Dallas Cowboys 2022 Draft Grades: Fan anger/coach jubilee/time will tell

The Dallas Cowboys are no strangers to controversy on draft day. Whether they’re jumping on bargains like CeeDee Lamb back in 2020, adjusting on the fly like with Micah Parsons in 2021, or focusing purely on need like Tyler Smith here in 2022, America’s Teams is guaranteed to get a reaction.

While the initial reaction from Cowboys Nation was of the negative variety, we all know only time will tell how this all works out.

We grade all of the Dallas Cowboys picks from the 2022 NFL Draft

Grading a player before he takes a single snap seems ludicrous for a multitude of reasons. That’s why it’s important to point out we are not grading the players… I’ll say it again, WE ARE NOT GRADING THE PLAYERS. Rather we are grading the picks.

The distinction is important because the former speaks to the player’s future while the latter looks at the risk/reward of the player, the value of the position relative to the draft position, the fulfillment of needs, and the alternative options available at the time of the pick.

WE ARE NOT GRADING THE PLAYERS. Rather we are grading the picks.

Many readers will skip over that entire explanation and just assume a bad grade means we think he’s going to fail in the NFL and a good grade means we think he’s going to be a superstar. That is not the case.

Draft grades are an assessment of the pick and the decision-making process. It’s an instant reaction to the situation and in no way an anointment or indictment on a specific player.

With that said, let’s dive into this thing because the Dallas Cowboys were busy. Starting from the last pick and moving up…

With the 193rd pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select…

Devin Harper, ILB

Oklahoma State

6-foot, 234lbs

Rated as a priority free agent by Dane Brugler, Devin Harper is a speed player and special teams project. The Dallas Cowboys final pick of the 2022 Draft was a player they liked enough to overdraft so they wouldn’t have to compete in undrafted free agency.

Harper is an older and more mature prospect (nearly 24 years old) and is exactly what you expect from the last pick in a team’s draft. It would be surprising to see him make the team this year but if he can prove to be a decent depth option in nickel, and a special teams cornerstone, he could lock down a spot. Tough to love or hate this pick so we chalk it up as average

Grade: C