DALLAS COWBOYS - B+
Round 1: (19)
Leighton Vander Esch, LB, 16 games/11 starts.
Round 2: (50)
Connor Williams, OG, 13 games/10 starts.
Round 3: (81)
Michael Gallup, WR, 16 games/8 starts.
Round 4: (116)
Dorance Armstrong, DE, 15 games/1 start; (137)
Dalton Schultz, TE, 11 games/7 starts.
Round 5: (171)
Mike White, QB, 0 games/0 starts.
Round 6: (193)
Chris Covington, LB, 5 games/0 starts; (208)
Ced Wilson, WR, 0 games/0 starts.
Round 7: (236)
Bo Scarbrough, RB, 0 games/0 starts.
Dallas found the present and future of the linebacker position, and it came from Riggins, Idaho. An easy pick for
the PFWA All-Rookie Team, Vander Esch stepped in for the oft-injured
Sean Lee and finished third in the league in tackles, earning
Pro Bowl honors as a replacement for
Luke Kuechly. With sideline-to-sideline speed and instinctual ferocity that few young 'backers possess coming out of college, Vander Esch solidified an LB duo alongside
Jaylon Smith that is sure to be among the league's best for the next half-decade at least. Behind LVE, Dallas hit on Gallup, who should be assured a starting role across from
Amari Cooper next season. Williams shared the left guard spot with
Xavier Su'a-Filo to mixed results. Schultz should compete for Dallas' starting tight end spot next season if the club doesn't seek a veteran in free agency.
Combine/free agency focus: Pay
DeMarcus Lawrence A$AP. The top free agent on
Gregg Rosenthal's board is coming off a franchise-tag season in which he was paid roughly $17 million, and while the
Cowboys can afford to tag him again, it's best not to keep him hanging on for another year. A record-breaking pass-rusher contract is in the offing. But then where does that leave
Ezekiel Elliott and
Dak Prescott, the latter of whom is entering the final year of his cheap rookie deal? And what about
Amari Cooper, the second coming of
Dez Bryant, who is entering the fifth-year option of his rookie pact? Don't these young studs all deserve new deals? Keeping their top talent should be the
Cowboys' primary concern as, thanks to the Cooper trade, they don't own a draft selection until midway through Day 2. But deciding which budding stars to pay and which holdout(s) to endure will be a test.
Gnats should've got a quarterback.
