The Dallas Cowboys used all 10 of their draft picks in the 2018 NFL Draft in some way or another. They decided to stand pat with their selections, with the exception of trading for Tavon Austin, and came away with some pretty good players.
They were able to not only address several positions of need, but were also able to add some quality depth in some key areas. All in all, I believe they had a successful draft and I look forward to seeing how these incoming rookies perform in the future.
Of course, I’m not the only one who liked what the Dallas Cowboys did in the 2018 NFL Draft. NFL Draft Analyst and Sportswriter, Rob Rang was also impressed with the Cowboys draft class. Here is what he had to say about the Cowboys incoming rookies:
“No one is a bigger winner in the 2018 NFL Draft than the Dallas Cowboys, who did a fantastic job of hosting the event while simultaneously adding quality talent to fill key positions of need each day. Dallas thrilled the hometown fans with the selection of Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch at No. 19, an ascending prospect with the instincts, athleticism and perhaps most important, durability. Dallas lacked the latter at that position and saw only flashes from Jaylon Smith and even star Sean Lee. It then reinforced the strength of the team – the offensive line – with falling local prospect Connor Williams who could prove to be a Pro Bowler at left guard and addressed the need for pass-catchers with nationally underrated receivers Michael Gallup and Cedrick Wilson in the third and sixth rounds, respectively. Tight end Dalton Schulz won’t have anyone forgetting about Jason Witten anytime soon, but he is a quality prospect who should be able to at least fortify the position. Similarly, Dallas found quality backup options at defensive end, quarterback and running back to their current stars in Dorance Armstrong Jr., Mike White and Bo Scarbrough, respectively.”
The Dallas Cowboys were only one of three teams Rob Rang gave an “A” Draft Grade to in the NFC. The other two teams were the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You can check out the other Draft Grades he gave to the rest of the NFC as well the AFC here.
And, in case you are wondering, here is the Draft Grades Rob Rang gave to the rest of the NFC East division:
New York Giants: B+
Philadelphia Eagles: C
Washington Redskins: B-
Now, I completely understand that it’s way too early to grade the draft class for each team right now, but it has to be somewhat reassuring to Cowboys Nation that someone as well respected as Rob Rang likes the players the Dallas Cowboys selected in the 2018 NFL Draft. Personally, I don’t know if I would have awarded them with that high of a grade.
I’m still a little skeptical of the Leighton Vander Esch selection, but I feel much more better about it now than I did after Day 1 of the draft. I just don’t know where the Cowboys plan on playing him. I’m not quite sure if he’s ready to start right away, but he does provide valuable insurance moving forward. But, I did like the other draft picks.
I also think the Cowboys missed out on drafting a free safety and defensive tackle. I thought those were two positions in particular that needed to be addressed and wasn’t. Hopefully, it doesn’t come back to haunt them this season.
