2023 Draft Class Re-Grade Three Years Later

This was my Final 2023 Cowboys Draft
1- OG Steve Avila TCU
2- DT Keneau Benton Wisconsin
3- RB Dewayne McBride UAB
4- CB Zay Bolden Jackson State
6-Te Ben Sims Baylor
6- CB Chamarri Connor Virginia Tech
7-Edge- Tavius Robinson Mississippi
 
The worst pick for me was Schoonmaker. Mazi was of course a more catastrophic bust but that occasionally happens to every team and it was just a poor evaluation. Schoonmaker was both a failure to evaluate but also an idiotic pick because we didn’t even need a TE with Ferguson showing he was already a very serviceable player. I remember during the draft that pick in particular infuriated me.
 
Here’s a claude redo. We’d have way too many WRs but at least they wouldnt be total busts.
Here’s the Cowboys’ 2023 draft redone — same draft slots, but swapped for players who were still on the board at that exact pick and turned out to be legit hits (verified 2023 draftees only):

Round 1, No. 2
  • Actual: Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan (limited rotational role, hasn’t developed into a difference-maker)
  • Redo: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State — went No. 32 to Pittsburgh, six picks later. He’s become one of the better young corners in the league. Easy upgrade.
Round 2, No. 58
  • Actual: Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Michigan (solid blocker, modest receiving role)
  • Redo: Tank Dell, WR, Houston — went No. 69 to the Texans. Explosive rookie season as a downfield/YAC threat before his knee injury. (Josh Downs, gone at No. 79, would’ve been there too.)
Round 3, No. 90
  • Actual: DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas — this one actually holds up. He was a legit starting-caliber linebacker before his 2024 ACL tear. Keep it.
Round 4, No. 129
  • Actual: Viliami Fehoko, DE, San Jose State (practice-squad journeyman, minimal NFL impact)
  • Redo: Nick Herbig, OLB, Wisconsin — went No. 132 to Pittsburgh. Developed into a quality rotational/situational pass rusher.
Round 5, No. 169
  • Actual: Asim Richards, OT, North Carolina (depth lineman)
  • Redo: Puka Nacua, WR, BYU — went No. 177 to the Rams, eight picks after Dallas’s slot. One of the biggest steals in modern draft history — rookie-record receiving numbers, instant No. 1 WR production. Massive swing.
Round 6, No. 178
  • Actual: Eric Scott Jr., CB, Southern Miss (didn’t make the roster)
  • Redo: Trey Palmer, WR/PR, Nebraska — went No. 191 to Tampa Bay. Rotational WR and legitimately good punt returner.
Round 6, No. 212
  • Actual: Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State (buried on the depth chart, minimal usage)
  • Redo: Honestly, this pocket of the draft was thin — best of what’s left after 212 is fringe depth like Zach Evans (RB, Rams). Not a slam-dunk fix.
Round 7, No. 244
  • Actual: Jalen Brooks, WR, South Carolina (minimal NFL snaps)
  • Redo: Moro Ojomo, DT, Texas — went No. 249 to Philadelphia. Became a legit rotational interior defender and won a Super Bowl with the Eagles.

Net effect: swap Mazi Smith for Joey Porter Jr. and Asim Richards for Puka Nacua alone, and this instantly becomes one of the best draft classes in the league instead of one of the more disappointing ones.
 
big dog cowboy said:
Legendary coaches like Tom Landry and Bill Parcells always preached the same philosophy: give a draft class three full seasons before deciding what you really have. Evaluating a draft immediately after it's announced or the morning after is entertaining, but it's also a fool's errand.

Now that we're in 2026, that three-year evaluation window has officially closed for the Cowboys' 2023 draft class. With three full seasons of evidence, it's time for an honest re-grade. Unfortunately, this one isn't difficult.

In my opinion, the Cowboys' 2023 draft class was a major disappointment.

2023 Draft Class Re-Grades

1st Round – DT Mazi Smith: F- (Bust)

2nd Round – TE Luke Schoonmaker: D (Has looked more like a fifth- or sixth-round pick than a second-round selection.)

3rd Round – LB DeMarvion Overshown: C+ (The lone bright spot. If he continues to develop, this grade could still improve.)

4th Round – DE Viliami Fehoko: F (The pedigree - Vita Vea - didn't translate to NFL production.)

6th Round – CB Eric Scott Jr.: F (Made worse by the fact that the Cowboys traded up to draft him.)

6th Round – RB Deuce Vaughn: F (A great story, but it never translated into sustained NFL)

7th Round – WR Jalen Brooks: F (Another late-round lottery ticket that didn't pan out.)

Seven draft picks and five of them earn an F from me, with only Luke Schoonmaker and "Agent 0" (DeMarvion Overshown) remaining on the roster today.

The consequences of this draft have been significant. Instead of building through young, inexpensive talent, the front office has had to spend premium assets correcting its mistakes. Trading away Micah Parsons along with future draft capital to acquire proven veterans like Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark is a direct reflection of how costly these misses became.

When you largely sit out free agency—aside from bargain shopping for low-cost veterans—and then fail to capitalize on the draft, it's a recipe for falling behind the rest of the league. The draft is supposed to be the foundation of sustained success, and this class clearly failed to provide it.

