Criticized Cowboys draft class is making a resurgence in 2024

From the moment their names were called, the 2023 Dallas Cowboys draft class was hammered with criticism from the fanbase. Another Michigan defensive lineman? A tight end in the second round? The buzz was nothing but negative post-draft.

You don’t need me to tell you that the draft week complaints only ramped up when the season began.

Mazi Smith and Luke Schoonmaker, the two headliners of the class, made virtually no contributions in their rookie years. Smith, in particular, received quite a bit of hate.

The Dallas Wolverines:
Round 1 - Mazi Smith
Round 2 - Luke Schoonmaker https://t.co/ILZla0mCoK
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 29, 2023

Third-round pick DeMarvion Overshown never played a snap in his rookie year, as he tore his ACL in the preseason, and the remaining class members never got meaningful playing time.

The narratives around this Cowboys draft class were bad, and fans were not expecting it to improve in the 2024 season. Luckily, that is being proven wrong week by week.

Mazi Smith: Slowly Earning Trust

Out of everybody in this class, Smith was clearly the weakest link. In 17 games played, the former Michigan Wolverine started in just three games and recorded fewer than 10 solo tackles.

We also can’t forget the off-field noise that came with him, as fans debated more about his supposed weight loss than they did about his on-field performance.

To put it bluntly, Smith had one of the worst rookie seasons of any Cowboys rookie in recent memory.

Despite that, Dallas opened up this season with an increased role for him, as their long list of offseason departures created a lack of depth at the defensive tackle spot. How he is handling that increased role has started to turn some heads.

Smith’s performances have been increasingly stronger as the season has gone on, and he has even popped for a few big games, according to PFF.

Don’t look now, but Mazi Smith is trending up. His last 3 PFF grades:

W11 - 55.9
W12 - 69.6
W13 - 79.9 https://t.co/Y11Uq2rv0x
— All-22 (@All22_PFF) November 29, 2024

Will Mazi Smith continue to progress and elevate his game? That’s to be determined. Is he playing at a higher level than last year and showing the right signs? Absolutely, and that is fantastic news.

Luke Schoonmaker: Stepping Up When Needed

Pro Bowl Tight End, Jake Ferguson, has missed three weeks this season due to injury. With the Cowboys so weak in their receiving corps as-is, his absences looked to be a major problem for the offense; that was until Schoonmaker stepped up.

Schoonmaker, 26, was my least favorite draft pick from the class. Between his older age and lack of elite receiving skills, I didn’t see value in the second round at all.

His rookie season seemed to confirm these fears, as he looked alright in the blocking game at times, but struggled mightily at being a receiving threat. In 2023, he caught just eight passes for 65 yards.

In 2024, those fears are slowly drifting further and further away. Schoonmaker’s current numbers won’t get him in the Pro Bowl, but boy, are they encouraging.

right on 🎯!

📺: #DALvsWAS on FOX
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbYJ1e pic.twitter.com/c6TnGisQBV
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 24, 2024

He has already more than doubled his total yards and receptions, increased his catch success percentage from 40% to 51%, and moved his catch percentage from a lowly 53% to a fantastic 71%.

Ferguson is still the best tight end on the roster, but Luke Schoonmaker was looking like a waste of a pick just a year ago. Now, he’s a true contributor with a future in Dallas.

DeMarvion Overshown: Star Of The Show

Is there anything I can say about Overshown that hasn’t been said already? I mean really, what a fantastic “first year” for the former Texas Longhorn.

Fans had been waiting for his return from the moment his torn ACL diagnosis was confirmed in the 2023 preseason. His athleticism and sideline-to-sideline ability rightfully excited the fanbase in his limited action, and he has put it on full display in 2024.

From that Week 1 matchup with the Browns, Overshown has shined with his speed, hit power, and big-play ability.

No play was bigger or more impressive, however, than that ridiculous pick-six against the Giants on Thanksgiving. In one play, he nailed the running back’s block, tipped the quarterback’s pass, and then caught and returned his own deflection.

DeMarvion Overshown. Playmaker. pic.twitter.com/BcAfDSsD5j
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 28, 2024

Overshown’s skill set is elite, there is no doubt about it. He is almost always the fastest defender on the field, and his instincts are improving with every game.

As long as he stays healthy, keeps working, and learns the position a little better, DeMarvion Overshown will be the brightest light in the 2023 Cowboys draft class.