The Dallas Cowboys are heading into the 2020 season with expectations of making noise in the NFC East. There are bound to be changes with new head coach Mike McCarthy at the helm. Those changes have started off well with this year’s NFL Draft. Cowboys fans have a lot to be excited about when it comes to their draft picks and the upcoming season. When it’s all said and done, the Cowboys should end up with a top-10 group of draft picks. Here’s a look at the Dallas Cowboys 2020 NFL Draft class.
Dallas Cowboys 2020 NFL Draft Review
Overall Draft Grade: A+
The Dallas Cowboys were fortunate to have a lot of luck on their side in the 2020 NFL Draft. Very good value draft picks fell into their hands time and again. CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs, Neville Gallimore, and Bradlee Anae are all steals in my book. When four of seven draft picks can be considered steals, you are on the right track. The Cowboys could end up having long term starters from this draft class.
CeeDee Lamb
Draft Grade: A+
This was one of the best value picks of the entire draft. CeeDee Lamb was widely considered as a top-three receiver in this year’s draft class. Going into the draft, there was most definitely a chance that he could have been picked in the top 10. The fact that he fell to the 17th pick is a huge win for the Cowboys. He is a big, explosive, receiver with reliable hands and sneaky speed. Sitting at 6’2”, 198 pounds, Lamb will be a force on any down. Pairing him up with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup is a dream come true. Dak Prescott now has a plethora of weapons and an offensive-minded head coach to propel them in the right direction. The Cowboys were already in the top five in passing, rushing, and total offense last year. Adding a player like Lamb into an already state-of-the-art offense will be extremely dangerous to defenses.
Trevon Diggs
Draft Grade: A
Dallas lucked out again by seeing Trevon Diggs fall to them in the second round. Diggs is a big corner with great length and ball skills. He is quick enough to keep up with most receivers, while also being lengthy and physical enough to beat up on bigger guys. The Alabama product can high point the ball and is great in both man and zone coverage. Being a former wide receiver, there were times in college when he would seemingly run the route for his opponent and make great plays on the ball. He is not the fastest guy but he has an uncanny ability to use his size and strength to knock guys off of their routes. When guys do get downfield he can run into problems though. Diggs can struggle at times with downfield speed without help over the top. He will fit in well with the new look Cowboys defense. Cowboys fans hope he can step right in to fill the spot vacated by Byron Jones.
Neville Gallimore
Draft Grade: B+
Neville Gallimore was on a lot of draft boards as a second-round projection. He is another player who happened to fall to the Cowboys. Picking Gallimore in the third round has huge upside. Although they already have a stout defensive line, Gallimore will add quality depth. He will also be able to come into a rotational role without being expected to start right away. Gallimore can learn from guys like Demarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford, and new veteran additions Dontari Poe, and Gerald McCoy. His shortcomings include lack of hand skills and gaining leverage while pass rushing. Those are things that can be taught though, and he has some very good teachers. Neville Gallimore should make an impact in a rotational role starting this year.
Reggie Robinson II
Draft Grade: B-
Reggie Robinson II has boom or bust potential. He has the size and length to battle with bigger receivers, but he is not the fastest guy. Robinson can run into trouble when facing speedsters but his length can occasionally save him from his lack of speed. The Tulsa product adds much-needed depth to a defensive back room that struggled in 2019. Robinson II will not be expected to come in and start right away, so he has some room to grow. He will, however, be asked to play in the dime and sometimes nickel packages. The Cowboys are fortunate to get another big body in the defensive back room. Without needing to make a huge impact right away, he can turn into a rotational starter in the future.
Tyler Biadasz
Draft Grade: B
With the departure of the newly retired Travis Frederick, the Cowboys needed to address the center position. Tyler Biadasz fills that need as he can come in and start right away. He left after his redshirt junior season and has a lot of experience. He comes from Wisconsin who seems to push out quality offensive lineman year after year. As long as he can learn from the other experienced O-Linemen in the room, he will fill the immediate need at center. He is reliable but unspectacular. He will need to work on his pass protection, but he is a mauler in the running game. Coming from a school like Wisconsin is always a good sign because they love to pound the rock. Ezekiel Elliott should be excited to run behind a guy like Biadasz.
Bradlee Anae
Draft Grade: A
Utah edge rusher Bradlee Anae is another steal for the Cowboys as they were able to pick him in the fifth round. He is a polished pass rusher after playing through his senior season. Anae received 2019 All-American honors and was one of the best pass rushers in the Pac-12. He struggles against the run at times, including getting around blockers efficiently. Hand fighting and bending around offensive lineman is a skill that can be taught for guys like Anae though. Although he has trouble with stopping the run, he can be a true asset in the pass rush. Using Anae as a rotational sub-rusher will be key for a team like the Cowboys who already have so much talent at the position. He will be able to sub in with fresh legs and pin his ears back to get the quarterback on third downs. The Cowboys found great value in this pick.
Ben DiNucci
Draft Grade: B-
Ben DiNucci, while putting up great numbers at James Madison, is being brought in as a camp arm and someone who can compete for a backup job. With Cooper Rush as the current backup, DiNucci was brought in to push everybody in training camp. DiNucci received 2019 honors for CAA Offensive Player of the Year so is familiar with success. He will most likely end up on the practice squad for depth unless he can beat out Rush. The Cowboys will most likely only keep two quarterbacks on the roster.
Overview
The Dallas Cowboys had a very successful draft this season and they hope to have multiple starters from the 2019 class for years to come. Mike McCarthy is getting a team that should be ready to win right away. Look for the Cowboys to compete at a high level and make a run in the playoffs.
