The month of April couldn’t have come quicker for most Dallas Cowboys fans. After a disappointing loss in the first round of the playoffs and a less than satisfying start to free agency, Dallas fans can turn their attention to an area where America’s Team has typically excelled over the past decade, as the Dallas Cowboys draft classes have largely been successful.
The NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and the Cowboys are wrapping up evaluations and hosting potential targets with each of their nine selections in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft. The pressure will be on Will McClay and the Joneses to put this team in a position to be the first repeat winner the NFC East has seen since the Eagles won four straight from 2001-04.
However, after an offseason that started with more departures than additions, a strong draft haul has never been more crucial. Let’s take a look at the Dallas Cowboys draft targets at each position, starting at quarterback in this article.
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G/C | DE | DT | LB | CB | S | ST
Dallas Cowboys Draft Targets: Quarterback
Any time a season ends short of expectations, there will be plenty of blame to go around. Dak Prescott faced his fair share of it after the Cowboys’ offense went from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde following a midseason calf injury. Following offseason surgery to repair a shoulder injury that Prescott suffered in training camp, the Cowboys’ signal-caller seems as focused as ever to return to form in 2022.
Still, Prescott’s job is set in stone for at least two more seasons, and it would take a monster drop-off for the Joneses to move on from him even then. In addition, Cooper Rush’s impressive outing in Minnesota last season has Dallas feeling more confident in their backup quarterback. He may not offer the same experience Andy Dalton did when the Cowboys made the second-string role a priority in the 2020 offseason, but Rush has earned the right to step into the 2022 season as Prescott’s primary backup.
Where the Cowboys could look to add help
Day 3 is the earliest Dallas will consider a passer, and even that may be optimistic. This isn’t the strongest quarterback class, and we could actually see more passers selected in the top 50 than in the following 212 picks.
If a player with the upside to grow into a primary backup falls into their lap late on Day 3, maybe we could see them pull the trigger. There are also a few candidates that display the leadership and mental capacity, combined with enough physical talent to offer a safe option behind Prescott and Rush.
Once again, if a guy like that makes their way to one of those late fifth-round picks, or even the sixth, we could see the Cowboys make a move. However, I wouldn’t be shocked if Dallas was more conservative and waited until just before their rookie minicamp to bring in a quarterback or two on a tryout basis.
Intriguing Prospects
Jack Coan, Notre Dame
Jack Coan is a possible draft pick, though predicting which quarterbacks will be late-round selections can be tricky. Different teams value different qualities in a late-round quarterback, with Coan being the low-ceiling, high-floor type that teams can trust to pick up an offensive system reasonably quickly.
Not many will rave about his physical traits. Still, Coan has proven to be a quick study after leaving Wisconsin after becoming a full-time starter, only to start in his one year at Notre Dame as well. After playing in a relatively conservative passing system at Wisconsin, Coan was able to let it rip a bit more with the Fighting Irish.
While his completion percentage did slip from 69.6 to 65.5, his passer rating didn’t budge, as Coan has always taken great care of the football. He gets excellent reviews as a leader and a teammate, and if Dallas is looking for someone that could supplant Rush in a year, Coan might be worth one of their late picks.
Anthony Brown, Oregon
Anthony Brown had a solid career at Boston College before electing to attend Oregon as a graduate transfer. His completion percentage trended up throughout his career, and he’s got the arm and mobility to succeed in an NFL offense.
Consistency hasn’t always been Brown’s ally, but he did help Oregon to ten wins last fall, including an upset over Ohio State in week two. In 44 career games, he passed for nearly 7,900 yards with 61 touchdowns compared to 27 interceptions. Brown also ran for 1,121 yards and 15 more scores.
Teams looking for a smart, mobile quarterback with the desire to continue his development may put him at the top of their list to dial up after the draft. Dallas should certainly be one to at least give him a call considering there are several similarities between his game and Prescott’s.
Guy Myers, Charleston
If the Cowboys are looking for a prospect with a fair amount of upside to develop, Guy Myers needs to be on their list of possible undrafted free agents. He is a tall, big-armed quarterback with terrific mobility for his size.
Myers is a bit on the slender side and has never played higher than the Division-II level after stints at Mississippi Delta Community College, Northeast Oklahoma, and Charleston. Still, there is talent that can be molded if Dallas is willing to show the same patience they have with DiNucci.
Last fall, he passed for 1,817 yards in ten games with 12 touchdowns compared to just six interceptions. He also ran for 610 yards and nine more scores. He was even more effective running in the shortened 2020 season, with 372 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in four games. Myers may not be a priority free agent after the draft, but he’s a guy that could turn heads if given a tryout during rookie minicamp.
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