The second round of the NFL Draft kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday night, and there are still plenty of talented players available.
The Buffalo Bills have the No. 33 pick (after trading down twice at the end of the first round), and they have first dibs on a handful of talented players. According to reports, they're also listening on trade calls to potentially move down a third time.
Related: Winners, Losers, and Most Shocking Moves of the 2024 NFL Draft First Round
Toward the end of the second round is the Dallas Cowboys, who have the No. 56 pick on Friday night.
In the first round, the Cowboys traded down five spots with the Detroit Lions and ended up selecting Tyler Guyton at No. 29, an offensive lineman out of Oklahoma (click here for a complete breakdown of the entire first round). With their second-round pick, it appears they have their eyes set on a running back.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Cowboys are very interested in Texas running back Jonathan Brooks, who the team has been linked to numerous times over the last few weeks. On Thursday night, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones didn't exactly hide the team's interest when speaking to reporters.
"In my 30 years I thought it was the best interview that I ever interviewed with a player," Jones said. "He's outstanding. And he's a great football player. We got him high, high, high. And he's a good player."
It's no secret the Cowboys need a running back. After losing Tony Pollard in free agency, the Cowboys' running back room currently consists of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, Snoop Conner, and the recently signed Royce Freeman.
The Cowboys did meet with their former first-round pick Ezekiel Elliott this past week, and it sounds like a deal could be close between the two sides. But even with Elliott in the mix, that backfield would be far from perfect.
As for Brooks, he would likely be higher on draft boards if it weren't for the torn ACL he suffered in November. However, his surgery was performed by the Cowboys' team doctor, meaning they have all the intel on his surgery, rehab, and recovery.
Brooks ran for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023 in 11 games before tearing his ACL. He also reeled in 25 catches for another 286 yards and a touchdown. He would be a great dual-threat option in Dallas and could complement a potential return of someone like Elliott very nicely.
Jones didn't hide the fact that the Cowboys want Brooks, so if another team is interested in him, they could select him before the Cowboys do at No. 56. However, if Brooks is available when the Cowboys are on the clock on Friday night, it would almost be a surprise if the 20-year-old running back wasn't the selection.
The draft is always full of surprises, though.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Noah Camras graduated from USC in 2022 with a B.A. in Journalism and minor in Sports Media Studies. He's worked ... Read more
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