The Cowboys may have taken a Week 5 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football, but the bigger football draw in Texas this week is Saturday’s Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma. And while Jerry Jones and Brian Schottenheimer have other things on their plate, the Cotton Bowl is still the place to be if Dallas wants an early look at potential future help.
The Longhorns don’t exactly have a loaded pipeline to the Cowboys these days, but there are a few names in this matchup that should be on the front office’s radar. If Dallas is thinking ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft class, these are the Texas players worth tracking closely.
Colin Simmons is the headliner. The edge rusher was last seen posting 5.5 sacks and 10 pressures against Tennessee, along with nine tackles and eight stops.
He’s disruptive, explosive and exactly the kind of pass rusher Dallas could use. He also comes with the kind of upside that usually gets players drafted early, so if the Cowboys want him, they may need to be aggressive.
Rasheem Biles brings a different kind of appeal at linebacker. He’s an athletic weak-side defender who plays with urgency against the run and is getting better in coverage.
Texas has used him both on the line of scrimmage and in the box, and he’s handled both jobs well. Through 2026, he has 29 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, 15 stops and six pressures.
With DeMarvion Overshown’s future uncertain and Dee Winters not off to a strong start, Biles looks like the kind of long-term fit Dallas could target later in Round 1 or even in Round 2.
Hollywood Smothers is another name to watch if he suits up. He missed last week because of an injury, so his status for Saturday isn’t settled yet.
If he plays, his speed and dual-threat profile make him a logical fit for a Cowboys team still searching for the right complement to Javonte Williams. Texas leans on the pass with Arch Manning at quarterback, and the carries are split with Raleek Brown, so Smothers’ numbers may not pop.
But the burst, vision and open-field movement are there, and he could be the kind of back Dallas hoped Jaydon Blue would become.
On the offensive line, Melvin Siani has started to settle in at right tackle after seeing work on both sides. He has not been penalized through four games and has allowed just one sack in true passing sets, though Manning’s tendency to hold the ball is part of that equation.
Siani still has room to improve as a run blocker, and he could stay in school, but the Cowboys would have a reason to keep tabs on him if Terence Steele keeps going up and down and Broderick Jones doesn’t remain in the picture. He could give Dallas either competition or an upgrade.
Raleek Brown rounds out the group as another running back with NFL traits. He’s fast, sees the field well and runs with a straight-ahead style that can wear defenses down.
He isn’t much of a receiver and his pass protection is inconsistent, but he can really run the football. He may not be as steady as Smothers, yet he has the kind of big-play juice that can change a game.
With Javonte Williams already in place, Brown could be the change-of-pace option Dallas is looking for.
In Other News...
Cowboys Fans Already Have A Week 5 Scoreboard To Sweat
At 2-3, the Cowboys are already in the familiar spot of watching the rest of the conference as closely as they watch their own sideline. Week 5 brings the kind of scoreboard math Dallas cant ignore, especially with NFC East results carrying extra weight so early in the season and a handful of other matchups around the league shaping the playoff picture if the Cowboys keep drifting around .500.
The most immediate attention is on the division games that can either help Dallas close ground or make the climb steeper, with Washington set to have a significant piece back in the mix. There is also a deeper layer for Cowboys fans to keep in mind beyond the present standings, since a couple of other games this week have ripple effects tied to future draft capital from past trades, which gives the rooting guide a little more range than your usual early-October scoreboard watch. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Have A Jake Ferguson Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Jake Fergusons rough afternoon fit neatly into a bigger Cowboys problem, because the offense could not afford wasted chances in a game where the defense was already getting pushed around. Ferguson has been a key part of Dallas passing game, but the tight ends recent decline has become hard to ignore since the ACL sprain, and the ball-security issues that have followed him since last season only add to the concern.
The timing makes it sting even more for Dallas, which committed to Ferguson long term after moving Micah Parsons. With guaranteed money now tied up in a player expected to be a stable piece of the offense, the Cowboys need far more than occasional flashes from a position that is supposed to help steady Dak Prescott. Instead, the discussion around Ferguson keeps circling back to the same uncomfortable question the team can no longer dodge. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Fans Have An Uncomfortable Week 5 Reality To Root For
The Cowboys head into the week at 2-3 after the loss to Tampa Bay, and for all the frustration around that start, the bigger picture may now be just as important as the next snap. With NFC East and NFC North results carrying extra weight, Dallas fans have reason to keep one eye on the standings and another on the draft board, because this season is already shaping up to affect more than just the playoff chase.
Philadelphias roster keeps shifting, and Washington could be getting Jayden Daniels back, which adds another layer to a division race that already feels volatile. For Dallas, the uncomfortable part is that these outcomes now matter in more than one direction, with the teams own future assets also hanging in the balance as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]