With the 2015 NFL Draft behind us, the Last Word On Sports NFL department continues its draft review series here. Today, the Dallas Cowboys are the focus. Here’s who they selected:
1st Round, 27th Overall: CB Byron Jones (UConn)
2nd Round, 60th Overall: OLB Randy Gregory (Nebraska)
3rd Round, 91st Overall: OT Chaz Green (Florida)
4th Round, 127th Overall: LB Damien Wilson (Minnesota)
5th Round, 163rd Overall: DE Ryan Russell (Purdue)
7th Round, 236th Overall: OLB Mark Nzeocha (Wyoming)
7th Round, 243rd Overall: OT Laurence Gibson (Virginia Tech)
7th Round, 246th Overall: TE Geoff Swaim (Texas)
Cowboys 2015 Draft Grade: 8/10
Dallas Cowboys 2015 NFL Draft Review
The Best Player: In terms of talent, Randy Gregory is the best player in this draft class. If he can stay out of trouble, he will be a dynamic pass rusher. He filled a huge need for the Cowboys and his value in the second round was spectacular. With Greg Hardy, Demarcus Lawrence, and Randy Gregory, the Cowboys have assembled a respectable group of pass rushers that will be much better than the group they had last season.
The Head-Scratcher: Chaz Green was a huge reach in the third round and the selection puzzled Cowboys fans. Some teams reach for need in the draft, and that is understandable, but the Cowboys did not even need another offensive tackle. With the addition of La’el Collins, this selection makes even less sense. Chaz Green will be the third-string right tackle on an offensive line filled with young talent. It’s very possible that Green won’t even see the field before his rookie contract expires.
The Surprise: Chaz Green was the biggest surprise, but I’ll talk about Ryan Russell here for the sake of being different. The Cowboys already had solid depth at defensive end when Russell was selected, but they needed some help at defensive tackle and running back. Defensive tackle Michael Bennett would have made more sense and he would have been a much better value in the fifth round. Ultimately, the Cowboys decided not to draft a single defensive tackle or running back, so those decisions were very surprising.
The Steal: Randy Gregory was the biggest steal for the Cowboys and it’s not even close. Gregory was the only player who could be considered a steal in this class because the others were either taken before or at their draft projections. That being said, Gregory had top-10 talent and the Cowboys managed to get him at the end of the second round. They could have taken him with their first-round pick and it still would have been a solid value.
Most Likely to Turn Heads in Training Camp: Byron Jones’ freakish athleticism will turn heads in training camp and earn him a starting position. The Cowboys needed help in the secondary and Jones was a solid value at the end of the first round. Morris Claiborne has been a bust and this selection will allow the Cowboys to get rid of Brandon Carr’s ridiculous contract after the season. He should form a solid duo with Orlando Scandrick in a division filled with talented receivers.
The Rest: Damien Wilson was a reach in the fourth round, but he will provide the Cowboys with more depth at linebacker just in case Sean Lee gets injured again. Fourth-round linebacker Anthony Hitchens turned out to be a great selection last year, so the Cowboys are hoping Wilson can develop the same way. Outside linebacker Mark Nzeocha was expected to go undrafted, but the Cowboys took a chance on him in the seventh round. He will probably be a practice squad member as a rookie. The Cowboys drafted yet another offensive tackle in the seventh round with Laurence Gibson, but he might have a difficult time making the roster after the addition of La’el Collins. Geoff Swaim is a project tight end who the Cowboys hope will learn from Jason Witten and complement Gavin Escobar in the future.
The Bottom Line: The Cowboys had a great start to the draft, but the selections after Byron Jones and Randy Gregory were questionable. The addition of La’el Collins as an undrafted free agent significantly boosts their grade, as they essentially acquired three first-round picks. While that stat is great, it’s hard to fall in love with any of their selections after the second round. Chaz Green was a particularly horrible selection, as the Cowboys could have drafted an impact player in the third round.
Check out our other draft reviews here.
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