Qbert
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Dallas Cowboys
Post-draft grade: C
This was obviously a fabulous draft, netting a franchise-changer at the quarterback position and useful players elsewhere, with only one major question mark that directly affects the ability of this team to be a Super Bowl contender in 2017. First, let's get this out of the way: We all missed on Dak Prescott and what he was capable of. It's yet another reminder that where you land matters so much. This offense is a perfect incubator for a young QB, with a great offensive line and a solid running game, but we can't say, "Anybody could do what Dak did." No way. He was better than we could have imagined, and the only question now is how good he can be. Just remember: Dallas wanted both Paxton Lynch and Connor Cook before it was essentially forced to draft Prescott. But the Cowboys still pulled the trigger and deserve the credit.
I don't want to understate how good Ezekiel Elliott is (1,631 yards, 16 TDs) and was -- I called him "one of the best running back prospects in recent years" -- but I said then I expected him to have a huge rookie year, and I'd say the same for other running backs playing here. He's a great, great player, but he needed to be in order to justify the pick slot (see: Jordan Howard). If there's a big question, it's still Jaylon Smith in Round 2. Again, this is the best player in the draft if he's healthy, but what he'll become still remains a mystery, and that's a huge bet Dallas placed knowing its defensive personnel was a problem and will be again in 2017. And they did that two years in a row in Round 2, after taking Randy Gregory the year before. Charles Tapper, Dallas' fourth-round pick, also didn't see the field because of a back injury. This affects the on-field talent level. Outside of that, Dallas got useful contributions from Maliek Collins (670 snaps) and Anthony Brown, who might have to start in a suddenly empty secondary.
Make no mistake, it was a great draft based on Dak and Zeke alone. Hopefully, Smith can get on the field and make this an easy A+.
New grade: A-
Post-draft grade: C
This was obviously a fabulous draft, netting a franchise-changer at the quarterback position and useful players elsewhere, with only one major question mark that directly affects the ability of this team to be a Super Bowl contender in 2017. First, let's get this out of the way: We all missed on Dak Prescott and what he was capable of. It's yet another reminder that where you land matters so much. This offense is a perfect incubator for a young QB, with a great offensive line and a solid running game, but we can't say, "Anybody could do what Dak did." No way. He was better than we could have imagined, and the only question now is how good he can be. Just remember: Dallas wanted both Paxton Lynch and Connor Cook before it was essentially forced to draft Prescott. But the Cowboys still pulled the trigger and deserve the credit.
I don't want to understate how good Ezekiel Elliott is (1,631 yards, 16 TDs) and was -- I called him "one of the best running back prospects in recent years" -- but I said then I expected him to have a huge rookie year, and I'd say the same for other running backs playing here. He's a great, great player, but he needed to be in order to justify the pick slot (see: Jordan Howard). If there's a big question, it's still Jaylon Smith in Round 2. Again, this is the best player in the draft if he's healthy, but what he'll become still remains a mystery, and that's a huge bet Dallas placed knowing its defensive personnel was a problem and will be again in 2017. And they did that two years in a row in Round 2, after taking Randy Gregory the year before. Charles Tapper, Dallas' fourth-round pick, also didn't see the field because of a back injury. This affects the on-field talent level. Outside of that, Dallas got useful contributions from Maliek Collins (670 snaps) and Anthony Brown, who might have to start in a suddenly empty secondary.
Make no mistake, it was a great draft based on Dak and Zeke alone. Hopefully, Smith can get on the field and make this an easy A+.
New grade: A-
