National Football League

The Cowboys want to draft a QB this year. Who could they target?

Updated Apr. 11, 2023 12:05 p.m. ET

All of a sudden, the Cowboys' quarterback room looks like it might get crowded.

No, that won't affect the starting job. Relax. Even if Dak Prescott wasn't one of the NFC's best quarterbacks, his contract makes it a virtual impossibility for anyone but him to lead this team in 2023.

Prescott's status is secure for the time being, but the depth chart behind him looks a lot more intriguing than it did a week ago. That's mainly because the Cowboys agreed to a two-year deal with their longtime backup, Cooper Rush.

It wasn't an enormous payday, totaling just $5 million across the two years. With various incentives built in, Rush can make up to $6 million on the deal, and he gets $2.75 million in 2023. Still, it's well-deserved. Rush is 5-1 in his opportunities to start for the Cowboys, and his 4-1 stint when Prescott broke his thumb last season saved the season.

Still, it does raise a question about the Cowboys' perceived plan to draft a quarterback this year. And before you assume that's a supposition, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones stated his preference pretty firmly at this year's Senior Bowl, stating that the Cowboys are "committed" to drafting a quarterback in this draft.

That's obviously still possible, but it should hint at the type of investment to come. Prescott and Rush are under contract for the next two years, and Prescott in particular is nearly impossible to move on from. Will Grier also has one year remaining on his contract, though it's not the type of deal that locks him onto the roster.

We can still safely let slip the idea that a major investment is coming at the position, barring something unforeseen. It feels like a good bet that any quarterback who joins the Cowboys in this year's draft will do so later on — much like Prescott himself back in 2016.

Not all quarterbacks are created equal, though. Let's take a look at a few guys who make sense for this room.

Max Duggan, TCU

Let's just get the obvious one out of the way. Duggan was bound to be linked to the Cowboys from the time he carried TCU to an appearance in this year's national title game, given that the Horned Frogs play just 50 miles from the Cowboys' facility, and 19 miles from their stadium.

If that wasn't enough, both owner/general manager Jerry Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy have publicly fawned over Duggan, mentioning how he has impressed during this pre-draft process.

Duggan doesn't possess the size or the arm strength to get drafted early, but he's a solid athlete and people rave about his intangibles. It's a pick that makes a lot of sense, for a lot of reasons – which is why it's been widely discussed over the last two months.

Max Duggan's impressive 77-yard pass to Taye Barber led to Kendre Miller's 2-yard touchdown to tie the game for TCU

Hendon Hooker, Tennessee

This is not a local prospect, but Hooker feels like he could be an awfully Cowboys-ish pick for another reason.

That reason is the unfortunate ACL tear he suffered late last season. Hooker was a Heisman Trophy candidate at the time, having elevated Tennessee into the College Football Playoff discussion before getting hurt.

Hooker has the size and traits to be a lofty pick, and that's without mentioning his fantastic 31:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio over the last two years. If the Cowboys are in position to draft him, it'll only happen because the injury pushes him down the board — and even then, this is likely a pick they'd have to make on Day 2.

If the range is right, it could pay dividends. Hooker clearly has the measurables and the decision-making skills. A redshirt year could allow him to learn the scheme and how to process at the NFL level. One downside is his advanced age, as he did just turn 25. But quarterback is hardly a position where that should be a dealbreaker.

Of all the picks the Cowboys could make, this would be the juiciest. Drafting a player with Hooker's profile and talent would generate a ton of discussion about the future of the starting job.

Will Anderson Jr, C.J. Stroud & Hendon Hooker in Joel Klatt's top 50 players in 2023 NFL Draft

Aidan O'Connell, Purdue

O'Connell is a picture-perfect backup quarterback prospect.

O'Connell was good, not great for Purdue over the last two years. Nothing about his physical profile is going to wow you, but he's got good size and a strong enough arm to make most throws. He's accurate and willing to take what's available to him. That sounds like a guy that a quarterback expert like Mike McCarthy can mold to his liking.

O'Connell's physical profile suggests that he should still be hanging around as we move into the later rounds of the draft, and if that's the case it would make a ton of sense to take him.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA

It's a bit surprising that there's not more buzz surrounding a quarterback with 1,200 rushing yards over his final two college seasons, on top of passing performances that improved every year of his UCLA career. Thompson-Robinson capped off his college career by completing 70% of his passes with 27 touchdowns and just 10 picks.

If we're looking for a reason, maybe it's a thin 6-2, 203-pound build that makes you wonder how well he'll hold up at the next level.

Perhaps it's a valid concern, but Thompson-Robinson managed to weather the grind of major college football while improving as a passer each year he was in school. He's got great arm strength, and that type of athletic ability is hard to see as a downside. Again, if we're talking about a Day 3 pick who's under no pressure to see the field quickly, this is a pick with a lot of potential.

UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson scrambles 19 yards for a touchdown

Clayton Tune, Houston

Tune would have a much higher profile if he was coming out of a Power 5 conference, or had his team made a College Football Playoff push, as Duggan's did. Because honestly, he seems shockingly similar to his TCU counterpart. The stats are there: 4,000 passing yards and 40 touchdowns in just 13 games, to go with 544 rushing yards. The athleticism is also there, with an NFL Combine performance that put him in the 83rd percentile or higher in most athletic categories.

He's even got local ties, having played his high school ball just down the road at Hebron High School in Carrolton.

From the outside perspective, it feels like Tune is flying a bit under the radar — though it's a sure bet NFL clubs are well aware of him. If they weren't before, his strong performance at the Combine should've changed that.

It won't be a surprise if Tune has his name called earlier than some expect, but he should still be a viable mid-round option, should the Cowboys take a liking to him.

David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team’s official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing "Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion" about the quarterback’s time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.

The Cowboys want to draft a QB this year. Who could they target?

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