College Football’s Top Cowboys Draft Targets In Week 5

It’s never too early to prep your draft board as we look at the best college football matchups, where a future prospect lurks that could be on the Cowboys radar. 

Alabama at Mississippi State

Alabama and Mississippi State enter this game with 4-0 records, making their first meeting in three seasons much more interesting than the rivalry’s recent history would suggest. Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell is coming off his best performance of the year, while Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor has thrown 14 touchdowns. That should place both secondaries under genuine pressure.

Alabama: Zabien Brown, Cornerback

Brown entered the season as one of the leading cornerbacks in the 2027 class and has done little to weaken that reputation. His game is built around patience and route recognition. Brown rarely panics when a receiver gains a small advantage early in the route. He stays close to the receiver’s hip and uses his timing to challenge the ball at the catch point. He is comfortable in press coverage but does not need to place both hands on a receiver to remain connected.

Why The Cowboys Care

Dallas’ secondary has already been stretched by injuries. DaRon Bland has been the only healthy established starting corner at times, while Shavon Revel Jr. has has injury issues. Caleb Downs can cover the slot, but his versatility is most valuable when the coaching staff is free to move him rather than using him to solve one permanent problem. And we have no idea what the future of Joey Porter Jr. in Dallas will be.

Brown projects as an outside corner who could handle difficult assignments without constant safety help. His ability to play both man and zone coverage would suit Christian Parker’s defence, and his calm technique could bring stability to a group that has been forced to change combinations too often.

Mississippi State: Kelley Jones, Cornerback

Jones is one of the most physically unusual cornerbacks in the class. At 6-foot-4, he has the length of a safety while retaining the movement skills to remain outside. He became a full-time starter in 2025 and finished second in the SEC with 11 passes defended.

That length changes the space available to a receiver. Jones can disrupt a release at the line of scrimmage and reach passes that would be safe against a smaller defender. He is at his best when he can stay square early and use the boundary as an additional defender.

Why The Cowboys Care

Jones offers the size and developmental upside Dallas has often valued at cornerback. Revel gives the Cowboys one long outside defender, but his injury history makes it risky to assume the position is settled. Porter Jr. may be here past this season, or he may not. Adding Jones would allow Dallas to match bigger receivers without asking Downs or a safety to handle the assignment.

He may also be more realistic for the Cowboys than Brown. Jones has first-round physical traits, but his tackling and zone technique could keep him available beyond the opening round. Dallas could use a second-day selection on a corner with starter potential, then give Parker and the defensive staff time to improve the details of his game.

Ohio State at Iowa

Ohio State travels to Kinnick Stadium for its first road conference game against an Iowa team coming off a dramatic victory at Michigan. It is the first meeting between these programs since 2006 in which both have been ranked  inside the AP top 15. Iowa’s offensive line will try to control the game and protect quarterback Hank Brown, while Ohio State’s defensive front must respond after allowing Illinois to run for 199 yards last week.

Ohio State: Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Edge Rusher

Jackson is a fifth-year senior with an NFL frame at 6-foot-6 and 263 pounds. He recorded 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 14 games for Ohio State’s top-ranked defence in 2025, then returned for another season and was voted a team captain.

His length and first-step quickness give offensive tackles two problems to solve. Jackson can threaten the outside shoulder and then convert speed into power. He can also use his reach to keep his chest clean and set a firm edge against the run. That combination makes him more complete than a pass-rush specialist who must leave the field on early downs.

Why The Cowboys Care

Dallas has invested heavily at edge rusher but so far this season that unit has only registered two sacks. Pass-rush depth remains valuable because the best defensive fronts rotate several players and create pressure without relying on one star.

Jackson would give the Cowboys a long, powerful defender capable of playing in an even front or standing outside the tackle. He could enter the rotation rather than being forced to start immediately, contribute against the run and develop his counter moves behind experienced players.

Iowa: Trevor Lauck, Offensive Tackle

Lauck is a 6-foot-5, 314-pound left tackle who became a full-time starter in 2025. He allowed only six pressures and no sacks across 303 pass-blocking snaps during that first season in the lineup, helping Iowa win the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s best offensive line.

He wins with control rather than spectacular athleticism. Lauck keeps his weight underneath him and mirrors defenders without crossing his feet. His hands arrive with purpose, and once he establishes his grip he is difficult to separate from. In the running game he plays with leverage.

Why The Cowboys Care

Offensive tackle remains unsettled in Dallas. Terence Steele’s future is wildly uncertain and rookie Drew Shelton provides a depth option, but the Cowboys should not assume that the long-term answer is Shelton right now.

Lauck could compete at tackle without requiring the coaching staff to rebuild his technique. His experience in Iowa’s physical running game would fit an offence that wants to remain balanced, and his disciplined pass protection would help reduce the quick losses that place Dak Prescott under immediate pressure.