My Final Grade for the Cowboys' 2023 Draft Class: D-

While Overshown has been a bright spot when on the field and Schoonmaker has at least remained on the roster, that's simply not enough to save a class that produced so little impact. Three years later, this draft stands as one of the Cowboys' biggest missed opportunities in recent memory. It's one thing to miss on a pick. That happens. But to miss on an entire draft is another. And Jerry Jones should be ashamed.
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That is generous. F+ at best.
 
Osroc said:
No idea why you engage this character. I imagine him in his sun room, in his tightie whities, in front of his lappie top and a strong Long Island Iced Tea, or 7 on hand with a mean streak raging in his soul.
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lol I’m 100% guilty of feeding the trolls, but it’s the offseason.
 
Rockport said:
That’s the stupidest excuse I’ve ever heard. Hey pimp, every draft class has a 3 year evaluation phase. He chose a bad one. Which is ok. It’s a free country. But I can also point it out. Deal with it and quit whining.
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It’s not a stupid excuse, it’s the only draft class you can do a 3 year evaluation on because it’s 3 years after the draft.

You can’t do a 3 year evaluation on a draft from 6 years ago lol, as you have 6 years of data on that draft.

Spoiler alert but next year he’s going to do a 3 year evaluation on the 2024 draft.

This one you just have to bow out of rock….its one thing to go back and forth over opinions, but this is simple 1st grade math.
 
big dog cowboy said:
Legendary coaches like Tom Landry and Bill Parcells always preached the same philosophy: give a draft class three full seasons before deciding what you really have. Evaluating a draft immediately after it's announced or the morning after is entertaining, but it's also a fool's errand.

Now that we're in 2026, that three-year evaluation window has officially closed for the Cowboys' 2023 draft class. With three full seasons of evidence, it's time for an honest re-grade. Unfortunately, this one isn't difficult.

In my opinion, the Cowboys' 2023 draft class was a major disappointment.

2023 Draft Class Re-Grades

1st Round – DT Mazi Smith: F- (Bust)

2nd Round – TE Luke Schoonmaker: D (Has looked more like a fifth- or sixth-round pick than a second-round selection.)

3rd Round – LB DeMarvion Overshown: C+ (The lone bright spot. If he continues to develop, this grade could still improve.)

4th Round – DE Viliami Fehoko: F (The pedigree - Vita Vea - didn't translate to NFL production.)

6th Round – CB Eric Scott Jr.: F (Made worse by the fact that the Cowboys traded up to draft him.)

6th Round – RB Deuce Vaughn: F (A great story, but it never translated into sustained NFL)

7th Round – WR Jalen Brooks: F (Another late-round lottery ticket that didn't pan out.)

Seven draft picks and five of them earn an F from me, with only Luke Schoonmaker and "Agent 0" (DeMarvion Overshown) remaining on the roster today.

The consequences of this draft have been significant. Instead of building through young, inexpensive talent, the front office has had to spend premium assets correcting its mistakes. Trading away Micah Parsons along with future draft capital to acquire proven veterans like Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark is a direct reflection of how costly these misses became.

When you largely sit out free agency—aside from bargain shopping for low-cost veterans—and then fail to capitalize on the draft, it's a recipe for falling behind the rest of the league. The draft is supposed to be the foundation of sustained success, and this class clearly failed to provide it.

My Final Grade for the Cowboys' 2023 Draft Class: D-

While Overshown has been a bright spot when on the field and Schoonmaker has at least remained on the roster, that's simply not enough to save a class that produced so little impact. Three years later, this draft stands as one of the Cowboys' biggest missed opportunities in recent memory. It's one thing to miss on a pick. That happens. But to miss on an entire draft is another. And Jerry Jones should be ashamed.
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For a minute there I thought you were Bob!
 
Pentagruel said:
The worst pick for me was Schoonmaker. Mazi was of course a more catastrophic bust but that occasionally happens to every team and it was just a poor evaluation. Schoonmaker was both a failure to evaluate but also an idiotic pick because we didn’t even need a TE with Ferguson showing he was already a very serviceable player. I remember during the draft that pick in particular infuriated me.
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They were looking for a TE who could consistently catch the seam pass and they are still looking. Michael Trigg may be that guy.
 
Rockport said:
Not surprising you pick on one of the bad drafting years for the Cowboys who overall have been one of the better drafting teams in the NFL. But you focus on one of the outliers. The will love this thread. :facepalm:
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Not quite understanding this bud. We all usually evaluate Drafts after 3 years and this one has been 3 years.
I don't think he picked this Draft year just because it was bad, but because of how we look at them after 3 as per Landry and the Tuna would do.
Unfortunately it has been a failure so far, but hopefully things are looking up.
I like and have high hopes for this last one.
 
Corso said:
Not quite understanding this bud. We all usually evaluate Drafts after 3 years and this one has been 3 years.
I don't think he picked this Draft year just because it was bad, but because of how we look at them after 3 as per Landry and the Tuna would do.
Unfortunately it has been a failure so far, but hopefully things are looking up.
I like and have high hopes for this last one.
Click to expand...
Just a misunderstanding I guess.
 
speedkilz88 said:
They were looking for a TE who could consistently catch the seam pass and they are still looking. Michael Trigg may be that guy.
Click to expand...
I think both Ferguson and Brevyn Spann-Ford can do that. The main reason they drafted Schoonmaker is because McCarthy wanted to play a lot of two TE sets which almost immediately went into the waste bin when it proved not to work. It was just a poor choice all in all by the cowboys for a top end draft pick.
 
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