News: BTB: NFL Draft Grades: Byron Jones Is A "Great Get."

[NewsBot]

A review of the draft grades the Cowboys have received so far for their first-round pick.

Grading a draft a mere hours after after the last pick is generally frowned on by the more hardcore football fan who knows that drafts can't really be graded until three to four years after the fact. But like the site of an accident, many people also find it hard not to look once such a grade is published.

If the review is good, you cling to it and hope that it will carry over onto the field when the season starts. If it is bad, you can simply shrug it off and say it doesn't matter anyway and post-draft grades are for the weak-of-mind.

Regardless, what the grades do is - to some extent - they capture the general feeling about a draft immediately after it is over. In this post, we'll look at seven writers who have submitted their grades for the Cowboys already (and we'll update the post with more grades as they become available).

Cowboys Draft Grades 2015​

Doug Farrar, SI.com

A​

Jones scored very high in all athletic tests, and that shows up on the field, where Jones appears to be moving in a higher gear than most of his teammates and opponents. He could stand to be a bit more smooth in his backpedal, but he's a good tackler and a fine overall pass defender for a team in desperate need. This is a great get this late in the draft.
Long Ball, Drafttek

A-​

I have taken a look at the "guest list" of prospects invited to Valley Ranch, not an absolute but normally a good indicator, and have narrowed my focus. I don't believe the Cowboys will invest a 1st-round pick on a RB (unless Gurley falls), the top pass-rushers are gone and CB still appears to be the best value at 27. I shifted gears this week to the athletic Huskie, whose Combine numbers jump off the page and match his production.
Pete Prisco, CBSSports

A-​

The Cowboys never thought this kid would be here. They have a major need at corner, and they land one at No. 27. He's much more than just an athlete.
Mike Tanier, Bleacher Report

A-​

The Cowboys get a cornerback with untapped athletic potential in Jones; in the short term, they get a defender who is heady enough to contribute immediately as a nickel-slot cornerback. A fine selection.
Dan Kadar, SB Nation

A-​

Morris Claiborne has been a bust for the Cowboys and Brandon Carr has disappointed as well. Jones is a physical outside corner with freaky athleticism. He was productive at Connecticut and should develop into a top-flight player for the Cowboys.
Bryan Fisher, NFL.com:

A-​

The star of the NFL Scouting Combine jumped from under-the-radar prospect to first-round pick after testing well and showing scouts he could cover better than everyone thought. Jones fills a huge need on the Cowboys' defense, and his versatility will allow him to play a number of spots in the secondary.
Walter Football

B+​

So much for the Cowboys picking Randy Gregory. Byron Jones makes a ton of sense. I had him going 20th overall to the Eagles, which I thought was a slight reach, so the 27th slot seems like the right area for him. He also fills a big need. Morris Claiborne has struggled, while Brandon Carr is overpaid. The Cowboys were desperate for corner help, and they landed an extremely athletic player as a probable upgrade.​

Now that you've had a night to sleep over it, how do you feel about the pick?

Here's how the Cowboys' grades compare to the Rest of the NFC East

NFC East Draft Grades 2015​

Cowboys Eagles Giants Commanders
SI.com

A B+ C A-​

Drafttek

A- B B+ B+​

CBSSports

A- B B+ B-​

Bleacher Report

A- B B+ A-​

SB Nation

A- B+ C+ B-​

NFL.com

A- B+ C+ C+​

Walter Football

B+ B- B C​

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