Steve Seufert| May 4th, 2020
What better way to welcome Mike McCarthy to Dallas than re-signing Amari Cooper? That could be a rhetorical question until you’ve provided McCarthy with an excellent draft. Despite the coaching transition, I would expect the Cowboys to remain competitive in the NFC and certainly be a division-winning contender. The way they attacked the 2020 draft has something to do with it.
Make sure to check out all of our other NFL team drafts reviews here.
Round 1, Pick 17: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
The Cowboys didn’t really need wide receiver help, or at least I didn’t think it was a priority. Lamb making it to pick 17 was an afterthought, in fact, it wasn’t even considered. Owner Jerry Jones looked beside himself when he realized Lamb had fallen to 17. They turned the card in quickly and rightfully so.
I think they’re getting a polished player that will compete at a high level in year one. He’s plenty athletic and has some of the best releases in the class. Lamb should be able to play all three receiving positions year one and has plenty of experience in doing so. I love the pick because now they can let Michael Gallup walk after next season depending on the cap situation. Excellent pick for the Cowboys and they may have one of the most dangerous receiving trios in that entire league.
Full Scouting Report here.
He’s game.@_CeeDeeThree #OUDNA https://t.co/4B1saO8rJs pic.twitter.com/9SRSEjFoGw
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) May 1, 2020
Grade: A+
Round 2, Pick 51: Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
Based on some of the media projections leading up to the final days, I thought Diggs might sneak into the middle of the first round. It appears that the Cowboys have gotten another player that slipped further than they anticipated. Unlike wide receiver, defensive back became a need after losing Byron Jones to the Miami Dolphins in free agency. Although a good prospect, fans might need to be patient with Diggs. He’s still learning the position as he played receiver earlier in his career at Alabama.
I wasn’t extremely high on Diggs because you’re relying on projection. I think there were players with higher floors with a similar ceiling. His ball skills are only solid, even for being a former receiver. The size, effort, and play strength are certainly there to become a press-man corner but his long speed puts a cap on his ceiling in those situations. Although he isn’t my favorite prospect, Diggs still provided some value based on where I thought he was going to get selected.
Full Scouting Report here.
This one for Trevon Diggs was fun. I didn’t want to spit hype video after hype video out this weekend so I decided to try the no music thing again. Really loved how this one came out as the natural sounds made the biggest moments feel even bigger
— Kerry Lofton (@KerryLofton) April 26, 2020
Grade: B-
Round 3, Pick 82: Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma
Another great value on both my personal board and on the expert projection boards. Gallimore had some late first-round buzz behind his name as we were leading up to the draft. He will learn from Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe who are both on the depth chart ahead of him. New defensive line coach Jim Tomsula is probably the best position coach in the game. Gallimore is definitely in good hands.
I believe Gallimore has one of the best motors in the entire game. His energy is contagious both pre-snap and post-snap. He has a good first step using his quickness to get into half man and work through the interior offensive line. Due to his marginal play strength, Gallimore is probably scheme dependent. He would benefit from playing in a one-gapping scheme, allowing him to pin his ears back and rush the passer.
Ladies & gentlemen, Oklahoma’s Neville Gallimore pic.twitter.com/BYdKtUx9gg
— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 23, 2020
Grade: A
Round 4, Pick 123: Reggie Robinson, CB, Tulsa
You’re getting a really good special teams player at the very least. Robinson blocked a kick in every collegiate season and he profiles as a good gunner on the punt team. Teams are consistently trying to find height, weight, and speed at the corner position. If all of the great receivers win at the line of scrimmage, teams need to be able to overwhelm those guys with bigger press-man corners. Robinson posted a SPARQ score of 132.0, good enough for the 92.4 percentile among NFL cornerbacks.
I like the heavy-hitting cornerback who might provide a floor at safety if the cornerback position doesn’t work out. Play strength and effort are admirable with a knack for finding the football. Although he finds the ball, he doesn’t always finish. Athletic ability is a tick higher as a gym athlete. Lack of instincts drop his athletic ability and play speed when he’s on the field. Anytime you can get a high floor prospect with height, weight, and speed, you can rest calmly through the night.
One of my favorite reps of the day.
Good route by Van Jefferson, good throw by Jalen Hurts, great pass breakup by Reggie Robinson #SeniorBowl @TulsaFootball pic.twitter.com/g5PaM73dE3
— Fair Shake Football (@FairshakeFB) January 22, 2020
Grade: B+
Round 4, Pick 146: Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin
If you turn on the 2018 tape, Biadasz is literally one of the best players in the country. Another big-time steal for Jones and company. Dallas is getting a three-year starter from a Big Ten school that featured a dominant rushing attack. The offensive line talent declined this past season for the Wisconsin Badgers, putting more pressure on Biadasz. Biadasz also had to deal with multiple injuries throughout the season causing his stock to drop.
Biadasz wouldn’t cross the athleticism threshold to be an NFL talent on the interior offensive line. However, athletic scores at the center position don’t directly correlate to NFL success. I love the instincts and football intelligence that Biadasz puts onto the tape. He’s good at taking angles into the second level, leveraging off blockers, and creating big holes. I like his heavy hands at the point of attack but his balance can get out of wack. I think he’s a high floor starter that will outplay his draft position if he can stay healthy and improve his play strength.
https://twitter.com/SteveNFL_/status/1236110862307528704?s=20
Grade: A
Round 5, Pick 179: Bradlee Anae, EDGE, Utah
Like his fellow draftee Gallimore, Anae wins with pure effort and motor. Draft Twitter and the media were much higher on Anae than the NFL was, apparently. The consensus would agree that it’s still good value in the fifth round. It’s easy to fall in love with the floor of the player who you know will show up and work his tail off every day.
Anae is purely an effort player. He will bring the fight to you and make sure he’s first to attack. His violent and heavy hands translate both in the passing rushing game and running game. With all that being said, he fell this far for a reason. His athletic testing times and measurements don’t cross any NFL thresholds. The odds are against Anae to succeed, but when you spend a day three pick on players that bring football culture, I have to respect it.
#Kahuku’s Bradlee Anae eager to prove himself once again in the #NFL with the Dallas Cowboys https://t.co/vDGNfcnAjt @BradleeAnae #Cowboys 📝 @c_shimabuku • For full length story 👉🏽 https://t.co/9oZimTtTXJ 🤙🏽 pic.twitter.com/ZiSGm4xzMQ
— Rob DeMello (@RobDeMelloKHON) April 28, 2020
Grade: B+
Round 7, Pick 231: Ben Dinucci, QB, James Madison
In hindsight, I wonder if they would’ve made this pick had they known that Andy Dalton would become available. I mean, I know it’s a seventh-rounder but you could’ve gotten a similar quarterback in the undrafted free agency pool and maybe even Dinucci himself.
It’s the 231st pick in the draft, you can’t complain about much. I never had any info on Dinucci leading up to the draft, and I still don’t. So to be fair, I’ll grade it somewhere in the middle.
HIGHLIGHT | Ben DiNucci finds Kyndel Dean on the double move for a 37 yard score!#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/EkbFeL5xFD
— JMU Football (@JMUFootball) October 19, 2019
Grade: B-
Overall Grade: A-
What an absolute haul from the Cowboys front office. They brought in a top receiver that they never expected to be on the board. I love the blend of athletic upside with high character football players. Biadasz, Gallimore, and Anae bring football culture to an organization that is going through a coaching transition. Robertson and Diggs provide you a ton of upside at corner and will have the privilege to compete with one of the best receiving trios in the NFL. You have to be pleased if you’re a Cowboys fan.
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