Re-grading the Dallas Cowboys 2017 draft: Looking back

Round 3, Pick #92- Jourdan Lewis

After the Chidobe Awuzie pick, Dallas decided to double down and use another premium draft pick on the senior out of the University of Michigan.

Jourdan Lewis played alongside Jabril Peppers. Peppers received most of the attention, but you can make a case that Lewis has been the better NFL player thus far.

During the draft process, Jourdan Lewis’ draft stock fluttered all over the board. He had a domestic situation that he was working thru that he eventually cleared up.

There were no complaints from an athletic testing standpoint. Combine that with the solid collegiate production, and Dallas believed they landed on a jewel in the third round.

Lewis fought his way onto the field and eventually broke the starting lineup even before Awuzie, who was drafted before him. His first season was a success, where he tallied 48 solo tackles and 1 interception.

The blip on the radar was the hiring of Defensive Backs coach Kris Richard. He previously held a similar position in addition to the defensive coordinator role with the Seattle Seahawks.

No one ever mistook Lewis for the most enormous guy in the world. At the NFL Combined, he measured in at 5’10”, 188lbs with 31 5/8″ arms.

Richard’s calling card was gathering more prominent, longer defensive backs who could impact throwing lanes and match up with the bigger, more robust wide receivers entering the league.

In 2018, Jourdan played his fair share of games but was limited on the starts. The most noticeable game that year and probably of his career was against New Orleans Saints Running Back Alvin Kamara.

Not necessarily from a stats standpoint, but the impact on the game would be noticeable. Considering the score was 13-10 at the end of regulation, it would not be far-fetched to say that Lewis’ impact may have won that game.

My expectations are lower than most for a third-round pick.

While it was a top-100 pick, the return on investment has been excellent, and the Dallas Cowboys retained him on a team-friendly deal past his rookie contract.

Dallas has gotten starts, impact plays, and longevity from this selection. He may not have been a Pro Bowl talent, but that’s spilled milk.

Individual Grade: B-