B
Dallas Cowboys
Grand theft in No. 249: the Cowboys steal Mafah and grade out a B.
by Derrick ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 8 steals
· 1 reaches
Every so often the board makes a mistake, and the Cowboys were there to profit. Phil Mafah, the No. 177 name on the board, should have been long gone before Round 7, Pick 31.
Every board in the league had Thomas lower, and that gap is the story. Leaving cornerback unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but cornerback.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick No. 12 they get a three-down runner at a price that makes it sweeter. A real need, handled.
Jonah Savaiinaea at pick 44 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A tidy bit of business in Round 3, Pick 12, where Deone Walker graded well above the range. It fills a real need, too.
They talked themselves into R Mason Thomas at the Round 5 slot, and the board did not agree. A minor itch, scratched.
A quiet steal in No. 170: Nick Nash for less than the market said. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Jay Higgins at the 172nd pick is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A top-tier offensive lineman at a bargain, Jack Nelson in slot 174, plain and simple. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They barely believed it either: Kobe King still on the board at the 190th overall pick. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Dont'e Thornton Jr. in slot 211 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
You do not let a running back like Phil Mafah reach the 249th pick and blink. They did not. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.