How high do you think the Cowboys could or should trade up in the first round?
There is still a little over two months until the 2025 NFL Draft gets underway in April, but it’s never too early to be prepared for what the Dallas Cowboys could possibly do with the 12th overall pick in the first-round. Whether they choose to trade up, down, or stand pat has yet to be determined. Whatever they choose to do, understanding the value of pick No. 12 is a good thing to know ahead of time.
Today, we’re going to explore the possibility of trading up from the No. 12 pick in the first-round to land a difference-maker or trading down to acquire extra draft capital. To do this, we will use DraftTek’s 2025 NFL Trade Value Chart to determine the value of the draft picks, including the Cowboys. They hold picks 12, 44, 76, 150, 170, 172, 174, 190, 211, and 228 when projected compensatory picks are included.
TRADING UP FROM PICK 12
Trading up in the draft is always a fun topic of discussion around Cowboys Nation, whether it’s realistic or not. It’s always fun to dream about landing one of the true difference-makers, however, it’s also important to know the cost of making such a trade.
With that in mind, let’s take a look to see what the Cowboys can do with the No. 12 and the rest of their draft capital if they want to move up in the first-round.
Trading Cowboys’ first- and second-round picks to move up:
12th pick (1200 points) + 44th pick (460 points) = 5th pick (1700 points)
The Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the fifth and sixth overall picks in the first round of the draft and there is a 100-point difference between the two. If the Cowboys want to trade up using their first- and second-round picks, they can essentially move up into the Top 5.
Trading with the Jaguars for the fifth overall pick favors the Cowboys by a total of 40 points and trading for the Raiders sixth overall pick favors Las Vegas by a total of 60 points. That’s a pretty significant point differential, which is basically the equivalent to a mid-to-late fourth-round draft pick.
Who do you think the Cowboys would be targeting if they traded into the Top 5?
Trading Cowboys’ first- and third-round picks to move up:
12th pick (1200 points) + 76th pick (210 points) = 8th pick (1400 points)
The Carolina Panthers currently hold the eighth overall pick in the first round of the draft. If Panthers were wanting to move down to acquire an extra third-round draft pick, or if the Cowboys were looking to move up four spots for whatever reason, this trade could make sense for both organizations.
This is pretty close to being an equal trade for both teams, with only a 10-point differential favoring the Panthers. That 10-point differential equates to a mid-sixth-round draft pick. That could be added in as well depending on which team is trying to facilitate this trade to make it as equal as possible.
TRADING DOWN FROM PICK 12
As much fun as it is to dream about trading up in the first half round of the draft, it’s much more likely the Cowboys trade down this year in order to acquire more draft capital. That’s especially true considering the multitude of roster “needs” they have this year and the fact they don’t have a fourth-round pick due to the Jonathan Mingo trade.
With that in mind, let’s take a look to see how far the Cowboys would have to trade down to acquire an additional second-, third-, or fourth-round draft pick this year.
Trading down for an extra second-round pick:
12th pick (1200 points) + 150th pick (31.4 points) = 20th pick (850 points) + 51st pick (390 points)
If the Cowboys are willing to trade back to acquire an additional second-round pick in the draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the Denver Broncos make the most sense. That would mean moving back seven or eight spots where the Buccaneers currently hold the 19th overall pick or the Broncos 20th pick in the first round.
As far as point differential goes, there is only a five-point difference in value when the Buccaneers first- and second-round picks are combined compared to the Broncos, slightly favoring Tampa Bay. To make this trade as equal in value as possible with the Cowboys, Dallas would probably have to include at least pick No. 150 to the mix as well.
Trading down for an extra third-round pick:
12th pick (1200 points) = 16th pick (1000 points) + 78 pick (200 points)
Trades don’t get any more equal than this one. To acquire an additional third-round draft pick by trading back, the Cowboys would simply have to move back four spots and swap their 12th overall pick in the first round with the Arizona Cardinals 16th pick.
This trade is equal in value for both organizations and would give the Cowboys three draft picks in the Top 50. This could actually be a win-win trade for Dallas. By moving down just four spots there’s a good chance a player they would selected at No. 12 could still be on the board at No. 16 and they’d add an additional second-rounder.
Trading down for an extra fourth-round pick:
12th pick (1200 points) + 190th pick (15.4 points) = 13th pick (1150 points) + 115th pick (64 points)
The Cowboys currently don’t have a fourth-round pick due to the Jonathan Mingo trade. But, if they want to recoup a selection in that round it could be as easy as trading down one spot with the Miami Dolphins. This is a pretty equal trade for both organizations, however, probably unlikely considering it’s only a one spot difference.
For this trade to have been a likely means a team is trying to acquire Dallas’ No. 12 pick to jump ahead of the Dolphins for the player they are targeting, or vice versa. As unlikely as this trade sounds, it’s still worth examining to get a better understanding of the draft value involved for the Cowboys to potentially recoup a fourth-round pick.