Dallas Cowboys Draft Discussion: Naming the worst pick and the sleeper

Unlike the last year’s draft, the 2021 NFL Draft wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the Dallas Cowboys. Things were tense from the start when the Cowboys’ top two targets, Patrick Surtain and Jaycee Horn, were selected right in front of them. Even though their highest defensive player remained on the board, the Cowboys wanted a cornerback with their first pick.

From there we saw more of the same – teams trading ahead of Dallas only to take their perceived target out from under them.

The Sport DFW staff assess the Dallas Cowboys 2021 NFL Draft class

While there was plenty to be happy about (see also yesterday’s article: Cowboys Draft: Best picks and Sleepers), there was also plenty to be upset about. It wasn’t exactly a universal crowd pleaser. So today we go to the Sport DFW staff and discuss:

Least favorite pick
Who we think could be a sleeper in this class.

Which Dallas Cowboys pick did you dislike the most?

Adithya Prabakaran: Josh Ball, OT, Marshall

If you are aware of Ball’s off-field situation then you could easily see why I graded him as such. The front office and coaching staff seemed to press the idea of grabbing “culture” guys. Their first-round pick had a hazing incident, their second-round pick has some maturity concerns, and their second fourth-round pick has some serious domestic violence accusations against him.

I just can’t understand the rationale of allowing someone like this in a locker room when you’ve preached culture, especially considering his response regarding the situation on the team’s Draft Show. I know Jerry Jones loves giving second chances; this was not the right situation to try that.

Dan Ruppert: Josh Ball, OT

While I could say the reach on Nahshon Wright, the off-field domestic violence reports on Ball are concerning and I do not condone it.

Reid Hanson: Nahshon Wright, CB, Oregon State

I’m going to put aside all off-field and character issues for this pick, primarily because Adithya and Dan already covered it. Frankly, guys like Micah Parsons and Josh Ball wouldn’t have even been on my draft board given the risk they present.

But grading the picks from a pure talent/value/skill perspective, Nahshon Wright is my most disliked pick. It wasn’t that I hated the player, it’s that I hated the value. Wright was someone I was targeting late on Day 3 and in no way looked like an in-demand player that would have to be grabbed in the top-100.

There were a handful of better prospects on the board at both CB and SAF and they would have that idea scheme fit (length) Dallas has been harping on. With about 50-70 available players I’d rather have, it’s hard to feel good about this pick, even if I do like the guy.

Which Dallas Cowboys pick could be the biggest sleeper of the class?

Adithya Prabakaran: Osa Odighizuwa, DT, UCLA

I liked this pick a lot more than the consensus, which, more than anything, had me really confused why the consensus was so low on the Bruin. Odighizuwa possesses good arm length, a good motor, consistent pad level, and really good play strength.

He’s already a good run stopper and would be a great option to start on Day 1 for a defense that was historically bad last year. It really wouldn’t shock me if he was starting over Trysten Hill on week 1 because there is a lot of untapped potential here to work with.