Chad Reuter expects LB Shemar James to be a starter

[Risen Star]

Mentioned in his glowing grade for our draft.

https://www.nfl.com/news/2025-nfl-draft-final-snap-grades-for-all-32-teams

Dallas Cowboys
Grade
A-

Draft picks​

• Round 1 (No. 12): OG Tyler Booker, Alabama
• Round 2 (No. 44): Edge Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
• Round 3 (No. 76): CB Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina
• Round 5 (No. 149): RB Jaydon Blue, Texas
• Round 5 (No. 152): LB Shemar James, Florida
• Round 6 (No. 204): OT Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
• Round 7 (No. 217): DT Jay Toia, UCLA
• Round 7 (No. 239): RB Phil Mafah, Clemson
• Round 7 (No. 247): DT Tommy Akingbesote, Maryland

Grades​

• Day 1 grade: B+
• Day 2 grade: A-
• Day 3 grade: A-

Analysis:​

• The Cowboys bypassed the available offensive skill-position players and defensive talent at No. 12 to replace the retired Zack Martin with Booker. The former Alabama guard is a proven starter out of the SEC, but he did not impress in athletic testing this spring. Ezeiruaku projects as the next Demarcus Lawrence, while Revel could be a nice Day 2 find if he’s able to stay healthy (coming off an ACL tear).
• I dropped Dallas' grade slightly because they traded their fourth-round pick to Carolina for Jonathan Mingo last year, a move that has not paid off so far. They proved they could find running backs late, however, picking the speedy Blue in Round 5 and the strong Mafah in Round 7. I understood why they decided to trade up for James. I expect him to earn a starting role in Dallas. Cornelius could play guard or tackle for the Cowboys, while Toia and Akingbesote will help stop the run.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Gave them the same grade!

I hope they NEVER think about trading anymore picks this season uhh

 

[big dog cowboy]

• I dropped Dallas' grade slightly because they traded their fourth-round pick to Carolina for Jonathan Mingo

So if he has a good year does this draft grade go up?

 

[Hadenough]

Shemar James is a special teams player at best. He is an undersized LB just like Overshown . These smaller LBs working the middle are more prone to injury.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Who is Chad Reuter? Is he related to Jerry?

 

[BoyzBlaster]

Shemar James is a special teams player at best. He is an undersized LB just like Overshown . These smaller LBs working the middle are more prone to injury.

And they just perpetuate the problem of this being a small defense that gets pushed around easily.

 

[charron]

Day 3 is a C+. Grade.

Notable busts-
James- a lb that wasn't good in college but looks athletic in the gym. He is terrible against the run, ok vs the pass...where they needed a big MLB, they draft a pass princess..

Both DT- no confidence Jerry allows them the time needed to develop. They don't have the quick step he looks for in a defensive lineman.

Blue- his best asset is catching out of the backfield but a small catch radius. This is a weakness of Dak. He's also got to correct his fumble issues.

 

[Ekspozed]

Day 3 is a C+. Grade.

Notable busts-
James- a lb that wasn't good in college but looks athletic in the gym. He is terrible against the run, ok vs the pass...where they needed a big MLB, they draft a pass princess..

Both DT- no confidence Jerry allows them the time needed to develop. They don't have the quick step he looks for in a defensive lineman.

Blue- his best asset is catching out of the backfield but a small catch radius. This is a weakness of Dak. He's also got to correct his fumble issues.

2 late rd dt, 1 as a run stuffer and 1 with a quicker step as a developmental guy.

The lber they didn't give up much in the trade but they obviously liked the guys character. Probably the most questionable guy but they went up and got him much like the lions and the players they key in on. (Isaac teslaa)

I know you haven't watched blue to spew he can only catch perfect passes. He also DID fix his early season fumbling problem.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I don't see it with James. One of the more head scratching moves of the draft for us, especially trading up for him.

 

[charron]

2 late rd dt, 1 as a run stuffer and 1 with a quicker step as a developmental guy.

The lber they didn't give up much in the trade but they obviously liked the guys character. Probably the most questionable guy but they went up and got him much like the lions and the players they key in on. (Isaac teslaa)

I know you haven't watched blue to spew he can only catch perfect passes. He also DID fix his early season fumbling problem.

I'm not against the DT's just we've seen them taken late only to get cut because they don't make the splash plays Jerry expects.

I didn't write blues draft profile...and neither did you.. but it still stands. Lacks processing quickness, fumbles, drops off frame throws (big concern because this is what Dak does a lot). Runs small inside, accepts contact, me tal mistakes in pass protection.

And I'm not saying any of these guys can't develop...just they have a lot of issues they need to fix to be successful.

 

[Sandyf]

Some fans need to go back and watch the Florida games with James. Undersized, yes, good coverage guy against TEs and #3 WRs, great blitzed and ST player. Is he a 1st round guy, nope, but he will help this or any team mainly because he plays hard regardless of the score and to the final whistle.

 

[baltcowboy]

I don’t know if he will start but the kid is only 20 years old. Eberflus is a linebackers coach by trade so I think this kid is his guy.

 

[BrassCowboy]

So if he has a good year does this draft grade go up?

Yeah my hope is he is better than we all think because McCarthy didnt give him a real shot to prove his worth.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Day 3 is a C+. Grade.

Notable busts-
James- a lb that wasn't good in college but looks athletic in the gym. He is terrible against the run, ok vs the pass...where they needed a big MLB, they draft a pass princess..

Both DT- no confidence Jerry allows them the time needed to develop. They don't have the quick step he looks for in a defensive lineman.

Blue- his best asset is catching out of the backfield but a small catch radius. This is a weakness of Dak. He's also got to correct his fumble issues.

Who wrote this? This completely contradicts the scouting reports of these guys….

 

[John813]

I mean if you look at the depth chart, Lve in a wheelchair could be a starter too

 

[NDGAEDE]

This one's a weird one for me. He's the only guy we moved up for, but doesn't seem like a very good prospect. What skillset of his do they really value?

 

[charron]

Who wrote this? This completely contradicts the scouting reports of these guys….

Your welcome to disagree. They obviously liked a linebacker that scouting reports say he sucks vs run, only 164 tackled...in 3 years. Yay a coverage lb who gets blown up in the run game....as if the biggest weakness wasn't the run game to begin with. So exciting.

 

[Mikexike]

ill say this, id rather draft the high motor/character no quit player than a gifted athlete with traits lb that will could quit on plays. As shotty says, “we are building a team, we are not collecting everyones favorite pet prospects”

 

[Ekspozed]

I'm not against the DT's just we've seen them taken late only to get cut because they don't make the splash plays Jerry expects.

I didn't write blues draft profile...and neither did you.. but it still stands. Lacks processing quickness, fumbles, drops off frame throws (big concern because this is what Dak does a lot). Runs small inside, accepts contact, me tal mistakes in pass protection.

And I'm not saying any of these guys can't develop...just they have a lot of issues they need to fix to be successful.

And as someone who watched the games, it's very untrue. He stopped fumbling after his early benching when they put him back in because he was their best back .

 

[Risen Star]

In this thread, James is a starter.

Post accordingly.