B+
Dallas Cowboys
Grand theft in the 171st overall pick: the Cowboys steal Winston Jr. and grade out a B+.
by Draft Dodger ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 8 steals
· 1 reaches
Every so often the board makes a mistake, and the Cowboys were there to profit. Kevin Winston Jr., the No. 98 name on the board, should have been long gone before slot 171.
They will need Jackson to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it. For all the activity, quarterback went untouched, which is hard to explain.
Small wins on the phones, but wins all the same.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 12 they get a centerpiece for the ground game, outstanding value to boot. A real need, handled.
No drama and no debate, Aireontae Ersery went about where he belonged in No. 50. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
You do not let a linebacker like Demetrius Knight Jr. reach slot 76 and blink. They did not. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They robbed the room for Jack Bech here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Savion Williams at pick 149 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Nice patience on Ty Robinson, who had no business lasting to the Round 5 slot. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Kevin Winston Jr. at the 171st pick is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
The board had Ajani Cornelius higher than pick No. 174, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They paid sticker price for Jay Higgins in Round 6, Pick 9, and that is fine. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Cam Jackson. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Dorian Strong in slot 211 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A straight-up fair deal on Tonka Hemingway at the 247th overall pick, value and slot in agreement. The roster fit checks out.