3 COWBOYS WHOSE STOCK IS SOARING AFTER THE NFL DRAFT

The Dallas Cowboys selected eight new players in the 2024 NFL Draft. With those picks, the team hopes they have found new players to fill holes left by departures during free agency. The Cowboys likely have a new starting left tackle, center, and rotational player for the defensive line. While these selections fit with the team's needs, other positions were not addressed in the draft.

Some players on the Cowboys might be fighting for roster spots, but some may be breathing a sigh of relief. Any time a team drafts a player at the same position as another veteran player, competition sets in. If a position is not addressed in the draft, the level of competition can remain almost the same. For a few players they have to believe their value increased heading into the offseason workouts.

1. S Markquese Bell

Dallas only drafted one defensive back this year, Caelen Carson from Wake Forest. Not much is expected from him in his rookie season due to the Cowboys already having Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland locked in as their starting corners. With no safety selected, Markquese Bell should see more action back at his natural position.

Although he played well as a hybrid linebacker in Dan Quinn's scheme last year, Bell has played safety for the majority of his football career. With Mike Zimmer coming in the expectation is Bell will take the role of the departed Jayron Kearse. The Cowboys starting safeties have remained the same for the past few seasons in Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson. That trend will likely continue but Bell going back to safety should make this defensive back room even deeper.

Bell shined back in the preseason in 2022, making the team as an undrafted free agent out of Florida A&M. The former Rattler stepped up big for the defense last year with injuries at linebacker. He racked up 94 tackles and forced two fumbles. With no change at the safety position other than Kearse not being brought back, Bell's value in the secondary has increased going into 2024.

2. Mazi Smith

The Cowboys did not spend a first or second day pick on a defensive tackle. Instead they waited until the seventh round to draft Justin Rogers out of Auburn. With Johnathan Hankins now in Seattle as well, the starting position for the man in the middle of that defensive line is Mazi Smith's to lose. Osa Odighizuwa plays the same position as Smith but Mazi was brought in last year to be the future run-stuffer on the defensive line.

Last year Smith only saw three starts as a rookie mostly due to Hankins being injured. When he was on the field, the former Michigan Wolverine did little to make an impact. He only had one sack all season with three quarterback hits. When Hankins returned from injury, he was immediately given his job back. Going into his sophomore season the hope is that Smith took lessons from the veteran Hankins to get ready to be a full-time starter.

For the second year in a row last year the Cowboys run defense came up small in big games. The two most notable came in Buffalo and in the playoffs at home against Green Bay. Since the team did not address defensive tackle in this year's draft with a high pick, it shows the front office still believes Smith was the guy worth taking in the first round last year. His value has certainly gone up this offseason with the expectations of being a consistent starter on a line that is loaded with talent.

3. Rico Dowdle

Rico Dowdle's firm grip to win the starting running back job was all but guaranteed after the draft, but it was short lived. A few days later the Cowboys brought back Ezekiel Elliott, much to the surprise of few considering Elliott's total yards has declined every year he has been in the league. Despite the return of Zeke, Dowdle's stock has gone up this offseason as one of the main backs for this offense.

The only other transaction Dallas did to address running back draft wise was bring in Nathaniel Peat from Missouri as an undrafted free agent. However, just bringing him in does not guarantee him a spot on the roster considering how crowded the running back room is now. While Zeke is a fan favorite and a lot of fans are happy to see him back in Dallas, this is not the same guy who first came to this team in 2016. Dowdle will be fighting for touches, but he brings what Tony Pollard did when he first started to take touches away from Zeke.

Last year the team was looking for a complimentary back to Pollard and they found one in Dowdle. He finished 2023 with over 350 yards rushing with two touchdowns and two more through the air. With Pollard leaving, Dallas brought back Dowdle on a one-year deal to keep some consistency in the running back room from last season.

Zeke is expected to be more of a mentor than every-down back like he used to and there is no guarantee that guys like Royce Freeman or Snoop Conner will make the final roster. While Dowdle might not be an exact copy of Pollard, he brings a good change of pace to the offense with speed and quickness.

The Cowboys running game in 2023 was a bit underwhelming with Pollard sill recovering from injury and the team struggling to find a secondary back until towards the end of the season in Dowdle. Despite the acquisitions of Freeman and Elliott, Dowdle should feel confident going into 2024 as a key component of this running game.

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This article was originally published on thelandryhat.com as 3 Cowboys whose stock is soaring after the NFL Draft.

2024-05-08T11:09:24Z dg43tfdfdgfd