Grading the Cowboys 2018 Draft Class

Cowboysfan is back with his breakdown of the 2018 Dallas Cowboys. Some people think they reached, while others feel like the picks like Leighton Vander Esch were justified.

So how did Cowboysfan1993 enjoy it? See below:

1. Cowboys: Leighton Vander Esch ILB Boise State

Leighton Vander Esch Going into the draft, Dallas’s biggest need was at LB. They currently have only two starter quality guys in Smith and Lee. Lee is 32 and has an injury history, and Jaylon Smith isn’t ready for full time work either. The depth behind them also isn’t very good. Vander Esch is a physically well built LB. He’s 6’4″ 255 lbs. He grades as the best run stopping LB in the nation, but also plays in coverage quite well. He has a feel for dropping into his zones and taking the ball carrier. He is a very good tackler as evidenced by his numbers. He will flow sideline to sideline and can play all three downs. I feel he will be the day one starter at Mike with Lee at the Will and Smith at the Sam. Vander Esch only had one year of major production leading many to believe he’s a one year wonder and he can play a bit soft as a tackler. Too often I see him getting driven back by smaller RB. He also doesn’t have great take on skills when engaging and offensive lineman. His potential is enormous, but needs some work in areas. Grade: B

2. Cowboys: Connor Williams OT Texas

The Cowboys had some issues last year with their O line. When Tyron Smith went down, the offense was a mess. Dak was getting hit left and right. He was sacked 8 times against the Falcons with almost all of those sacks coming from the LT spot. They address this with Connor Williams. He’s a very good player at the age of 20. He is excellent as both a run blocker and pass blocker. He was gifted with great athletic ability for the position. He at times doesn’t play as strong as he could. He was hurt the year before this one, which saw his play regress. He can play all 5 positions along the O line, but will likely fit at the LG spot. He is slightly light at under 300 lbs. I really like this player, and was an absolute steal at 50. He never should have made it out of the first much less the backend of round 2. Grade: A+

3. Cowboys: Michael Gallup WR

Michael Gallup The Cowboys obviously needed a WR, they currently didn’t have one. Allen Hurns is nice, but more as a complimentary piece. Gallup isn’t the biggest or fastest guy at only 6’1″ 205 lbs. and ran a 4.5 40. This is a guy who can run the whole route tree. In terms of route running he’s up there with the likes of Ridley, Moore, and Hamilton. Gallup is able to create separation in his routes and get open down the field, while having the route running to win underneath as well. He knows how to fight through press, can high point balls, and cradle them when necessary. Very physical after the catch, with quickness to make defenders miss as well. In my opinion I have him as the fourth best receiver behind Moore, Ridley, and Miller. This was another steal for Big D. Grade: A

4. Cowboys: Dorance Armstrong Jr. DE Kansas

The Cowboys have some depth at DE, but don’t really have that true RDE who can scream off the edge. Armstrong is that guy. He’s a violent and relentless rusher who is going to give you all he has. He actually somewhat embarrassed Connor Williams when they played. He needs work against the run, but as a pass rusher I see him having a fairly big impact as a rotational piece. Grade: A

5. Cowboys: Dalton Schultz TE Stanford

With Hanna retiring and Witten mulling his options, TE was a concern. Schultz is a very good blocker, average as a receiver, but he can develop. I am not a huge fan, but he’s a decent player. He was a former O lineman. Nasty blocker and it shows. I felt like a DT or even a S would have been better. Grade: B-

6. Cowboys: Mike White QB

Mike White A lot of people don’t like Dak Prescott, I am not one of them, however I do believe in having quality backups. Look at the top two teams from last year in the Eagles and Vikings with all the injuries to their QBs they were still close to the top of the league. Should Prescott go down or underperform, Dallas has another option. I had a 4th round grade on White so he is a steal here. He has NFL size, a good not great arm, very accurate towards the middle of the field, knows how to work the pocket, decent not amazing athletic ability. He reads the field well, in my opinion he could be a decent starter in the NFL, but an excellent backup. Sure there were other names here, but having White on the roster offers some security. Grade: B+

7. Cowboys: Cris Covington ILB

Cris Covington They double dipped at LB. I didn’t really like the pick, he isn’t a great athlete, and doesn’t offer much in terms of size either. He is a violent player and good tackler, so he will likely be on special teams. Dissappointed this pick wasn’t Cichy from Wisconsin or Skai Moore. Grade: C-

8. Cowboys: Cedrik Wilson WR

Cedrik Wilson He has some special teams ability, good quality hands, can run routes at all levels of the defense, can be used inside or outside, I prefer to play him in the slot though. He doesn’t use his height to his advantage at 6’3″, isn’t strong enough to beat press. Overall it’s decent value. I had a 4th round grade on him. Grade: B

9. Cowboys: Bo Scarbrough RB Alabama

The Cowboys only had Zeke and Smith on the roster, I like this addition. Sure would have liked Wadley, Ford, or Hill here, but I understand. If Elliott gets hurt or suspended, I wasn’t sure if Smith could carry the load on his own. Bo offers a battering ram as a RB. He isn’t really quick or fast, and he isn’t a threat as a receiver, but in goal line or late in games he’s a punishing runner. Dallas plans to run the ball a lot, and I think this provides a relentless running game that won’t allow defenders to take a break. Grade: A

PLEASE FLIP THE PAGE BELOW TO CONTINUE

Pages: 1 2