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Dallas Cowboys' draft (mostly) all about a defense that needed change
Talk about making a statement. The Cowboys address their biggest weakness from 2020 by drafting eight defensive players for the first time since 1994. After allowing a franchise-record 473 points and 6,183 yards in Nolan's one year as coordinator, the Cowboys knew they had to make a drastic change in 2021 on defense.
It started in January with the hiring of Dan Quinn as coordinator and culminated over the 2021 NFL draft with a first in team history.
The Cowboys' first six selections -- linebacker Micah Parsons, cornerback Kelvin Joseph, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, defensive end Chauncey Golston, cornerback Nahshon Wright and linebacker Jabril Cox -- were defensive players. In 1982, the first five picks were defenders. In the Jerry Jones era, the most defenders selected to start a draft was four in 2012.
For the first time since the start of the seven-round draft in 1994, the Cowboys drafted eight defensive players (out of 11 total players selected).
"There are a lot of things you can interpret from this," owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. "Unfortunately, we didn't need to send any messages. It was pretty well known where we might need to do some addressing. ... This has improved, the very best way we could, this team."
The draft moves were not completely by the Cowboys' design. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said Dallas considered an offensive lineman and wide receiver at different spots on Day 2 but ultimately opted to go back to the defense. Before the Cowboys selected Wright at No. 99, they very nearly opted to take Cox and were more than pleased to see the LSU linebacker available at No. 115.
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Talk about making a statement. The Cowboys address their biggest weakness from 2020 by drafting eight defensive players for the first time since 1994. After allowing a franchise-record 473 points and 6,183 yards in Nolan's one year as coordinator, the Cowboys knew they had to make a drastic change in 2021 on defense.
It started in January with the hiring of Dan Quinn as coordinator and culminated over the 2021 NFL draft with a first in team history.
The Cowboys' first six selections -- linebacker Micah Parsons, cornerback Kelvin Joseph, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, defensive end Chauncey Golston, cornerback Nahshon Wright and linebacker Jabril Cox -- were defensive players. In 1982, the first five picks were defenders. In the Jerry Jones era, the most defenders selected to start a draft was four in 2012.
For the first time since the start of the seven-round draft in 1994, the Cowboys drafted eight defensive players (out of 11 total players selected).
"There are a lot of things you can interpret from this," owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. "Unfortunately, we didn't need to send any messages. It was pretty well known where we might need to do some addressing. ... This has improved, the very best way we could, this team."
The draft moves were not completely by the Cowboys' design. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said Dallas considered an offensive lineman and wide receiver at different spots on Day 2 but ultimately opted to go back to the defense. Before the Cowboys selected Wright at No. 99, they very nearly opted to take Cox and were more than pleased to see the LSU linebacker available at No. 115.
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why this doesn't surprise
