B+
Dallas Cowboys
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Cowboys and Jackson: B+.
by Daunte61 ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 8 steals
· 2 reaches
You build a draft on nights like this. Ja'Quinden Jackson had no business being available in pick 248, and the Cowboys did the only sane thing and turned in the card. A dependable weekend that grades out a B+.
The Thornton Jr. pick is the one the value grade keeps tripping over. The cornerback hole is the one line item this class does not answer.
On the needs board they went 6 of 8, with wide receiver the one that mattered most.
In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 12 they get a bell-cow for the offense, outstanding value to boot. A real need, handled.
Derrick Harmon in the 55th pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Taking Jihaad Campbell in slot 76 is close to grand larceny; a linebacker that good had no business lasting this long. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They did well to land Savion Williams in pick 113, just ahead of his grade. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They robbed the room for Quinshon Judkins here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They reached a country mile for Dont'e Thornton Jr. at the Round 5 slot, and the board is aghast. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Oronde Gadsden II at the 168th overall pick is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It fills a real need, too.
Steal is underselling it; Smael Mondon Jr. at pick No. 170 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They will replay Billy Bowman Jr. at pick No. 173 for years; that is how good the value is. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Miles Frazier in the 186th overall pick is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
DJ Campbell at the 209th pick is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the offensive lineman. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Somehow Ja'Quinden Jackson was still sitting there in pick 248, and they pounced on premier running back value. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.