FRISCO, Texas — The third and final day of the 2025 NFL Draft is one the Dallas Cowboys met with a bit of impatience, trading up in the fifth round after seeing several of their remaining top interests, particularly at running back, fly off of the board in the fourth round, where they lacked a pick due to the trade for Jonathan Mingo. And while Mingo will still be looked upon to step up in what will be his first full camp and regular season with the Cowboys, the team felt more firepower was needed.
That said, they're not done bolstering the trenches, where NFL games are won, and have used their sixth-round pick to select...
Round 6: Ajani Cornelius, OT, Oregon
Things to know:
- Second-team AFCA All-American (2024)
- First-team All-CAA (2022)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (2024)
Scouting Report + Fit:
Using their first-round pick in this year's draft on offensive guard Tyler Booker didn't preclude the Cowboys from doubling down on their offensive line with yet another draft pick, this time being Cornelius, who enters the league as a tackle but, given how Dallas operates, could be very well be tested at guard to see where he fits best.
One person on the Cowboys' staff that would know well is Junior Adams, who signed onto Dallas' coaching staff after a successful stay at Oregon as co-offensive coordinator.
He isn't the most imposing as far as height goes, though Cornelius is also not exactly a small human being, standing at 6-foot-4 and weirhing in at 312 lbs (per his pro day measurements). His mean streak and bully demeanor might serve him better in a phone booth than on an island, where tackles do their work, and Cornelius is far from bashful when it comes to ... bashing ... an opposing defender in the chest and pads.
When he hits them cleanly with his punch, they temporarily forget their name.
His background also lends to an exceptional work ethic — once traveling 90 minutes daily to an from prep high school in Upstate New York to give him an opportunity to play football for an organized team — earning his way to becoming a two-year starter at Oregon, arguably the best team in the nation in 2024 for much of the season. The 22-year-old is solid with his feet and spatial awareness, and has the muscle to move large defenders off of their spot, as well as the anchor that makes him difficult to move.
He's not a football lifer as some are, having started late in his young life due to circumstances/environmental factors that were out of his control until high school (no organized teams in his area), and his athleticism will make for a question mark in placing him at tackle full-time so, again, this feels like a possible conversion to guard with his ability as a tackle being a "break glass in case of emergency" situation.
Once he learns to keep his pads low, consistently, and to absorb the power delivered by NFL defensive tackles, Cornelius could make for a solid flier that challenges players like T.J. Bass and Brock Hoffman as insurance on the interior of the offensive line.
