Dallas Cowboys 2017 NFL Draft Grades: Five Potential Starters?

The Dallas Cowboys made nine picks in the 2017 NFL Draft and while it’s far too early to fairly appraise the worthiness of those chosen, it’s not too early to offer some preliminary grades.

Point Blank: the Dallas Cowboys had a very good draft. As expected, they addressed needs and also took advantage of some falling value. At the end of the weekend they walked away with maybe six players who not only could snag a roster spot, but possibly earn a starting role.

Before we start grading it’s important to point out that all post-draft grading is based on pure speculation. None of us know what is to become of these players and every year rookie draft classes are littered with surprises, both good and bad.

There are a few ways to grade a draft and I typically like to blend them:

Predicted Player Projection
Needs of the Team
Value

Predicted Player Projection is simply assessing the talent of the player. If the player projects to be good he gets a B. If he projects to be great he gets an A. If he’s just a guy then he gets a C. Easy enough.

Needs of the Team also factors in significantly. If the Cowboys drafted three extremely talented quarterbacks I would not giving them a good grade. As discussed before the draft, nobody really drafts strictly “best player available”. All picks are “according to needs”.

Just as important is rating Value. This is the Travis Fredrick grading scale. As many remember, when the Cowboys drafted Travis Frederick in the 1^st round of the 2013 draft, they received tons of scrutiny both inside and outside of Cowboys Nation. Most people liked the player but didn’t like where he was picked. Many felt he would have lasted well into (or beyond) the second round. As such, the Cowboys overpaid. They could have traded back even further to get their guy and extra picks to boot.

Whatever scale, or combination of scales, you use to grade the draft, we must all admit it’s pure speculation. We don’t know how good Player A is going to be. We just think we have an idea. We don’t know what the Cowboys really think of Position Group A. We just think it’s in dire need. We don’t know how far Player A was really going to fall. We just think we know what the 31 other teams rate him.

With all of that said – here’s my preliminary grades for the Dallas Cowboys draft. Many of the Day 3 picks I knew of only moderately, so they required more research and a little bit of YouTube film review.

Day 1 (Round 1)

Taco Charlton was a player I was mocking to the Dallas Cowboys back in February. He’s built like the kind of player Rod Marinelli likes and he appears to still be developing making him a high-ceiling player. The problem is the Cowboys needed a dominant pass-rusher more than anything else and I’m not sure Taco is a dominant pass-rusher.

Unlike a lot of people, I like Taco. I think he’s a complete player that should be an 8-10 sack a year guy once he refines his technique. I just think T.J. Watt, who would play half the snaps because he’s undersized, would tally more sacks and could be the playoff difference-maker against a pass-happy team like the Packers .

Day 1 Grade: C+

Day 2 (Rounds 2 and 3)

The Dallas Cowboys picked cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis in the second and third round respectively. Awuzie is probably the most polished and most versatile CB in the class and Lewis may just be the best ball-hawk. This was phenomenal haul and done without the need to trade up.

Day 2 Grade: A

Day 3 (Rounds 4, 5, 6, and 7)

Without a pick in the fifth round the Dallas Cowboys managed to add six players on Day 3. Usually Day 3 players are longshots to make a final roster but the Cowboys managed to add some legitimate roster contenders here – some with starting potential.

More from Cowboys Draft

Ryan Switzer, the 4^th round pick, is the favorite to claim the punt returning job and No. 2 slot receiver role.

The Cowboys traded up in the sixth to snag Xavier Woods, a well-rounded safety that could very well claim a starting role alongside Byron Jones.

The last pick, Jordan Carrell, has potential to make some noise as well.

Carrell jumps out on film and may have a role in the defensive line rotation this season.

You can bet I’ll be diving into more film of him in coming days.

Day 3 Grade: A

The Dallas Cowboys may have made a controversial move in the first round by passing on T.J. Watt but if Charlton works out and becomes that 8-10 sack guy they are hoping for, all while commanding double-teams, then their draft will have gone perfectly.

Next: Full Breakdown of the Cowboys Undrafted Free Agents

They successfully overhauled and upgraded their secondary and added a couple playmakers to offense along the way.

Final Grade: B+

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