Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Cowboys land unexpected potential star in wild NFL draft prediction

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Apr 23, 2025 1:26 PM ET

Following a 7-10 campaign, the Dallas Cowboys have the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

That gives them the opportunity to add a game-changing player, with wide receiver being the expected route. Not everyone believes this is the way the draft will go for Dallas, however.

For example, Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News takes a completely different route, selecting Georgia safety Malaki Starks at No. 12 in his latest NFL mock draft.

”The Cowboys need to think about getting much better playmaking at the position over Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker. Starks can give them a potential do-everything superstar, a la Micah Parsons in the front seven.” — Iyer, Sporting News

To be fair to Iyer, Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was already off the board, although he could have gone with Emeka Egbuka from Ohio State or Matthew Golden from Texas.

That said, this selection would surely be greeted with frustration from the fan base. With their hearts set on offense firepower, they won’t be satisfied with a safety — even if he is the best in the class.

Passing on a receiver for a position that won’t be a need until 2026 would also be risky for Dallas. They’ll still have holes at receiver, running back, and cornerback that must be addressed.

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This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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