It was an up and down year for several defensive tackles for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. In his first season with the Dallas Cowboys, Neville Gallimore was a part of that roller coaster ride. Heading into year two with the Cowboys, Gallimore is one of those players to keep an eye on.
The transition to the NFL is a difficult one for rookies. On the interior where the speed of the game and the physicality is much greater than in college, defensive tackles tend to have a bit of growing pains as they make their move to the pros. Gallimore was no different.
There were games where Gallimore struggled a bit, but in the Pittsburgh Steelers game, he gave an indication of the potential the Dallas Cowboys saw when they drafted him in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Gallimore, who at Oklahoma played primarily as a nose tackle or 1-technique defensive tackle for the Sooners. His penetration and athletic ability allowed him to be productive, even in a defense that lacked much NFL talent around him.
Gallimore figures to work into a rotation with Trysten Hill and Osa Odighizuwa at 3-technique. With Hill returning from injury and Osa just breaking into the league, Gallimore has an opportunity to assert himself as the starter at 3-technique defensive tackle.
Getting an opportunity to play more in a 1-gap scheme that will allow him to work upfield and into the backfield, Gallimore should thrive in 2021.
The Dallas Cowboys front office made improving their interior defensive line play a priority. They added veterans and rookies that can play in a variety of roles and fronts, but Gallimore looks like the guy best positioned to have a breakout year in 2021.
The Cowboys need Gallimore to build on his 2020. From week eight through the end of the season, Gallimore led the Cowboys' interior defensive linemen with 17 tackles, 15 of which were stops per Pro Football Focus. Those 15 stops led all Dallas Cowboys linemen (including the splashy DeMarcus Lawrence) over the second half of the season. PFF describes a stop as a player that constitutes a loss for the offense.
Neville Gallimore had a rough transition in his first season in the league, but things got better as he went along. He's primed to see an increased role in 2021 as a player that can play both interior spots along the defensive line. He's one to watch as a breakout candidate in 2021.
