D
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys robbed the room for Singleton. Final grade: D.
by Daunte61 ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 19 picks
· 16 steals
· 3 reaches
Somewhere a scout is still blinking. The Cowboys spent the 140th overall pick on Donovan Smith, a name the board had a full 73 spots lower. A weekend that fought the value and lost, hence the D.
The Singleton pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged. The trades bled value they could not afford to lose.
They are betting the present roster is worth a lighter draft next spring.
The verdict is not kind, and fairly so; this class has a hill to climb.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a three-down runner at a price that makes it sweeter.
A reach on Emeka Egbuka in Round 1, Pick 19; the board had better options right there. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Nick Emmanwori at pick No. 44 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. It adds depth where they could use a little.
A offensive lineman of that caliber at slot 55 is the definition of value, full stop. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Alfred Collins at No. 74. It fills a real need, too.
A quiet steal in Round 3, Pick 12: Jalen Royals for less than the market said. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Taking TreVeyon Henderson in the 86th pick is close to grand larceny; a running back that good had no business lasting this long. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
The board fumbled Andrew Mukuba all the way to the 110th overall pick, and they scooped it up. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
Luke Kandra slid further than he should have, and slot 119 is lovely value for the offensive lineman. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Somehow Smael Mondon Jr. was still sitting there in pick 122, and they pounced on premier linebacker value. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Domani Jackson in pick No. 137. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Cam Skattebo in the Round 5 slot is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Donovan Smith at pick 140 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. The roster fit checks out.
Circle this one: Oronde Gadsden II at the 170th overall pick is a fall that decides a draft. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Sonny Styles in Round 5, Pick 34 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
Cody Simon at slot 187 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They barely believed it either: Nicholas Singleton still on the board at No. 209. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Xavier Nwankpa in the Round 7 slot is a gift, value that borders on unfair. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
Julian Fleming in pick No. 247 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.