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3 Cowboys quarterback options in the 2025 NFL Draft

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It’s a near guarantee that the Dallas Cowboys quarterback room will be bolstered during the 2025 NFL Draft.

Dak Prescott, now 31 years old, isn’t getting any younger, Cooper Rush is headed to Baltimore, and Trey Lance may be headed to the CFL. Essentially, it is long overdue for Dallas to bring in a quarterback in the later rounds that they can develop.

The front office has openly discussed drafting a quarterback this year, specifically naming the fifth round as their sweet spot.

Dallas is right: the later rounds are where this need should be filled. That doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what will happen, however, as quarterbacks always go much higher than they probably should.

We may see a surprise pick early in the draft from the Cowboys, or they could stick to their guns and draft one late. So, let’s discuss one guy to fill each of these possibilities.

3 Cowboys quarterback options in the NFL Draft

The Highest Possibility: Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

In the universe where the Cowboys shock the NFL world by taking a quarterback in the first two rounds, the name called by Roger Goodell is likely Jaxson Dart, the Ole Miss and Southern California product.

Dart, 21, is one of the mysteries of this draft class. He could go as high as the first round, and could slip into the late-second round.

He has prototypical size, tons of SEC experience, solid accuracy, and a personality that any football fan would love. The problem is, those traits may be where his ceiling ends.

I don’t see him having the kind of mobility he’ll need at the NFL level, and his average arm strength could hinder him at times, especially when working downfield or against the speed of an elite defense.

When you combine these issues with his overall raw ability, you have a bit of a project on your hands.

For Dallas, however, that could be a good thing. If it pushes him into the second round, they could pull the trigger on a potentially first-round caliber guy who can develop under Prescott for the next few years.

3 Cowboys quarterback options in the NFL Draft 1

The Most Likely: Quinn Ewers, Texas

Quinn Ewers, the former Longhorn and Texas native, is easily the most likely candidate to join the Cowboys quarterback room.

Formerly a projected first-overall pick, Ewers’ career in Austin never blossomed as some thought it would. His passing struggles and talent limitations took his draft stock from first-round lock to a solid middle-to-late round option.

https://twitter.com/espn/status/1863063964973777097

I personally felt that Texas would have been better off with Arch Manning in the College Football Playoff, but they rode with their veteran instead.

As he heads into the NFL Draft, Ewers projects as a backup with moderate potential to become a starter one day. He has the size, experience, and occasional “wow throw,” and the accuracy lapses, turnover problems, and mechanical problems that scare you.

If the Cowboys can find their way to drafting him, without having to use a premier pick, it would be a good fit.

With the right passing scheme and development, Quinn Ewers could take over one day, even if it’s not the best successor option out there.

3 Cowboys quarterback options in the NFL Draft 2

The Late-Round Flier: Riley Leonard, Notre Dame

From the halls of Duke University in Durham to the Fighting Irish’s campus, Riley Leonard had a storied college football career. Now, he’s looking to prove the doubters wrong about his NFL potential.

Leonard, 23, is a dual-threat quarterback who reminds me a lot of Prescott when he was coming out of Mississippi State.

Grit, leadership, mobility, passing potential with more cons than pros in that area, and average size for the position.

Simply put, he is not an NFL quarterback right now. His passing skills are just not refined enough. That said, teams said the same thing about Prescott, and with hard work and coaching, he turned his entire game around.

Everybody knows Leonard has the work effort and competitiveness to make that kind of improvement; it’s just a matter of who is around him to mold and develop him.

I see Riley Leonard as the perfect late-round flier for the Cowboys. His skill set and intangibles are a match. Now, it’s just time to sit behind a seasoned veteran like Prescott and watch the progression.

Mark Heaney

Junior Writer

Mark Heaney is a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan and Junior Writer for Inside The Star. He has written for sites such as FanSided, Whole Nine Sports, and Downtown Sports Network as an NFL Draft analyst and Cowboys writer. He started covering college football and the NFL in 2018 and has scouted over 1,000 draft prospects since. Mark is currently studying at UNC Charlotte and has worked as an intern for the Charlotte 49ers football media team.

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