olave seem to be the four most likely trade-up candiates for the Dallas Cowboys in the first-round.
Featured image via Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
