The Dallas Cowboys are always a circus. Honestly, it doesn't matter if it's June or January; Jerry Jones ensures the spotlight stays glued to Arlington. But the real drama usually goes down in April. Every year, fans find themselves frantically Googling who did the cowboys get in the draft because the team’s "all-in" strategy—or lack thereof—tends to leave people scratching their heads.
In 2024, the pressure was suffocating. After a quiet free agency that basically saw the front office sit on their hands while other NFC contenders got better, the draft wasn't just a replenishment of talent. It was a lifeline. Dallas entered the weekend with massive holes at offensive tackle, center, and linebacker.
They didn't just need bodies. They needed starters.
The First-Round Chess Move: Tyler Guyton
The draft started with a trade, which is classic Will McClay. Dallas sent the 24th overall pick to the Detroit Lions, sliding back to 29. They picked up an extra third-rounder in the process. It was a gamble. You risk losing "your guy" for extra capital. But at 29, they landed Tyler Guyton out of Oklahoma.
Guyton is a massive human being. We’re talking 6-foot-8 and 322 pounds of raw, unrefined athletic ability. He played right tackle at Oklahoma, but Dallas drafted him to protect Dak Prescott’s blindside at left tackle. That’s a huge ask. It’s like asking a natural left-handed painter to suddenly switch to their right hand for a masterpiece.
Critics pointed out his lack of starts. He only had 14 of them in college. However, his footwork is surprisingly fluid for a man of that stature. He’s the prototypical project that Mike Solari—the Cowboys' offensive line coach—loves to mold. If Guyton hits, he’s a ten-year starter. If he doesn’t, Dak is going to be seeing a lot of ghosts from his left side.
Securing the Trenches: Cooper Beebe and Marshawn Kneeland
In the second round, Dallas went with Marshawn Kneeland, a defensive end from Western Michigan. This was a "need" pick that felt like a "best player available" pick. With Sam Williams' subsequent injury in training camp, this selection went from luxury to necessity real quick. Kneeland isn't a twitchy speed rusher like Micah Parsons. He’s a power guy. He’s the type of player who sets the edge and makes life miserable for running backs.
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Then came the third round. This is where the draft got interesting.
The Cowboys selected Cooper Beebe, a guard from Kansas State. Here’s the thing: Beebe never played center in college. Not once. But Dallas announced him as a center immediately. It was a bold move to replace Tyler Biadasz with a guy learning a new position on the fly. Beebe is a "dirtbag" in the best sense of the football term. He’s mean. He finishes blocks. He’s already shown that his high football IQ can bridge the gap of his lack of experience snapping the ball.
The Mid-Round Grids: Linebackers and Depth
By the time the fourth round rolled around, the question of who did the cowboys get in the draft shifted toward the defense. Marist Liufau from Notre Dame was the choice at 87.
Liufau is polarizing.
Some scouts loved his closing speed; others worried about his play recognition. In Mike Zimmer’s new defensive scheme, the Cowboys needed a linebacker who could actually take on blocks instead of just running around them. Liufau plays like his hair is on fire. It’s chaotic, but in a way that Zimmer seems to think he can coach into a disciplined role.
The later rounds were a mix of "wait and see" prospects:
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- Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest (Round 5): A physical corner who many thought would go in the third.
- Ryan Flournoy, WR, Southeast Missouri State (Round 6): A small-school standout with elite athletic testing numbers.
- Nathan Thomas, OT, Louisiana (Round 7): More depth for a line that desperately needed it.
- Justin Rogers, DT, Auburn (Round 7): A massive nose tackle to help the run defense.
Why the 2024 Draft Was Different
For years, Dallas has been accused of being too flashy. They love the "star" on the helmet and the stars on the field. But this 2024 class was blue-collar. It was boring. And honestly? That’s exactly what they needed.
When you look at who did the cowboys get in the draft, you see a clear philosophy: get bigger and tougher. The 2023 exit against the Packers exposed a soft underbelly. Dallas got bullied in their own house. Guyton, Beebe, and Kneeland are responses to that bullying.
There’s a lot of nuance here. For example, Caelen Carson, the fifth-round corner, was arguably the steal of their draft. Because of injuries in the secondary, he was forced into early action. Most rookie corners get roasted like a Sunday pig, but Carson held his own against veteran receivers. He’s got that "dog" mentality that Al Harris, the DB coach, demands.
Addressing the Misconceptions
A lot of people think the Cowboys failed because they didn't draft a running back. It was the biggest talking point on sports talk radio for months. "How do you go through the whole draft without taking a back?"
Well, the reality is the board didn't fall that way. Trey Benson and Jonathon Brooks went earlier than Dallas expected. Instead of reaching for a mediocre back, they stuck to their grades. They brought back Ezekiel Elliott on a cheap deal and decided to ride with a committee. Was it a mistake? Probably. But you can't blame the draft strategy if the value isn't there. Reaching for players is how you end up with busts.
The Mike Zimmer Factor
You can't talk about these picks without mentioning the change at Defensive Coordinator. Dan Quinn is in Washington now. Mike Zimmer is back in Dallas. Zimmer is notorious for being hard on rookies.
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If you’re a rookie under Zimmer, you better know your gap assignments. This is why the Marshawn Kneeland and Marist Liufau picks are so critical. They weren't just drafted for their talent; they were drafted because their skill sets fit a specific, disciplined defensive structure that focuses on stopping the run first—something the Cowboys haven't been able to do consistently for half a decade.
What Experts Are Saying
Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave the Cowboys a middle-of-the-road grade, mostly because of the Guyton pick's risk factor. But if you talk to scouts around the league, there’s a consensus that Dallas got "heavier."
Bryan Broaddus, a former NFL scout who covers the team, has mentioned multiple times that the Cooper Beebe pick might be the one that saves their season. Moving a collegiate guard to center is a transition that requires elite core strength, and Beebe has that in spades.
Looking Ahead: Actionable Steps for Fans
If you're trying to track the progress of these rookies, don't just look at the stat sheet. For offensive linemen like Guyton and Beebe, "no news is good news." If you aren't hearing their names during a broadcast, it means they aren't giving up sacks or committing holding penalties.
Here is how you should evaluate this class over the next few months:
- Watch the "Snap to Whistle": See if Tyler Guyton is finishing his blocks or if he's getting pushed back into Dak’s lap.
- Monitor the Rotation: Keep an eye on Marshawn Kneeland’s snap count. If he’s playing more than 40% of the defensive snaps, the coaches trust him.
- Special Teams Impact: Marist Liufau and Caelen Carson need to be core special teams players. That is the quickest way to see if a rookie has the "pro" mindset.
The Cowboys didn't get a flashy wide receiver or a superstar running back in the 2024 draft. They got a bunch of large men who like to hit people. In the NFC East, where the Eagles and Giants are constantly trying to out-muscle you, that might just be the smartest thing Jerry Jones has done in years.
To truly understand who did the cowboys get in the draft, you have to look past the names and look at the positions. They rebuilt the spine of the team. It’s not sexy, and it won't win a fantasy football league, but it’s the only way to win in January. Watch the tape, track the snap counts, and see if this "boring" draft yields the grit this team has been missing.
Next Steps for Evaluation:
Track the weekly "Pressure Rate" allowed by the left tackle position. If Tyler Guyton stays below a 5% pressure rate throughout his rookie campaign, this draft is an undeniable home run for Will McClay and the front office. Compare this to the league average for rookie tackles to get a true sense of his developmental curve.