Who will the Dallas Cowboys select at 12 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft?

Since October, Cowboys fans have turned their attention to this year’s NFL Draft, following an abysmal offseason and disappointing 2024 season.

With many positions in desperate need of an upgrade on first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s roster, Jerry Jones and company must hit on this year’s draft.

A year ago, the Cowboys selected Tyler Guyton with the 24th overall pick. A raw talent and clear project, he proved to be exactly that in his rookie season at left tackle.

Guyton started 12 games and, as expected, struggled at times against some of the NFL’s elite pass rushers. Still, those growing pains were anticipated by most. With a full offseason under his belt, the hope is that Guyton takes a significant leap in year two.

This year, with a higher overall pick, whatever player they select will be an immediate starter and hopefully make a real impact for this team. 

Offseason So Far

It’s a new era in Arlington, Texas, in 2025. 

Jerry Jones handled the Mike McCarthy fiasco awfully, before signing Schottenheimer as the most unknown and unlikely candidate.

That led to the Cowboys electing not to re-sign veterans like DeMarcus Lawrence, RB Rico Dowdle, and CB Jourdan Lewis (most disappointing).

But unlike last year, the Cowboys did make some sneaky signings that I think could make a real impact come this fall. 

DE Dante Fowler is back, while linebackers Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray Jr. are intriguing signings also.

The signings they’ve made so far, combined with a strong draft, could position the Cowboys as one of the top teams in the NFC.

Biggest Needs

The biggest needs they need to address (which were also last off-season’s needs) are wide receiver, running back, edge rusher, and cornerback. 

And sitting at 12, they should be able to select one of the big names off the board.

Unfortunately, last year’s team was just good enough to rack up seven wins, pushing them out of the Travis Hunter sweepstakes and likely costing them a shot at Ashton Jeanty as well.

However, there are still quality options at wide receiver and edge rusher that the Cowboys could target with the 12th overall pick.

Before I get into my top three favorite prospects for Dallas, this might be the most uncertain I’ve been with what direction the Cowboys will go in the first round. 

But out of all the rumored guys that’ll land in Dallas, one of these three will most certainly be available at 12. 

And to add on, there is absolutely no shot the Cowboys will draft another offensive lineman in round one as some people have speculated. 

There are too many other positions in dire need to be addressed, and the starting offensive line looks pretty secure with Guyton, Smith, Beebe, Hoffman, and Steele. 

They’ll likely draft one if not two in the later rounds, but certainly not 12 overall. 

Also, if Jeanty is not on the board, most likely will not, I don’t think Dallas should reach for UNC’s  Omarion Hampton. This draft class is loaded with running back talent. They can easily get RB2 in the second round. 

Ohio State’s backfield duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins are two more intriguing prospects I’d rather wear the Star than Hampton. 

Without further ado, here are my top three favorite selections.

Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

The Hawaii native is the clear WR1 in this year’s draft. Aside from Travis Hunter, McMillan holds the strongest college résumé among all prospects projected to go in the first round.

The All-American spent three seasons at Arizona, recording back-to-back 1,300-yard seasons and scoring 26 touchdowns during his time as a Wildcat.

McMillan has a huge frame, standing at 6’4″ and 220 pounds, and consistently makes tough, contested catches. He knows how to use his body to his advantage when running routes. However, he can appear somewhat stiff in his route running at times.

With time in the league, I believe he’ll become more fluid in his route running, especially if he’s next to CeeDee Lamb. 

Drake London of the Falcons is a solid comparison for McMillan at this stage. However, McMillan’s production could surpass London’s early NFL numbers with Prescott at quarterback and Lamb drawing top coverage as WR1.

If McMillan is still available at No. 12, teams like Carolina and New Orleans—both rumored to have interest—he would be my top pick in that spot.

Other receivers Dallas has been linked to in the first round include Texas’s Matthew Golden, Missouri’s Luther Burden III, and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka.

I could not warrant the Cowboys using as high of a pick as 12 overall to select any of those guys.

If they prefer one of those receivers over McMillan, or if he’s off the board, I wouldn’t mind trading back to select Egbuka, as he’s WR2 for me in this draft.

Personally, I want my first-round pick to have the kind of play that immediately justifies the selection—I shouldn’t need to watch hours of film to know you’re a great football player.

McMillan proved last season that he’s a top prospect—just watching him play made that clear.

Paired up with Lamb would make this offense GO and will finally give Prescott a true WR2 again.

 

Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

It might not be the biggest need, but the Cowboys absolutely need to draft a corner in this draft. 

Trevon Diggs will likely miss time to begin the season, while Daron Bland and Caelen Carson both missed time last year. Plus, losing Jourdan Lewis in the slot will become a big loss once fans see how big of an impact he had in his role. 

That presents an immediate downside to this pick, as Johnson had his season cut short in October with a toe injury.

If the Cowboys are confident that it won’t be a recurring theme, then this selection at 12 makes a lot of sense. 

Johnson, an All-American, excels in both man and zone coverage, making him an intriguing pick for any defensive coordinator.

A true staple of the Wolverines’ defense during his time in Ann Arbor, he recorded nine interceptions, including three pick-sixes.

If the cornerback room stays healthy with Diggs, Bland, and Johnson, it has the potential to be the most intimidating group in the NFL.

 

Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

The most unlikely selection for the Dallas Cowboys would be the nation’s top tight end, Tyler Warren.

Given Jake Ferguson’s disappointing 2024 season and Luke Schoonmaker’s struggles to justify his 2023 second-round selection, Tyler Warren could enter the conversation as a potential option.

Warren earned the Mackey Award last season as the nation’s top tight end, recording 1,233 receiving yards, 218 rushing yards, and 12 total touchdowns.   

The former Nittany Lion is simply an offensive playmaker; design plays for him, and he’ll show you his talents. 

He’s not a great blocker as of now, but that’ll improve once he’s in the league.

In the NFL, it’s never bad to add another playmaker to the roster, and it would be another selection to take some heat off of Lamb. 

With both Ferguson and Schoonmaker, the Cowboys could lean more heavily on 12 and even 13 personnel packages as a key part of their offensive scheme.

Certainly a longshot, but it would be a fun, out-of-the-ordinary pick. 

 

Final Thoughts

The most likely selection as of now is certainly McMillan, but knowing how the draft goes and how the Cowboys operate, anything can happen. 

I think even trading back is a possibility this year, so they can grab a starter from said team and draft capital. 

The Denver Broncos have been rumored to be shopping WR Courtland Sutton for the 12th pick in exchange for their 20th overall selection. 

Dallas could gain a WR2 while going edge rusher in the middle of the first round, which I wouldn’t mind getting a proven receiver to complement Lamb. 

Jerry Jones recently made comments about “pretty substantive trades” ahead of Thursday, which could mean a plethora of things. 

The NFL Draft is one of the most unpredictable things in sports, and it looks like it’ll remain that way this year. 

So, who should the Dallas Cowboys grab at 12 overall?

For more NFL content, follow me on X/former Twitter @MontaltoJared