Cooper Beebe was drafted 73rd overall by the Dallas Cowboys, a player who most had a second-round grade on comes at a great value for Dallas.
At Kansas State, Beebe played games at left tackle, left guard, right tackle, and right guard, but none at center, although he did take snaps in practices.
With that said, Beebe will compete for the starting center position next season but also provide depth as I noted above.
Beebe won back-to-back Big 12 Lineman of the Year awards, as well as being the first Kansas State lineman to have first-team All-American honors. He is 6’3, 322, a flat-out stud. I loved the pick.
What He Brings
Beebe brings a great skill set to the pros after playing so many different spots in college and being good at dang near all of them.
A reason he won the awards he did.
Like T.J. Bass, Beebe is an under-the-radar type of guy who was a very good college player but did not get the type of hype like others.
He played against first-round pick Byron Murphy and second-round pick T’Vondre Sweat from Texas and allowed ZERO pressures, proving that he can hold his own against players who will be day-one starters in the NFL in 2024.
Among draft-eligible guards, Beebe had the highest career grade at 88.3. Although he may make the change to center, which is very likely, what a grade value the Cowboys got at pick 73.
It is always hard to pinpoint why players fall lower than projected, but sometimes it is just teams don’t need that type of player and when NFL squads like someone, they normally stick to it.
Did They Do Enough To Fix The OL?
Dallas took Tyler Guyton in the first round before selecting Beebe, but Guyton started only 14 games in college, and all of them were at right tackle.
He will have to make the move to left tackle. The Cowboys were quick to point out that Tyron Smith was a right tackle at USC before moving to left tackle in his second season in Dallas. I would say that worked out well for him and the Cowboys.
Dallas also drafted Nate Thomas in the seventh round, but he probably won’t see the field unless something happens to these guys.
With Guyton at left tackle, Tyler Smith at guard, then Beebe at center with Zack Martin and Terence Steele on the right the Cowboy’s offensive line should be at worst at the same level as last season.
I understand they lost Tyron Smith, but he is never 100% anyway.
I think we will see a lot of growing pains, but that will happen with a young offensive line, but the issue is going to remain with the running back.
It is going to be a running back by-committee approach in 2024.
Dallas signed Zeke yesterday to a one-year deal worth 3 million dollars after he spent last season with the Pats.
I like Zeke just as much as the next guy, but he does not have what he once did left in the tank, he will help, but not enough.
I still think this is going to be a long bumpy season for Dallas. They just lost to many players that they couldn’t make up in the draft. I think the defensive line is still a huge problem, and what are they going to get outside of CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks?
This team is going to need Dak Prescott to play at the same level he did a season ago. But he is playing for his career in Dallas, we will see how it works out.