2021 NFL Draft – Dallas Cowboys Draft Grades: The good, the bad, the ugly

The Dallas Cowboys Round 2 Gamble

The Dallas Cowboys gambled at the cornerback position this year. Not just on the player (we’ll get to that) but in the way they made themselves vulnerable. Dallas opted to ignore the position entirely in free agency. They let starter Chidobe Awuzie walk and only re-signed career slot man, Jordan Lewis. They entered the draft with a gaping hole at outside cornerback and essentially painted themselves into a corner – find a plug-and-play outside CB or bust.

After skipping the CB position in Round 1, Dallas was forced to pick it in Round 2. That’s never something you want to do. Luckily for them there were a handful available when they went on the clock. And the guy they picked was the guy with arguably the most talent in the bunch…

Pick 44: Kelvin Joseph, CB

The draft and fan community is fairly split on Kelvin Joseph. Some love him. Some…not so much. The prospect from Kentucky is just as famous for his music career as he is for his football career. That alone turns some people off.

He’s bounced from program to program, clashing with some coaches, earning a suspension, and drawing into question his overall character. But the raw talent is there. And while some are split on his projection, everyone agrees with his talent.

Kelvin is a plus athlete with speed, agility, tenaciousness, and ball skills. He has the skills to be a CB1 in the NFL if he dedicates himself to the craft. But he’s raw. Kelvin only has nine starts under his belt and only has 25 total snaps in man coverage in 2020.

He plays up to his competition and absolutely shut down Alabama. But he also plays down to his competition and will lose focus when he’s not challenged.

Kelvin can return punts and kicks and is weapon with the ball in his hands. His speed places him in the 99th percentile and he has shown he can shadow/blanket even the best receivers. With Round 1 talent, Kelvin was a good pick in the second round.

The Dallas Cowboys had a need, he offered value and potential, albeit with risk. The rawness and risk bring the grade down a little, but all in all, he was Dallas’ most important pick in the draft

Initial Grade: B+