Inside How New Data ‘IQ’ Predicts Cowboys' Draft Plan

A lot goes on inside team's scouting departments leading up to the NFL Draft.

Each team has their own plan of attack, but there is generally a strong emphasis on in-depth analysis of a variety of data and complex strategies.

Thursday, the NFL partnered with Amazon to launch Draft IQ - a personalized dashboard of each team's Draft preview that gives fans a detailed look at how this scouting process tends to look.

Of course, it doesn't have insider access or knowledge, but the site brings a good idea of what we could see on draft night.

So what does it say about the Dallas Cowboys?

The chart begins with a star rating 1-5 of the likelihood Dallas trades up or down in the first round. Each rating sits at 2 stars.

The Cowboys own the No. 12 pick - a prime position that the Cowboys don't typically hold. The numbers point to Dallas staying put in Round 1.

Who may be available? That's where we see the Cowboys' "Projected First Round Big Board", ordered by the players' best fit at The Star and their projected selection.

Top 15 - RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

Top 10 - OT Will Campbell, LSU

Top 15 - LB Jalon Walker, Georgia

1st Round - WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona

1st Round - ED Mykel Williams, Georgia

1st Round - CB Will Johnson, Michigan

1st Round - WR Matthew Golden, Texas

1st Round - DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan

The consensus needs for Dallas include a potential starting running back, second-option wide receiver, and depth in the cornerback, linebacker and defensive line rooms.

The site continues with a mock draft tracker that sees five of seven insiders choosing one of the above names from the big board. McMillan and Golden each earned two mock predictions, one went to Grant, and two drafters chose players off the proposed board.

A surprising name not listed on the board was Eric Edholm's prediction: North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton.

That is a popular name in Cowboys rumors. Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. has picked Dallas to select Hampton in three separate mocks.

Bucky Brooks also went the unconventional route with a prediction for Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou. He is a beast of a prospect, but typically sees mock drafts with him in the top-10, not falling to 12.

Overall, you can make an argument that any of these big board names will be a quality selection from the Cowboys.

But if you want to put money on it ... Draft IQ has you covered there too.

Using data from DraftKings, the Cowboys' first position drafted is expected to be wide receiver at an overwhelming 34% chance. Cornerback is second most likely at 18%. There's a 14% chance for O-line, 13% chance for D-line, and just 8% for running back.

There are a lot of possibilities, of course, but if you want to believe the numbers ... keep a close eye on Tetairoa McMillan and Matthew Golden in Round 1 on April 24.

We know Cowboys' stud receiver CeeDee Lamb would be happy with either of those.