Cowboys land steal bigger than CeeDee Lamb in latest 2024 NFL mock draft

We're only a couple of days away from the 2024 NFL Draft and the Dallas Cowboys have plenty of routes to take with the 24th overall pick.

They could go offensive line, the likeliest pick based on need and players that will likely be available. Or they could make the flashy pick and grab an impact maker at wide receiver. They might also throw a curveball and grab a defensive player, an edge rusher or maybe Top 30 visit interior defensive lineman Byron Murphy if he's there. 

Or, with a little bit of luck, they find themselves a massive steal like they did back in 2020 when they took wide receiver CeeDee Lamb at 17th overall. Back then, Lamb was expected to be a Top 15 pick and maybe Top 10. But when the Cowboys went on the clock, he shockingly was still there. 

The thing is, the NFL Draft features such scenarios pretty much on a yearly basis. So never say never. In the latest A to Z Sports mock draft, where writers represent each team and play the roles of GMs, I manned the Cowboys and couldn't believe my eyes when I looked at the board. 

Cowboys land Brock Bowers at 24th overall in latest mock draft 

Someway, somehow, my colleagues allowed Georgia TE Brock Bowers to drop all the way down to the Cowboys' pick and after briefly considering taking Graham Barton from Duke, I just couldn't resist the temptation.

Bowers would be a bigger steal at 24th than Lamb was at 17th, at least per the consensus board. In 2020, Lamb was ranked as the ninth best prospect and went eight picks later than that. In 2024, Bowers is ranked as the 10th best prospect and would be going 14 picks later than his ranking in this mock scenario. Below is my breakdown of the pick.

I have no clue how Bowers is available at 24th overall, but in this case I refuse to let him drop any further.

The Cowboys would absolutely take this chance even with Jake Ferguson on the roster. Bowers is a legit threat who can line up as an outside and slot receiver. Dallas is in need for long-term weapons and there’s no way they’d let him fall past No. 24.

Ferguson's presence on the roster shouldn't be a reason why they pass on Bowers. Ferguson is on the rise and he's a legit threat as a tight end but Bowers can be much more than that schematically. He's a legit threat lining up on the slot and on the outside and not only "can" he play the role of an X receiver, he's actually done that in SEC play.

Per Pro Football Focus, Bowers lined up as an in-line tight end 39% of the offensive snaps. He lined up in the slot or out wide 57% of the time.  

The Cowboys would be getting a major offensive weapon who could take the offense to the next level in 2024 despite OL concerns. 

Brock Bowers scouting report

"One of the better pure prospects in the class, positional value and the recent play of former top 5 pick and Falcons TE Kyle Pitts may cause Bowers to slide, but he’s a top 5-10 overall player in this class," writes A to Z Sports' Rob Gregson in his scouting profile. "With traits that are reminiscent of a WR #1, coupled with an ability to play in-line and hold up at the point of attack, Bowers is a weapon that offensive coordinators across the league will be yearning for."