This summer, the Dallas Cowboys have a lot of options for improving their wide receiver group, one of which involves a record-breaking possibility. Though the team still needs to decide what to do with players like Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup, Zakhari Franklin might be the kind of addition that doesn’t rely on other moves or releases.
The Cowboys are mocking Franklin with the No. 231 choice in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL mock draft, according to SB Nation. Although the former Ole Miss and UTSA receiver’s stock has plummeted in the last year, he is still not far from his record-breaking seasons in San Antonio.
The March 7 article says, “The Cowboys should probably look to address receiver in this draft at some point, even though it may not be as urgent of a need right now.” And it’s a simple choice to make now that Zakhari Franklin is available. Franklin was a standout player at UTSA not too far ago. During his junior season, he set program records, which he subsequently surpassed the following year. Following the pandemic eligibility freeze, Franklin made the decision to attend Ole Miss and utilize his additional year of eligibility. Franklin only made four appearances throughout the season due to an injury that hindered his ability to secure a spot on the depth chart early in the season.
In the event of a late round, Franklin might be quite valuable.
An Up-close View of Zakhari Franklin Much fanfare surrounded Franklin’s transfer to Ole Miss. He was ranked by Pro Football Focus as one of the Top 10 wide receiver prospects for the 2024 NFL draft back in July of 2023. This was mostly because of the explosive seasons he had for the Roadrunners in 2021 and 2022.
He caught 81 catches in 2021 for 1027 yards and 12 touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. He exceeded his previous year’s total of 94 receptions, 1136 yards, and 15 touchdowns in his final season. In both seasons, Franklin broke the UTSA records in all three categories.
However, he faltered while switching to the Rebels. Franklin had an ailment during fall camp that was kept a secret, which kept him out of the first three games. Later in the season, he had another problem that kept him off the field for several more weeks.
He recorded just 4 catches for 38 yards and 1 touchdown by the end of the season.
Browns might acquire Brandin Cooks from the Cowboys.
A WR shake-up is highly likely with Michael Gallup, Brandin Cooks, and Jalen Tolbert in the mix. Tolbert and Gallup seem like cut candidates, and Cooks might be dealt because Heavy has covered him recently.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report devised a plan that would trade Cooks to the Cleveland Browns. The Cowboys will receive a fifth-round selection in this year’s NFL draft in exchange.
Cooks has a past with Deshaun Watson, the quarterback for the Browns. Although he wasn’t a bad signing, his $8 million salary is excessive for the value he provides. A trade would be the easiest option for Dallas to gain value from the scenario if they wanted to preserve that cap space.
Be the first to comment