Re-Grading the Cowboys' 2023 Draft Class After Rookie Seasons

Dallas Cowboys fans have been experiencing a quiet offseason, but that should all change next week. After all, the 2024 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 25, opening the door for Jerry Jones & Co. to finally add some much-needed help if they want to stay atop an increasingly competitive NFC East.

While this time of the year is typically used to look ahead to the future, it can also be a period for reflection. It's been nearly a year now that the Cowboys added eight rookies in Kansas City, making it the perfect time to reflect on those players' first-year performances.

With that in mind, here's a re-grade of the Cowboys' 2023 NFL rookie class.

DL Mazi Smith (R1, Pick 26): D

When the Cowboys announced they were taking Mazi Smith with the 26th overall pick, fans hoped that he was going to be a premiere run-stopper for years to come. He showed plenty of potential during his time at Michigan but was still seen as somewhat of a project that might take a few years to fully develop.

Unfortunately, Smith missed the majority of expectations as a rookie. For starters, he didn't see as much playing time as first-round picks tend to see, playing only 304 defensive snaps (28%) across 17 games with only three starts. His playing time fluctuated throughout the year, reaching as high as 47% (Week 14) and as low as 7% (Wild Card Round).

Unsurprisingly, Smith's stat line left much to be desired as he only registered nine solo tackles and one sack. His 31.8 run block grade highlights his struggles against the rush as it was the seventh-worst grade among interior defenders. It didn't help that a big part of his shortcomings had to do with the Cowboys forcing him to lose a lot of weight and putting him in unfamiliar positions.

Smith is an athletic freak with the tools to be a real player, but the Cowboys must focus on his strengths rather than asking him to be someone he's not. Until Mike McCarthy's staff puts the ex-Wolverine in a position to succeed, it's hard to have faith in Smith's outlook.

TE Luke Schoonmaker (R2, Pick 58): D

After Dalton Schultz joined the Houston Texans via free agency, the Cowboys were left needing another tight end to pair alongside Jake Ferguson. Instead of waiting for later on in the draft to address that hole, Dallas decided to take Luke Schoonmaker — another Wolverine — in the second round.

Even though Cowboys fans didn't expect Schoonmaker to terrorize the league out of the gate, he did little to make them feel confident about his early draft selection. Suiting up in all 17 games, the 25-year-old pass-catcher only yielded eight receptions on 15 targets (53.3%) for 65 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His trio of dropped balls didn't do much to help his case.

Time will tell if Schoonmaker's disappointing rookie year was a one-off performance. He has a solid base to become a TE2 but it's up to him to take that next step forward in Year 2. If he can't find a way to build some proper chemistry with Dak Prescott, Schoonmaker will only look more like a bust with each passing year.

LB DeMarvion Overshown (R3, Pick 90): N/A

Cowboys fans were excited to see what DeMarvion Overshown could do during his rookie campaign. The former Texas defender impressed the fanbase throughout training camp and early in the preseason, leaving many to wonder if he could be a mainstay on Mike McCarthy's defense going forward.

Unfortunately, Overshown didn't have the opportunity to help the Cowboys chase a Super Bowl in Year 1. The Tyler, TX native's rookie campaign prematurely ended when he tore his ACL in an exhibition contest against the Seattle Seahawks, leaving a gaping hole in Dallas' LB room.

While Overshown's injury was unfortunate, all signs point to his making a full recovery. He's reportedly feeling good and even put on nearly 15 more pounds, bringing his new weight to about 235 lbs. If he can make the most out of his newly added mass, the 23-year-old could be a massive headache for opposing offenses this fall.

For now, Overshown goes grade-less, however, he could look like a steal down the line depending on how he develops.

DE Viliami Fehoko (R4, Pick 129): F

Despite the Cowboys being fairly set when it came to pass rushers, the team decided to draft Viliami Fehoko with their fourth-round selection. While he was an effective defender during his time at San Jose State, racking up 23 sacks across five seasons, he didn't have a fraction of that success as an NFL rookie.

In fact, the former Spartan didn't play at all in Year 1.

Fehoko spent the entirety of the 2023 season on the sidelines, unable to give McCarthy a reason to insert him into the lineup. He spent some time on the injured reserve with a knee issue before being activated in January, meaning it remains to be seen if the issue affects his quest to find more playing time going forward.

Fourth-round picks don't always pan out, but they at least figure out a way to showcase what they can do (good or bad). If Fehoko can't carve himself any playing time in 2024, it's safe to say his time in Big D won't last long.

OL Asim Richards (R5, Pick 169): C-

After his first-ever third-team All-SEC performance in 2022, Asim Richards was drafted 169th overall by the Cowboys last year. He was seen as a versatile tackle-guard hybrid who could fill in wherever Dallas needed him.

Richards went on to play just eight games with the Cowboys, spending most of the year with an inactive designation. Nevertheless, he was fairly average in the playing time that he got. According to Pro Football Focus, the ex-Tar Heel played 60 offensive snaps (24 run, 16 pass) and only allowed one hurry while playing to 63.0 run and 63.9 pass blocking grades.

It's a small sample size, so the jury is still out if Richards can develop into a starter or if he's more likely to be a backup. The Cowboys' O-line does have some holes now that Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz left this offseason, meaning Richards has the perfect opportunity to prove his worth.

CB Eric Scott (R6, Pick 178): F

Nine picks after taking Richards, the Cowboys turned to address their defense by taking Eric Scott out of Southern Miss. In fact, Dallas even traded a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs to move up to select the Basehor, KS native.

Even though the Cowboys liked enough about Scott to move up to draft him, the 25-year-old cornerback didn't see a single second of playing time during the regular season. He was inactive for all 17 games as he struggled to prove that he was deserving of playing time in a year that Dallas lost star CB Trevon Diggs to an ACL tear.

After going without any playing time as a rookie, it's safe to say that the deck is stacked against Scott ahead of Year 2. If he can't even prove that he deserves special teams snaps here and there, his time in the Lone Star State may end as quickly as it started.

RB Deuce Vaughn (R6, Pick 212): C

Cowboys fans couldn't wait to see what Deuce Vaughn could do following an impressive training camp and exhibition run. Even though he isn't the biggest running back, he still made an impact with 64 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on 13 carries across two preseason games. The showing was good enough to land him on the initial 53-man roster.

Preseason success doesn't always bleed into the regular season, though, and Vaughn was an example of that. He only suited up in seven games during his rookie year, turning 23 carries into 40 rushing yards while catching all seven of his targets for another 40 yards.

Although sixth-round prospects don't normally ball out in Year 1, 1.7 yards per carry is extremely underwhelming.

Time will tell if Vaughn can carve out a bigger role for himself this fall. The rest of Dallas' RB room currently consists of Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman, Malik Davis, and Snoop Conner, so there's certainly an opportunity for him to move up the depth chart.

The potential is there. Vaughn just has to show it.

WR Jalen Brooks (R7, Pick 244): C-

Jalen Brooks' rookie season was mixed, to say the least. The seventh-round wideout didn't see that much playing time, only yielding 77 offensive snaps across seven games while spending the rest of the year inactive.

At the same time, you typically don't expect more opportunities than that for a last-round selection. Besides, Brooks did make the most of his opportunities, catching all six of his targets for 64 yards and four first downs. It wasn't the most eye-popping performance but it did show that he could potentially be a rotational contributor down the line.

With CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and Jalen Tolbert occupying Dallas' top three WR spots, Brooks will likely compete with KaVontae Turpin for the WR4 spot. Considering how Brooks nearly matched Turpin's 2023 production despite playing nine fewer games, the former's outlook looks promising.

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