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The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2024 NFL Draft with high expectations and a few glaring needs. After another season of falling short in the playoffs, Jerry Jones and his team aimed to improve both sides of the ball. While some of their choices left fans scratching their heads, and some glaring needs (running back) were left unaddressed, the overall draft class showed promise and potential for solidifying the Cowboys' roster for another post-season push.
Round 1: Tyler Guyton, OT | Grade: B
Tyler Guyton was a player I had a second-round grade on, but he was projected to go in the first and I became pretty content with that reality. After trading down, the Cowboys secured him, which was one of the landing spots I predicted in my mock draft. Guyton offers a nice blend of day 1 starting ability and developmental upside. Though he's a bit raw and unrefined compared to other first-round linemen, this was a solid pick for the Cowboys after trading down.
Round 2: Marshawn Kneeland, DL | Grade: C+
I don’t really love the Marshawn Kneeland pick. He gained a lot of steam late in the draft process, and while I liked him, I can’t justify using second-round draft capital. He's a bit of a tweener, listed by many as an EDGE, but I see him better suited on the interior, especially with Dallas having a deep EDGE group. He’s not a bad player but doesn’t offer a massive ceiling despite some upside as a pass rusher.
Round 3: Cooper Beebe, G | Grade: A
I really liked the Cooper Beebe pick for Dallas. I see him as a high-floor guy who can come in and compete for a starting job on the interior of the offensive line. His multi-position flexibility makes him a valuable asset for the Cowboys.
Round 4: Marist Liufau, LB | Grade: D-
Marist Liufau was simply not a top-100 caliber player in almost any draft class. He’s a solid run-defending linebacker but lacks any significant upside. I had him graded as a fifth-round pick and would have preferred the Cowboys to address another position given the weak linebacker class this year.
Round 5: Caelen Carson, CB | Grade: A+
Getting Caelen Carson at the back end of the fifth round was a steal. He has great size, good speed, and physicality, and his tape is impressive. He was a fringe top-10 corner in a very strong cornerback class for me. This is a phenomenal pick for the Cowboys.
Round 6: Ryan Flournoy, WR | Grade: A-
Ryan Flournoy is a solid player, chosen right around where he should have gone, perhaps a touch late. He’s a big body with good athleticism, although somewhat raw as a pure pass catcher. Still, I like this pick and think he is a good addition to the Cowboys' wide receiver room.
Round 7: Nathan Thomas, OL | Grade: B+
Nathan Thomas got some buzz late in the draft process but I didn't really agree. He’s a versatile offensive line depth piece and a solid athlete with some upside. A solid pick nonetheless in the seventh round for Dallas.
Round 7: Justin Rogers, DT | Grade: A
Justin Rogers is excellent nose tackle depth in the seventh round. I had a true sixth-round grade on him, so getting him with one of the last picks in the draft could prove to be a smart move for a team needing to improve its run defense.
Final Grade: B
