Recapping and grading the Dallas Cowboys 2021 draft class
The Dallas Cowboys had an interesting 2021 NFL Draft. The Cowboys grabbed some potential instant impact prospects, but Dallas seemed to reach on more than one player as well. Perhaps the two most polarizing selections — at least on the field — are Micah Parsons over Rashawn Slater at number 12 and Nahshon Wright in […]
The Dallas Cowboys had an interesting 2021 NFL Draft. The Cowboys grabbed some potential instant impact prospects, but Dallas seemed to reach on more than one player as well.
Perhaps the two most polarizing selections — at least on the field — are Micah Parsons over Rashawn Slater at number 12 and Nahshon Wright in the third-round with both Elijah Molden and Ifeat Melifonwu both on the board.
Parsons does not play the most valuable position on the football field, and the Cowboys do have some weaknesses on the offensive line. That made picking Rashawn Slater — widely considered a top-10 player in the class — over Parsons lot of sense.
That said, Parsons is an elite linebacker prospect that has a real chance of growing into a star for the Cowboys. Draft guru Dane Brugler wrote this on the Cowboys' first-round pick in his draft guide:
Overall, Parsons is an impressive size/speed/strength athlete with the reaction to movement and combative mentality to develop into a cornerstone defender and three-down linebacker for an NFL team. He projects as one of the best talents in the draft.
Nahshon Wright, meanwhile, made many scratch their heads. The Oregon State corner stands at 6-foot-4 and runs a 4.49 40-yard dash. He shows promise in press coverage, thanks to his impressive length. On the flip side, he is a stiff corner that struggles to change direction.
Wright was widely seen as a sixth- or seventh-round draft prospect. Even those that were high on Wright saw him as a day-three selection. Both The Athletic and Pro Football Focus ranked the Oregon State product outside their top-250 prospects.
The draft is such a crapshoot and so unpredictable. Wright could very well shock many and develop into a star cornerback. It's obvious that Dan Quinn and the defensive staff sees a lot to like in Wright. It's also obvious, however, that the Cowboys could have very likely grabbed Wright later in the draft instead of reaching in the third-round.
Jabril Cox is widely viewed as one of the biggest steals in the entire draft. Dallas grabbed the LSU product with the 115th pick in the draft, despite Cox being graded by many as a second- or early third-round selection. Cox did undergo shoulder surgery — which played a role in his fall — but he is probably the best coverage linebacker in the class.
ANALYZING THE COWBOYS' DRAFT CLASS
From drafting Micah Parsons in the top-12 to grabbing Kelvin Joseph in round-two to the interesting third-round and everything in between, we analyzed the 2021 Cowboys draft class.
In the podcast that is linked below, you will hear our favorite picks of the draft, the grades for each selection, and which rookies have the best chance of cracking the 53-man roster.
Featured image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
