Cowboys end their 2024 draft with some beef on the defensive interior

The Dallas Cowboys end their 2024 draft with the 244th pick in the 7th round, drafting DT Justin Rogers, a 6’3″ 330lbs 1-tech defensive tackle the Cowboys sorely need.

Rogers played his college career at Auburn, going up some of the best offensive linemen in the country playing in the SEC.

He can take up space in the middle, anchoring well to clog lanes and keep offensive linemen from getting to the second level.

Surprisingly for his size, he displays quicker feet and athleticism than is expected.

Rogers has a chance to make the team solely based on the lack of bodies at 1-tech. Only Mazi Smith and Carl Davis are listed on the roster at that position.

Draft Recap

The Dallas Cowboys’ final pick was the eighth of their draft choices featuring six draft picks on the offensive line or defensive front seven.

In the 1st round, the Cowboys traded back five spots with the Detroit Lions, who overpaid with the 73rd overall pick to draft Alabama CB Terrion Arnold.

They missed out on prospects like OL Graham Barton, OT Jordan Morgan, and DE Darius Robinson but were ecstatic to take their 6’8″ 322lb future LT Tyler Guyton.

If you haven’t heard Guyton’s radio interview, you should go listen to how excited he is to play for the Dallas Cowboys, and said the first thing he wanted to do was get his playbook and get to work.

Yes, he’s raw and played right tackle in college, but so did Tyron Smith and how did that turn out?

In the 2nd round, the Cowboys shocked us by passing on needs at running back, wide receiver, and center by drafting DE Marshawn Kneeland from Western Kentucky.

Kneeland brings toughness and run-stopping ability to a defensive end spot opposite DeMarcus Lawrence that lost Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency.

With the early 3rd round pick from the Detroit Lions, the Cowboys selected G Cooper Beebe from Kansas State with the intention to play him at center.

At this point I was feeling good about their picks, addressing needs with tremendous value. Then they reached a bit on LB Marist Liufau with fan favorite Payton Wilson still on the board.

Then they didn’t make any moves to get back into the 4th round or closer to the top of the 5th round when they let 87 picks pass without a selection.

With their 174th pick, they selected CB Caelen Carson from Wake Forest to compete for the top depth cornerback behind the top trio of Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, and Jourdan Lewis.

An athlete at WR in Ryan Flournoy and OT Nathan Thomas round out the last of the previous seven picks.