Cowboys make curious picks, sign free agents on Draft’s final day

And on the third day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys looked upon the remains of their draft board.

And made a miserable hash out of it.

They failed to try to move up into the fourth round. Instead, the Cowboys settled on staying put with their four picks in the final three rounds.

Dallas made a curious decision to bypass USC receiver Brenden Rice – son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice – in the sixth round.

They chose an unknown receiver from Southeast Missouri State instead. Rice ended up with the Chargers in the seventh round.

The Cowboys also passed on drafting a running back, nor did they sign one as an undrafted free agent.

They did get a couple of players who might pan out for them beyond 2024. But they did little to improve the team for the upcoming season on Saturday.

Here’s the picks, along with the reported undrafted free agent signings so far:

Caelen Carson, CB

This was not a position of need pick.

While many point out his “value” they gloss over the fact he was a projected third rounder that fell to late fifth.

There’s a reason why that happens. It’s rarely good.

Likely, he’s a special teamer at best.

Grade: D as in this was dumb pick.

Ryan Flournoy, WR

Flournoy – assuming he makes the team – will turn 25 midway through the season. At a time when other receivers his age are having breakout seasons he’ll be a rookie.

At least this pick addressed an area of need.

And he could pan out for the Cowboys.

Grade: C+ only because he does have some potential. Still, Dallas should have grabbed Brenden Rice instead.

Nathan Thomas, OT

The Cowboys apparently were serious about rebuilding their offensive line this year.

Thomas was the third player on the line that the Cowboys selected. He was a left tackle at Louisiana.

But he also lined up at right tackle, making me wonder if Terrence Steele just got put on notice?

Grade: B- if he become the long-term answer at right tackle.

Justin Rogers, DT

This was really the only Day 3 pick made by the Cowboys that I could fully get behind.

They need big bodies up the middle and Rogers is exactly that.

He is a project and unless he wows everyone in camp won’t be starting in 2024. But as a late seventh rounder he was a nice pick.

Grade: A- as they addressed a definite need and could be a long-term answer at that.

Undrafted Free Agent Signings

(reported by DallasCowboys.com as of 3:37 a.m. CDT, April 28, 2024)

Cam Johnson, WR

Like Flournoy, Johnson is already in his mid-20s, having graduated high school in 2018. Apparently, the Cowboys really like old rookies catching the ball.

Luke Schoonmaker – last year’s second-round bust pick – was also in his mid -20s when he was drafted.

Johnson did show signs of greatness in his final year at Northwestern. He could be another T.J. Bass-like gem discovered in the rough.

Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE

Another tight end? Can the Cowboys just go one lousy draft/undrafted free agency without grabbing a tight end?

At 6-6, 260 pounds, he’s a big body and is an excellent run blocking tight end. He was good at Minnesota.

With the Cowboys current running back room, he won’t be getting in much work.

Nathaniel Peat, RB

Multiple sources — but nothing directly from the Cowboys at this writing — are saying that the former Missouri running back has signed as a UDFA with Dallas.

Peat played three years at Stanford before transferring for two years at Missouri. He averaged a little over four yards a carry as a back-up his last two seasons.

Brock Mogenson, LB

I watch a lot of Missouri Valley Conference football because I’m a North Dakota State guy. And South Dakota plays in that conference.

Mogenson is a solid linebacker. Can that translate into the pro game?

Maybe.

If he can take that next step it will take the sting out of Dallas passing on a lot of solid linebackers this year.

Jason Johnson, LB

Johnson led UCF in tackles the last two years running. But most scouts have him as a back-up or special teamer at best.

He also has an extra year in college under his belt – not quite in his mid-20s – and averaged over 100 tackles a year over his last three seasons.

He could pan out. He could not pan out.

But a nice pick up still and we’ll see if he can answer the challenge.

Josh DeBerry, DB

The knock on DeBerry while at Texas A&M is he plays too soft on coverage.

He also struggles to bring down bigger running backs with his tackling. I’m not holding out much hope on DeBerry making the roster.

Corey Crooms, WR

Crooms played four years at Western Michigan then played one final year at Minnesota.

He didn’t exactly light it up for the Golden Gophers, with just 28 catches.

Alec Holler, TE

Apparently the Cowboys scouted UCF a lot this year. He also played six years in college.

Is there a senior citizens section in the Cowboys locker room for old rookies?

Byron Vaughns, EDGE

Keeping with the experienced player movement, Vaughns will also arrive at The Star with a six-year college football resume in hand.

After graduating Utah State, Vaughns transferred to Baylor and put in a solid season for the Bears.

Denzel Daxon, DT

Daxon started his college career at Ohio and transferred to play his last two years at Illinois.

He has the size to be a solid defensive tackle and could secure a spot on the roster if he shines at camp.

But, he’s only been playing football since the age of 17. So he’s a project for sure.

Emany Johnson, S

Another six-year college player, this one out of Nevada, Johnson has a 100-plus tackle season in 2023 and can defend the run well.

Julius Wood, S

Wood is an aggressive player, which sometimes put him in bad positions at East Carolina. But he is a big hitter when he’s around the ball carrier.

The No. 15 Elephant In The Room

Of course the lack of drafted, or undrafted free agent, running backs seems to confirm that Ezekiel Elliott is coming back to Dallas.

Jerry Jones seems to be hinting that Elliott can be a starter. That doesn’t seem to be the consensus among Cowboys Nation.

One Cowboys blogger was stating he’s stepping in his tub and having a toaster thrown in with him if Elliott is RB1 for Dallas this fall.

I might grab the toaster and jump in with him if Elliott is the RB1 in 2024.

But it would explain why Dallas flat out ignored one of the biggest areas of need in the draft. They may be buying time for next year.