Another NFL Draft has come and gone. Like every year, the temperature of the fan base ranges from cold as a North Texas winter, to as hot as a South Texas summer.
“What a terrible pick!” screams one-half of the Cowboys’ fan base.
“That late-round pick has potential to be a Hall of Famer!” shouts the other half.
The reality is NOBODY can possibly grade draft picks before they’ve even stepped foot on the turf of AT&T Stadium. “Nobody” includes the experts on the major television networks, as well as the so-called experts on social media.
In my inaugural article for Inside The Star, we will discuss draft picks and how they could potentially impact the 2023 version of the Dallas Cowboys.
Rd 1, 26 Overall — NT Mazi Smith, University of Michigan
At the moment NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced this pick, many in Cowboys Nation threw their hands up in disbelief.
Admittedly, I also stared at my television screen wondering why as Georgia DE Nolan Smith and Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. remained at the top of the Best Available Players list.
My disdain was short-lived, however, as I took a deeper look into Mazi-rati’s (we can work on that nickname) draft profile.
Checking in at a whopping 6’3″ tall and 323lbs, the former Wolverine is the first defensive tackle drafted in the 1st round by the Dallas Cowboys since Russell Maryland in 1991. Mazi’s strength was on display at the combine, throwing up 225lbs an astounding 34 times.
His college stats are nothing to write home about, only recording 0.5 sacks in his Michigan career.
However, he displays the strength, quickness, and savvy that Dan Quinn believes he can develop into one of the premier pass-rushing defensive tackles in the NFL.
In addition to being an elite run defender, Smith looks to be the disruptive weapon in the middle of the defensive line that the Cowboys have been lacking since the days of La’Roi Glover.
Paired up with Johnathan Hankins, the Cowboys now possess a formidable front to defend against the run. A component of the defense that has let them down several times over the years.
2023 Impact: Key contributor Day 1; ability to develop into the starter by mid-season.
Rd 2, 58 Overall — TE Luke Schoonmaker, University of Michigan
Tight end was a position that was widely speculated to be addressed in the draft since the release of Dalton Schultz.
Much to the dismay of the fan base and some popular Cowboys analysts, Dallas chose to address this position at 58 overall. Like the Smith pick, this selection left many scratching their heads.
Notable players at higher positions of need such as left guard, linebacker, and running back were there for the taking. From an outside perspective, it appears that the early run on tight ends may have forced Dallas’ hand slightly.
Afraid to get their tight end board completely wiped before their next pick in the 3rd round, 58 felt right.
In a top-heavy tight end class, four were already drafted before the Cowboys’ War Room pulled the trigger on Schoonmaker.
Reach or not, Dallas got a player who they believe is better than what they currently have at the position.
Much like Mazi Smith, Will McClay & Co. believe Schoonmaker is capable of more than what he showed on tape, and his lack of elite production in college can be attributed to the offensive scheme at Michigan.
2023 Impact: Starter Day 1.
Rd 3, 90 Overall — LB DeMarvion Overshown, University of Texas
Fans always get excited when the Cowboys draft homegrown talent. Regardless of where DeMarvion Overshown attended high school and college, the excitement should come from the way he plays football.
“Agent 0” has the one trait that makes Dan Quinn and the rest of the Cowboys front office salivate: Versatility.
Once Overshown converted from safety to linebacker, he was a three-year starter at Texas.
He displays the speed and coverage skills of a safety, with the size, frame, and hitting prowess of a linebacker.
The 5th-year senior can cover tight ends and running backs out of the backfield or run sideline to sideline in run support. He can even rush the passer, totaling 9.0 sacks in his Longhorn career.
With the guidance of NFL coaching, the sky is the limit for the Tyler, TX product.
2023 Impact: Immediate Special Teams contributor; can push Damone Clark for playing time in passing situations.
Rd 4, 129 Overall — DE Viliami Fehoko, San Jose State
This pick can best be described as another Dan Quinn guy.
Viliami “Junior” Fehoko (no relation to Simi Fehoko), comes in as a raw pass rusher who is most effective using a mix of speed and power to get to the quarterback.
He is a disruptive run defender who recorded 47 tackles for loss in his college career.
Speed and power alone aren’t enough to win battles in the NFL, and Fehoko struggles vs offensive tackles who have better technique.
2023 Impact: Solid training camp could earn him a spot on the roster over under-achieving veterans; he is a rotational player who needs to contribute on Special teams.
Rd 5, 169 Overall — OT Asim Richards, University of North Carolina
The Cowboys seem to have fallen in love with offensive tackles who project as guards in the NFL.
Asim Richards is strong and gets good push in the run game.
He is a left tackle who is difficult to move once he gets his hands on a defender but sometimes struggles with speed rushers.
Sound familiar?
These were some of the same things said last season to describe current Cowboys LT Tyler Smith.
2023 Impact: Could push for the starting job at left guard, but will need to beat out Chuma Edoga, Matt Farniok, and newly converted Tackle Josh Ball to do so.
Rd 6, 178 Overall — CB Eric Scott Jr., Southern Mississippi
This young cornerback from Southern Mississippi was seemingly only on the Cowboys’ radar due to a poor 40-yard dash time (4.71) at the NFL Combine.
Like the Cowboys are known to do, they had a bit of inside information on the player.
Reportedly, Eric Scott Jr. strained a quad muscle in a drill before the 40-yard dash but chose to run anyway, leading to the time that was below 31 other teams’ threshold for speed.
Dallas overlooked the 40-time and instead focused on his other traits.
At 6’1″ 204lbs, he looks like the type of cornerback Dan Quinn loves to develop.
2023 Impact: Practice squad; could possibly make the roster if veterans Kelvin Joseph/Nahshon Wright don’t show improvement.
Rd 6, 212 Overall — RB Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State
In perhaps the best (and certainly most emotional) moment of the 2023 NFL Draft, Cowboys Assistant Director of College Scouting Chris Vaughn got to make the call to his own son to inform him he was being drafted by the team.
Despite his small frame, Deuce Vaughn brings a versatile skillset to an offense that will take as many playmakers as it can get.
The diminutive dasher led all FBS running backs in 2022 with 1,936 yards from scrimmage, which is impressive at any level of the game.
Tack on 43 total touchdowns over his Wildcat career, and it’s apparent he has a nose for the endzone.
2023 Impact: Kick returner; limited offensive touches in special packages.
Rd 7, 244 Overall — WR Jalen Brooks, South Carolina
Having not addressed Wide Receiver with any of their previous seven picks, Dallas chose to take a flier on a player with good traits.
At 6’2″ 205lbs, Jalen Brooks possesses the size and physicality that Head Coach Mike McCarthy seems to have coveted in his wide receivers over the course of his coaching career.
This pick feels like a player who they are content to wait a couple of years to develop.
2023 Impact: Practice squad.