Cowboys select intriguing OT Nathan Thomas with pick No. 233

The Cowboys have added another offensive tackle to the mix, grabbing a guy who ranked higher on several analyst’s board. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys have not messed around when it came to augmenting their offensive line in the 2024 NFL draft. Starting with the No. 24 pick, the Cowboys traded back to No. 29 to pick up an extra third-round pick. They used both on the trenches, first selecting Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton and then grabbing Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe.

They then waited until the seventh round to revisit, but grabbed an intriguing prospect from Louisiana-Lafayette, Nathan Thomas.

NFL.com’s Lance Zeirlein had Thomas listed as a fourth-round prospect.

Thomas joins a crowded depth chart behind Guyton and right tackle Terence Steele. The team has grabbed a project tackle in each of the last four drafts, starting with Josh Ball and then they added Matt Waletzko in 2022 and Asim Richards in 2023.

Giants pass on quarterbacks in latest 7-round mock from PFF

In the latest seven-round mock draft from PFF, the New York Giants pass on quarterbacks entirely in favor of bolstering their roster.

The 2024 NFL draft is exactly a week away and, yes we know, you are weary of mock drafts, but let us hit you with one more — a seven-round mock from the folks at Pro Football Focus.

In this mock, the New York Giants do not make any moves — up or back — pass on a quarterback and select who many believe could be the best player in this draft class in LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in Round 1.

Nabers’ movement skills are rare, even at the NFL level. His ability to change direction yet continue to accelerate makes him an open-target specialist in the slot and on the outside. He has the kind of athleticism that demands a defense to know where he is at all times as a future WR1.

In the second round, at No. 47 overall, the Giants fortify their already solid front seven with Florida State defensive lineman Braden Fiske.

Fiske’s measurements are not ideal, but he has an NFL-level football IQ and pass-rush quickness to be a potential impact player as a 4-3 defensive tackle, even with some run-defense deficiencies.

In Round 3, the Giants select Oregon cornerback Khyree Jackson with the 70th overall pick. It is a position of utmost need this offseason.

Jackson is an alluring prospect because his combination of size and athleticism doesn’t come around often. However, he must anticipate routes better and not rely on his recovery speed as much. If he can do this, he can be a starting-caliber cornerback in the NFL with a shutdown skill set.

On Day 3, the Giants add a running back (USC’s MarShawn Lloyd), another cornerback in Nehemiah Pritchett of Auburn, and an offensive tackle, Louisiana’s Nathan Thomas.

PFF grades this draft an A. In reviewing the draft, the Giants get themselves a much-needed offensive weapon and stud in Nabers and bolster their roster with the other five picks.

Of course, we don’t know who they passed on in favor of this group, but this effort appears to be pretty much what many experts are expecting from general manager Joe Schoen come next week in Detroit.

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20 Shrine Bowl players to know before practices kick off

20 Shrine Bowl prospects to know for the 2024 NFL draft before practices kick off

The 99th annual East-West Shrine Bowl week is coming up quickly. Over 100 draft prospects will go through practices and interviews with scouting personnel from all 32 NFL teams in hopes of improving their stock for the 2024 NFL draft.

This year’s Shrine Bowl moves to The Star in Frisco, Texas. Practices kick off on Saturday and run through Tuesday, with the game scheduled for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff on Thursday, February 1st.

Here are some of the top players to know from the East and West rosters, which will be coached by current NFL assistants across several teams.