Dallas Cowboys had a dilemma before drafting Marist Liufau in the NFL Draft third round

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America’s Team was cornered by another player on Day 2 of the NFL Draft and was forced to make a critical decision with very little time on the clock.

Jerry Jones addressed key issues on the Cowboys roster but was forced into making a decision that could have a detrimental impact on the 2024 season.

Moreover, after a successful opening day drafting Tyler Guyton, the Dallas Cowboys followed up by selecting Marshawn Kneeland on the defensive side of the ball.

However, this decision allowed the Carolina Panthers to swoop in and still prime rushing target Johnathon Brooks.

Jerry Jones praised Brooks before his Panthers selection

Some fans and reporters had criticized owner Jerry Jones for overpraising the Texas Longhorn talent.

The evening before, the 81-year-old claimed Brooks was the best player he had interviewed in 30 years.

Others suggested this could be a ploy to increase his draft value and steal another running back off the board.

Nonetheless, it seemed this was not Jerry playing mind games because the franchise did not choose another rusher after the Panthers’ heist on Day 2.

Dallas had acquired a second pick in the NFL Draft third round after their trade back with the Detroit Lions on Thursday.

Cowboys Insider shared the problem the war room faced in the NFL Draft

Todd Archer, Cowboys reporter for ESPN, revealed the front office was tasked with a dilemma and felt forced into a decision.

On X, Archer posted: “So it came down to LB Marist Liufau at No. 87 vs. a running back with a lower grade.

“Highly doubtful Liufau gets to the Cowboys in the fifth round in their minds. To get a pick in the 4th round, they would’ve had to given up a 2025 3, so they stood with what they had.”

Evidently, the team felt it was in their best interest to draft Marist Liufau instead of drafting a lower-graded player at running back.

Furthermore, if the Cowboys had tried to reach and force the issue, they would have missed out on their starting linebacker in 2024.

Cowboys had sacrificed their 2024 fourth-rounder for Trey Lance

The Cowboys could have played with the idea of drafting up into the fourth round.

In 2023, America’s Team sacrificed their fourth-round pick to acquire Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers.

Per Archer, the team would have been forced to give up a third-round pick in 2025 to draft a running back on Day 3.

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