Dallas Cowboys NFL Draft Odds: Tight End, Running Back Top Priorities?

They’re called America’s Team, but the Dallas Cowboys haven’t even advanced to the NFC Championship in 28 years. The hope is that consecutive years of regular season success, and last year's small taste of postseason success, builds to a bigger 2023. 

The Cowboys went 12-5 in each of the past two seasons, and advanced to the NFC Divisional Round in 2022, after falling in the Wild Card round the year prior. Dallas hasn’t had three-straight playoff berths since going six straight times from 1991-96, but with an offense and defense that each ranked top 5 in points, optimism is high. 

Bookies.com oddsmaker Adam Thompson has used his resources of NFL contacts developed over 20 years covering the league and the NFL Draft to create his hypothetical NFL futures odds on who gets selected 26th by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Dallas Cowboys NFL Draft 1st Round Pick Odds (No. 26)

Odds are projected and are not currently available at legal betting sites or betting apps.

Who Will The Cowboys Take In 2023 NFL Draft?

With Dalton Schultz now a Houston Texan, there is a sizeable hole in the lineup at tight end. Jake Ferguson had just 19 receptions in 16 games, but this is a good class to be in need at that position. 

Michael Mayer of Notre Dame, Darnell Washington of Georgia and Dalton Kincaid of Utah are all considered first-round-level TEs. Only the Packers and maybe the Chargers pick before Dallas and have a clear need at TE, so at least one of them should be there when it’s the Cowboys' turn on the clock. 

Mayer is considered the all-around choice. The mammoth Washington scored off the charts athletically, while Kincaid was more productive in college and has been getting favorable scores from scouts. Any of them could be available at No. 27 for the Cowboys to choose from. 

Bijan Robinson Odds To join Dallas Cowboys

Running back is now a spot of concern in Dallas. Ezekiel Elliott has been cut and Tony Pollard was given the franchise tag but is returning from a broken leg suffered in the playoffs. Bijan Robinson of Texas is by far the No. 1 running back in the draft and is considered an immediate boost to any offense. While it’s unlikely he drops this far, the Cowboys would almost surely not let him drop any further if he did. 

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If Robinson isn’t around, Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs is next up. Gibbs tested through the roof at the NFL Combine and had nearly 1,400 all-purpose yards as the top RB of the Crimson Tide. 

O’Cyrus Torrence is the top interior lineman in the draft and the only one considered a first-round talent. One pitfall: The rival New York Giants, who pick No. 25, are also in need of an interior lineman, and if they know the Cowboys want him, that might be the tiebreaker. Darnell Wright, a huge tackle from Tennessee, is projecting as a guard at the next level and could be the choice here as well. 

All three levels of the defense are in play for improvement at the NFL Draft, perhaps most notably at linebacker. Arkansas LB and Texas native Drew Sanders is considered a Day One starter at the position. He was a top-five performer at the NFL Combine and was once the No. 1 high school recruit out of Texas. You know Jerry Jones loves local stories like that. 

A hole at cornerback was filled in free agency by veteran Stephon Gilmore but the team still could use help/insurance at the position. Maryland’s Deonte Banks has all the tangibles you want in a plus-level CB. He stands a good chance of being the best CB available at No. 26 by a decent margin.

The Field is led by receivers, though the addition of Brandin Cooks in a trade with the Houston Texans diminished the clear need at the position. WR depth is still a consideration after Michael Gallup failed to meet expectations and the reserves behind CeeDee Lamb struggled as well. Jalin Hyatt of Tennessee is one of those possible first rounders, and the one most likely to be available at No. 26, though USC’s Jordan Addison, TCU’s Quentin Johnston or Boston College’s Zay Flowers could be snagged if available as well. 

Dallas Cowboys 2023 NFL Draft Picks

• Round 1 (Pick 26)
• Round 2 (Pick 58)
• Round 3 (Pick 90)
• Round 4 (Pick 129)
• Round 5 (Pick 169)
• Round 6 (Pick 212)
• Round 7 (Pick 244)