ESPN's Todd McShay predicts Dallas Cowboys first-round draft pick in latest mockup

The Dallas Cowboys have numerous priorities to address in the 2023 NFL Draft. Luckily, they have picks in nearly every round.

In his latest first-round mock draft, ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay has the Cowboys playing it on the safe side and once again drafting a top offensive lineman. Just like McShay’s fellow ESPN analyst Matt Miller, McShay has Dallas going for former Florida Gators star O’Cyrus Torrence at No. 26 overall in the first round.

“Torrence has allowed just two sacks over 47 career starts and more than 1,400 pass-block snaps,” McShay writes. “With Connor McGovern‘s contract expiring, there is a hole on Dallas’ offensive line, and Torrence is a brick wall against power rushers. He looked great at the Senior Bowl two weeks ago, too.

“The Cowboys’ pick might come down to how the board plays out, though. They might be enticed by Bijan Robinson if he’s available, given Tony Pollard is a free agent and Ezekiel Elliott could be a cap casualty. And the WR2 spot behind CeeDee Lamb needs consideration, because Michael Gallup didn’t make much of an impact last season. Depth at cornerback and edge rush shouldn’t be ignored, either. I’m intrigued by how Dallas approaches these next few months and how the board sets up for this pick in April.”

Dallas shores up OL with first-round pick?

The Cowboys drafted former Tulsa offensive lineman Tyler Smith in the first round last year. Smith became an immediate impact player for them. He slotted in at left tackle when former All-Pro Tyron Smith went on IR and moved around some more when other injuries struck the line throughout the season.

Torrence has an even better resume than Smith did as he heads towards the scouting combine and then the draft. The Florida guard was a consensus first-team All-American this season, despite the Gators’ disappointing 6-7 finish.

More on the 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft starts on Thursday, April 27 and continues through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be on both ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. 100 underclassmen received approval for last year’s draft.

The 2023 NFL scouting combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.