A majority of the Dallas Cowboys draft picks survived their first roster cuts and some could even become starters if fortune continues to shine on them. Did the Cowboys draft well, according to their needs?
How Well Did the Dallas Cowboys Draft for Their 2024 Season
OT Tyler Guyton
As the first-round pick, all eyes will be on Tyler Guyton in this first regular season game. And he’s got quite the challenge to measure up to. Chuma Edoga was injured during the first preseason game, which placed Guyton in a starting spot.
The Cowboys will play the Cleveland Browns in week one. On the Browns’ roster is one of the best EDGE rushers in the league: Miles Garrett. With Guyton playing left tackle, it’ll be a battle of wills to keep Garrett away from Dak Prescott in the pocket.
But luckily, Guyton has had a lot of practice. He’s gone against Micah Parsons constantly and has been able to beat him a good amount of the time. This should carry over into the regular season very nicely.
DE Marshawn Kneeland
Marshawn Kneeland was another timely addition to the roster. Sam Williams went down with a torn ACL during the first few days of training camp and will now be out for the season. This moved the Cowboys’ second-round draft pick up the depth chart and positioned him to start this season.
Kneeland has played well during preseason, doing a great job against the run game and putting pressure on the QB during passes. There’s a lot of hope for his future with the Cowboys if he can bring those same results onto the field for the regular season.
OG Cooper Beebe
Beebe started training camp with a battle for center. Both Beebe and Brock Hoffman competed for the position throughout training camp. Then they alternated as starters in a few preseason games before Hoffman claimed the spot.
That doesn’t knock Beebe off the roster though. He stayed strong at guard and is a great backup if anything were to happen to Hoffman. Beebe has played incredibly well at the offensive line and brings some young talent to an offensive line that has been needing it.
LB Marist Liufau
The linebacker room was incredibly stacked this preseason. Yet, it didn’t stop Marist Liufau from showing up and making his presence known.
Liufau showed up well in training camp and had a solid game against the Raiders in the preseason. He joins a very strong core, boasting Eric Kendricks, Damone Clark, and Micah Parsons, among others.
CB Caelen Carson
Caelen Carson is another opportunistic draft. Training camp practice caused injury to DaRon Bland, who was ample for the Cowboys last season. Bland broke the record for most pick-6s in a single season and was looking to build off of a great year.
Trevon Diggs is back from injury and has been slowly working his way into the rotation as well. This is where Carson enters the picture.
During preseason, the fifth-round draft pick had a great game against the Rams with six tackles, four being solos. He has stepped up when his team needed him and is likely to have to step up again with Bland out these first few weeks.
WR Ryan Flournoy
There were high expectations for Ryan Flournoy coming into the team but he appears to have survived them well. Flournoy had an exceptional two games against the Raiders and the Chargers, collecting just over 50 yards between the two games.
In another deep room, it wasn’t originally looking very good for Flournoy. He suffered a small injury early in camp and didn’t get to stand out early. However, he bounced back from it well and now earned his roster spot.
OT Nathan Thomas
The Dallas Cowboys draft picks shine at offensive tackle. Not wanting to settle for just one new tackle, the Cowboys drafted Nathan Thomas to accompany Guyton as a rookie. Thomas hasn’t had much time on the field due to an injury, but he must’ve still made quite the statement to his coaches.
He made the team on the injury reserve list. The offensive line is stacked this year. Once he heals up, Thomas still might not get much of an opportunity to be on the field.
DT Justin Rogers
The only cut from the rookie class was Justin Rogers. This is unfortunate because Rogers had a pretty good preseason run. He consistently made tackles in every game.
What happened to Rogers was the increased depth added to that defensive tackle room. With the addition of both Linval Joseph and Jordan Phillips, it wasn’t likely Rogers would make the team. Other rooms in the defense were just as competitive, leading to Rogers being off the 53 and not even making the practice squad. Maybe he’ll have more luck as a free agent.
Dallas Cowboys Draft Picks Stand Out
The Cowboys drafted incredibly well. Several players were the perfect draft pick due to injuries and uncertainties on the team. It creates a very exciting season to watch and see what they continue to make of themselves as the season starts.
Main Photo: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
