Jerry Jones Derails Cowboys Fans’ Dreams of Drafting Travis Hunter

The Dallas Cowboys may have temporarily saved their season with Sunday's victory over the Washington Commanders. They also likely ended any realistic outcome where they finish with a top-three pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Depending on which side of the fanbase you ask, the win was either a great thing or one that could ultimately cost them a chance to land a top draft prospect. 

The Cowboys battled through injuries and adversity to defeat a divisional rival on the road, and it became abundantly clear that the idea of "tanking" isn't of much interest. And for the fans who wanted a top prospect, specifically a name like Colorado standout Travis Hunter, Jerry Jones drove home that tanking for a top pick isn't even in the cards.

As enticing as the idea of the Cowboys landing Hunter in the 2025 NFL Draft is, it didn't seem realistic entering the season. But after a five-game losing streak and a season-ending injury to quarterback Dak Prescott, it was very much on the table before last week's win, with the team sitting at 3-7.

During Jones's segment on 105.3 The Fan's Shan & RJ, he reiterated his belief on the situation and stated that the players the Cowboys want "will be there" when the team is on the board.

"That [tanking] has not come across anybody's mind in this organization. ... I get it, I get all of it, but it's critical to us to get out here and compete. Those guys will be there for us, the ones we want when we get there in the draft," Jones said.

"I just think the game is too important. The win is too important. ... A win is a very satisfying thing under any circumstance. It helps you build," Jones continued.

"There's a lot of ambiguity with those draft picks. ... I've had draft picks that were extraordinarily high that didn't work. I've had them low that knocked it out of the park. And so you've got to weigh what happens when you get the picks and the odds of you knocking one out of the park there as well, as opposed to winning a game."

Whether fans agree or disagree with the thought process, Jones's comments throw cold water on the idea of a Hunter-Cowboys future pairing. While there's still hope for the fanbase of a potential trade to move from wherever the Cowboys land in the 2025 NFL Draft, Jones and company have typically opted against trading up.

The last time the Cowboys moved up in the first round of a draft was in 2012 when they jumped to No. 6 to select LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne.