How ’bout those Cowboys?
The selection of Tolbert fits the profile of the receiver they lost in free agency, Cedrick Wilson (Dolphins). Reinforcements were needed after trades during the offseason. He also provides insurance and perhaps a new timetable for the return of the re-signed Michael Gallup. Smith’s run blocking potential has to excite the running backs on the team’s roster, regardless of where he plays.
| Dallas Cowboys | ||||||
| Round, Selection, | Player | School | DN Big Board Rank/ Grade | ‘Nasty’ Take: | ||
| 1 (24) | Tyler Smith | OT/Tulsa | 54/2nd Round | Smith's quick nature stood out in a number of games, but none more so than the 2020 Armed Forces Bowl. In that contest, he had a disdain for Mississippi State's DL. | ||
| 2 (56) | Sam Williams | OLB-DE/Ole Miss | 123/3rd Round | Williams' combination of size and speed is rare. 33.5 tackles for loss in three seasons is nothing to sniff at either. He was on fire during the 2022 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and carried it over into the Senior Bowl. | ||
| 3 (88) | Jalen Tolbert | WR/South Alabama | 76/2nd Round | Tolbert's high-wire acts on the perimeter probably drew comparisons to the types of receivers that the Cowboys employ. Most are in the 6-foot-1-to-6-foot-3-range and weigh around 200 pounds. | ||
| 4 (129) | Jake Ferguson | TE/H-back Wisconsin | 182/4th Round | Ferguson's savvy as a route runner help him overcome a relative lack of elite burst getting off of the line of scrimmage in a three-point stance. One of the more cerebral tight ends in this year's draft class. | ||
| 5 (155) | Matt Waletzko | OT/North Dakota | 57/2nd Round | Waletzko's ease of movement stood out in the film viewed. He has room to grow as a run blocker. If the power translates to the next level, then his near 86-inch wingspan could be put to good use. | ||
| 5 (167) Compensatory | DaRon Bland | CB/Fresno State, Sacramento State | 229/4th Round | Bland displayed many of the tools in the Mountain West that he had already shown as an All-Big Sky corner. He works well around traffic and plays longer than even his size would indicate. | ||
| 5 (176) Compensatory | Damone Clark | LB/LSU | 207/4th Round | Prior to the spinal fusion surgery, Clark carried a third-round grade. With him being potentially unavailable in Year 1, this serves as a solid pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. | ||
| 5 (178) Compensatory | John Ridgeway | DT/Arkansas, Illinois State | 70/2nd Round | Ridgeway, a longtime MMA competitor, uses his hands as well as any defensive lineman in this year's draft. He has capability sliding up-and-down the interior of the defensive front on first or second down. | ||
| 6 (193): From Browns in the Amari Cooper trade | Devin Harper | LB/Oklahoma State | 258/4th Round | Harper's explosiveness on the field was justified by his postseason workouts. As he attempts to improve his eye control, he will look to earn a roster spot on special teams. | ||
| UDFA signings | ||||||
| Rank | Player | Positions | School | Grade | Round | Nasty ‘Take’ |
| 155 | Markquese Bell | S-LB | Florida A&M, Maryland | 5.725 | 3rd Round | Bell found his rhythm as a Rattler with force timing hits in the middle of the field and he often handled motion adjustments. His 4.44 speed works at 212 pounds. |
| 174 | Aaron Hansford | LB | Texas A&M | 5.68 | 4th Round | A little older at 24 years old, the former WR came on strong as a force in his senior season. His injury history may have caused a slide. |
| 199 | Isaac Taylor-Stuart | CB | USC | 5.635 | 4th Round | Taylor-Stuart’s smooth nature complements the 24-foot long jumper’s profile. Finding the ball with his back turned to the QB needs to be the focus moving forward. He can play off-man or bump-and-run. |
| 204 | Juanyeh Thomas | S-LB | Georgia Tech | 5.625 | 4th Round | Dating back to 2018, Thomas was a factor returning kicks. He even outpaced the Georgia Bulldogs on a 100-yard kickoff return back in 2018. He’s since relinquished that role, but his hard-charging style could be welcomed on special teams. |
| 233 | Alec Lindstrom | OC | Boston College | 5.533 | 4th Round | Lindstrom uses his hands well in pass protection and showed awareness dealing with line games. Does his size translate to the next level? Contains snap-and-pull capability. |
| 284 | Dontario Drummond | WR | Ole Miss | 5.368 | 4th Round | A smooth route runner with less than stellar speed, Drummond is underrated as a run after the catch threat. He found a way to win nearly every week in the SEC, posting 13 Red Zone TD receptions the last two seasons. |
| 391 | Markaviest 'Big Kat' Bryant | DE-OLB | UCF, Auburn | 5.085 | 5th Round | Bryant stood out on UCF’s defense this past season with 14 TFLs. It wasn’t the first time he had been productive at the collegiate level. Still needs work on establishing secondary pass rush counters despite snaps dating back to 2018. |
| 397 | Ty Fryfogle | WR | Indiana | 5.059 | 5th Round | The 2020 Big Ten Receiver of the Year made a habit of the highlight film grab in school. Becoming more efficient in short areas has to be the focus as he enters a training camp this summer. |
| 410 | Peyton Hendershot | TE/H-Back | Indiana | 5.02 | 5th Round | The former basketball standout at the prep level played with an even increased vigor in 2021. He may be faster with the ball in his hands than when running routes. |
| 413 | Jonathan Garibay | PK | Texas Tech | 5.01 | 5th Round | Even on some of Garibay’s big misses (see Baylor ’21), the range and distance was in place. The All-Big 12 placekicker has an effortless strain on longer field goals, but kicked off just 24 times in school. |
| 506 | James Empey | OC | BYU | 4.67 | 6th Round | Empey was relatively durable until injuries stopped his charge somewhat as a senior. The CoSIDA Academic All-District performer possesses adequate snap-and-step quickness. He also exhibited the ability to hit moving targets in space when pulling. |
| 564 | La’Kendrick Van Zandt | S | TCU | 4.47 | 6th Round | He’s missed time at both the prep level and collegiately due to injury. The 2020 Honorable mention All-Big 12 performer has a 79” wingspan and blitz capability due to his short-area burst. |
| Dennis Houston | WR | Western Illinois, Houston Baptist | N/A | N/A | The first-team All-MVFC receiver finished with 90 receptions in 2021. This came after the Fullerton College transfer stood out in the spring of 2021. The 6-foot-1 speedster gets to his top speed quickly as a runner or receiver. | |
| Storey Jackson | LB | Liberty, Prairie View A&M | N/A | N/A | Jackson turned the script on his 2021 season with an interception in the short zone against UAB. This came a week after struggling against Syracuse on occasion. | |
| Amon Simon | Texas A&M Commerce | N/A | N/A | Simon (6’5, 303), a first-team All-LSC selection, relies on his length and wingspan to win on the perimeter. | ||
| Aaron Shampklin | RB | Harvard | N/A | N/A | The speedster put up another big season for the Crimson, but it wasn’t the first time for the California native. |
The Cowboys have created a formidable quartet of interior line defenders and Ridgeway adds to the mix. Bland could become the surprise of this draft class at cornerback and, if nothing else, provide depth on special teams. This will also be the case for Harper, who should compete with backup Luke Gifford. The team had just seven receptions remaining from its backup tight ends after the release of Blake Jarwin.
