Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones loves to keep his team in the constant spotlight. This not only promotes his brand but also leads media personalities to undervalue the player’s rankings.
It’s a sad truth that no matter what statistics Cowboys players put up week in and week out during the season, the media’s biased lens will always see the star on the side of their helmet. They’ll come to some unfounded conclusion about why these players are not ranked higher, disregarding their efforts and dedication.
Fans have noted bias in the preseason rankings for player positions, particularly with several Cowboys players being ranked lower than they deserve or not being ranked at all.
Let’s take a look at CBS Sports’ current NFL positional rankings.
Quarterback Rankings
Dak Prescott has secured the number eight spot on the list of top-20 quarterbacks.
He was Second Team All-Pro and the runner-up in MVP voting a season ago, yet he is still ranked behind players who do not have the statistics or regular season record to match him head-to-head.
Media bias?
The answer is yes.
The players ranked ahead of him:
- Josh Allen
- Joe Burrow
- CJ Stroud
- Lamar Jackson
- Jalen Hurts
These quarterbacks are not better than Dak Prescott.
Fans and media members alike will repeat the argument that Dak Prescott can not win in the postseason.
Not many ahead of him have been consistent playoff winners besides Brock Purdy, ranked at two, and Patrick Mahomes, ranked number one.
Let’s put Dak Prescott where he belongs, in the top three.
Interior Defensive Lineman Undervalued
Osa Odighizuwa deserves more recognition as a standout player on the interior defensive line despite not getting the attention he merits.
Odighizuwa did not rank in the top twenty on the CBS list, but he posted above-average numbers in run defending and pass rushing for an interior defensive lineman.
According to PFF,
“Osa Odighizuwa is an ascending player who has improved each season in the NFL after being drafted by Dallas in the third round in 2021. 2023 was full of career highs for Odighizuwa, who earned at least above-average PFF grades as both a run defender and a pass-rusher. He finished with 44 total pressures and 27 defensive stops.”
Let’s show some love to the big guy who is working hard in the middle of the defensive line.
Cornerbacks Undervalued
The Dallas Cowboys’ cornerbacks are among the best in the league. Trevon Diggs and Daron Bland have been interception leaders over the last couple of years, but they did not make the top-10 in the CBS rankings.
Trevon Diggs is more understandable than Daron Bland. Diggs is returning from a significant knee injury that kept him out all last year.
However, Daron Bland led the league in interceptions and was a fantastic fill-in for the injured Diggs.
Bland, after leading the league in interceptions, finished 17th, which was well below where he should have been ranked. Several cornerbacks that ranked above him did not have close to his impact in the secondary.
Ranked above Daron Bland were Devon Witherspoon, D.J. Reed, Kendal Fuller, and others.
Rankings on the Money
The rankings did not completely miss the mark, as several Dallas Cowboys ended up in the right spot for their respective position rankings.
Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill ranked ahead of CeeDee Lamb, who was in third place. CeeDee Lamb is a top-three wide receiver, which was the right position for him in this ranking.
Jake Ferguson, an up-and-coming tight end, was ranked eighth, which is fitting. It was even better that he was ranked above Philadelphia Eagles’ Dallas Goedert.
The Dallas Cowboys offensive guard tandem of Zack Martin and Tyler Smith were back to back in the rankings. Zack Martin placed third, followed by Tyler Smith in fourth, after Joe Thuney of the Chiefs and Chris Lindstrom of the Falcons.
The edge rusher rankings are subject to debate, with Micah Parsons ranked fourth behind Nick Bosa of the 49ers, Myles Garrett of the Browns, and TJ Watt of the Steelers.
Many Cowboys fans feel that the media rankings show bias against Cowboys players. It’s almost embarrassing to see some players undervalued, especially when they are statistically among the best in the league.
That is the life of being a Dallas Cowboys player. Strive to be the best Cowboy, but be ready for criticism from the media.