The Dallas Cowboys once again proved to be reliable trade partners with the Eagles. Back in 2021, a first-round trade between the two rivals delivered Micah Parsons to Dallas and DeVonta Smith to Philly. I think both teams are hoping this one will be similarly fortuitous. Here’s how the entire Dallas draft went.
Caleb Downs, Safety, Ohio State
For my money, this was the best pick of the first round. And I was pissed about it. Caleb Downs was a top player in this draft and should be an absolute monster in Christian Parker’s defense.
Not only is Downs a great athlete, but he has the skill and instincts to line up everywhere on an NFL defense: Free safety, strong safety, slot cornerback, nickel linebacker… Calling him a Swiss Army Knife feels insulting because a knife can only hurt you so much. He’s a Swiss Army Mech; a heat seeking missile who can be fired from anywhere.
But yeah, this was a great pick by Dallas and I hate them for it.
Malachi Lawrence, Edge Defender, UCF
This is a classic case of a good fit but maybe bad value. I was lower on Lawrence relative to where he was drafted but it’s easy to see his appeal to the Cowboys.
After losing Micah Parsons in a trade, Dallas went after a speedy, incredibly high motor edge defender. Lawrence is definitely a speed player more than a power player, and he would get outmuscled by stronger offensive tackles. Dallas is betting on getting Lawrence isolated on the edge with tight ends or using him on twists and stunts so he can win with speed. He should be an immediate impact player for them.
Jaishawn Barham, Edge Defender, Michigan
Dallas double dipped on the edges. Like Lawrence, Dallas is betting on athletic traits. Three picks into their draft and there’s an obvious commitment to getting faster at every level of Christian Parker’s defense.
Drew Shelton, Offensive Tackle, Penn State
Dallas is one of the best teams in the NFL at drafting and developing offensive lineman. Here they take a bet on a big, physical player.
Dallas doesn’t have an immediate need at offensive tackle, giving them the luxury of waiting with Shelton’s development.
Devin Moore, Cornerback, Florida
Dallas goes defense for the fourth time in their first five picks. Anyone who watched the Cowboys last year know why.
Devin Moore is a long, speedy cornerback who needs to develop locating the ball to be an NFL level defender. They’re banking on developing his physical tools to make him a boundary player. Expect him to be a special teams contributor early in his career.
LT Overton, Edge Defender, Alabama
Dallas drafted THREE edge defenders in this class, probably in some effort to recreate Micah Parsons in the aggregate. Good luck to them on that!
But seriously, LT Overton is a different guy than their previous two picks. He’s not a flashy athlete or a dominating pass rusher. Instead he’s a steady, reliable run defender who brings a ton of energy to each snap and seems to revel in fighting through traffic to bring a running back down. An unsung, but necessary contributor on any defense. I actually felt this was great value for Dallas, even if Overton won’t provide much support on third downs.
Anthony Smith, Wide Receiver, ECU
Dallas has one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Lamb obviously does his best work in the slot while Pickens is a dynamic deep threat. Dallas definitely wants depth at perimeter receiver.
Smith is a good late round flier. He is a proven big play receiver that combines a big frame with good athleticism to stretch the field. He is light for his height, which allowed him to get bullied by more physical cornerbacks at the college level. It’s doubtful he makes much of an impact as a rookie on offense, but his appeal in the late round is quite obvious.
