2024 Cowboys Draft Grades

[bbgun]

Belichick (or Bellicheck) wasn't salvaging this team as it currently stands.

 

[P_T]

Now, I am not making comparisons, but there are other teams that have better than average OL's who have been able to squeeze a lot out of rather average RB's. If Beebee can transition to center, our line should be much improved (especially in the running game).

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Now, I am not making comparisons, but there are other teams that have better than average OL's who have been able to squeeze a lot out of rather average RB's. If Beebee can transition to center, our line should be much improved (especially in the running game).

Key word, average RBs. Do we have those? Not unless Duece and Luepke make strides.

 

[Rev]

I also dont have faith in Solari getting these guys to run block effectively.

 

[bbgun]

Sports Illustrated:

Dallas Cowboys
Grade: D+

• Round 1: No. 29: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
• Round 2: No. 56: Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, Western Michigan
• Round 3: No. 73: Cooper Beebe, G, Kansas State
• Round 3: No. 87: Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame
• Round 5: No. 174: Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest
• Round 6: No. 216: Ryan Flournoy, WR, SE Missouri State
• Round 7: No. 233: Nathan Thomas, OT, Louisiana
• Round 7: No. 244: Justin Rogers, DT, Auburn

Analysis: We discussed this on the MMQB podcast, but Dallas’s continued insistence on behaving and drafting like a team that has already won something of consequence is puzzling. Guyton may have the highest upside of any tackle in this class, but owner Jerry Jones has to consider who benefits from a longer-term project when everyone on his staff is being held to the fire this year. There needs to be some thought put into Guyton’s long-term development.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Sports Illustrated:

Dallas Cowboys
Grade: D+

• Round 1: No. 29: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
• Round 2: No. 56: Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, Western Michigan
• Round 3: No. 73: Cooper Beebe, G, Kansas State
• Round 3: No. 87: Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame
• Round 5: No. 174: Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest
• Round 6: No. 216: Ryan Flournoy, WR, SE Missouri State
• Round 7: No. 233: Nathan Thomas, OT, Louisiana
• Round 7: No. 244: Justin Rogers, DT, Auburn

Analysis: We discussed this on the MMQB podcast, but Dallas’s continued insistence on behaving and drafting like a team that has already won something of consequence is puzzling. Guyton may have the highest upside of any tackle in this class, but owner Jerry Jones has to consider who benefits from a longer-term project when everyone on his staff is being held to the fire this year. There needs to be some thought put into Guyton’s long-term development.

Well that's rough.

 

[Cotton]

Well that's rough.

It's fucking retarded is what it is.

 

[Bill Shatner]

Sports Illustrated:

Dallas Cowboys
Grade: D+

• Round 1: No. 29: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
• Round 2: No. 56: Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, Western Michigan
• Round 3: No. 73: Cooper Beebe, G, Kansas State
• Round 3: No. 87: Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame
• Round 5: No. 174: Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest
• Round 6: No. 216: Ryan Flournoy, WR, SE Missouri State
• Round 7: No. 233: Nathan Thomas, OT, Louisiana
• Round 7: No. 244: Justin Rogers, DT, Auburn

Analysis: We discussed this on the MMQB podcast, but Dallas’s continued insistence on behaving and drafting like a team that has already won something of consequence is puzzling. Guyton may have the highest upside of any tackle in this class, but owner Jerry Jones has to consider who benefits from a longer-term project when everyone on his staff is being held to the fire this year. There needs to be some thought put into Guyton’s long-term development.

This make zero sense.

 

[Simpleton]

Sports Illustrated is a farce these days by the way.

 

[bbgun]

Yahoo:

NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Overall grade: C+
This draft went about how most people expected. The Cowboys got a potential Tyron Smith replacement in the first round, added front seven help and got depth on the offensive line. This draft might not have huge immediate returns for the Cowboys, but they made some strong dice rolls on future starters. The team sits in limbo as Jerry Jones decides what he wants to do next with his franchise, making this an important draft for the Cowboys to nail.

Favorite pick: Cooper Beebe, OL, Kansas State (73rd overall)
Beebe did it all for Kansas State. He flipped between guard and tackle — sometimes in the same game. He doesn’t have the best balance, but he has the athleticism to get to the second level and generally has good eyes in pass protection. Beebe has starter potential, which is great to find in the third round.


Least favorite pick: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma (29th overall)

Guyton has infinite upside at offensive tackle, but he’s pretty raw as things stand now. He might have a lower floor than some other offensive tackles on the board, but the Cowboys needed to spend this pick on a tackle. It might not be pretty in 2024. Guyton can be special in this league. He’s just going to need a bit of a long leash.

Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 29: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
Round 2, Pick 56: Marshawn Kneeland, DL/EDGE, Western Michigan
Round 3, Pick 73: Cooper Beebe, OL, Kansas State
Round 3, Pick 87: Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame
Round 5, Pick 174: Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest
Round 6, Pick 216: Ryan Flournoy, WR, Southeast Missouri State
Round 7, Pick 233: Nathan Thomas, OL, Louisiana Lafayette
Round 7, Pick 244: Justin Rogers, DL, Auburn

 

[Genghis Khan]

Least favorite pick: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma (29th overall)

Guyton has infinite upside at offensive tackle, but he’s pretty raw as things stand now. He might have a lower floor than some other offensive tackles on the board, but the Cowboys needed to spend this pick on a tackle. It might not be pretty in 2024. Guyton can be special in this league. He’s just going to need a bit of a long leash.

How is it a bad pick based on this?

 

[Cowboysrock55]

How is it a bad pick based on this?

lol because people are retarded. He can be special but he is going to have a learning curve!!!!!! Um ok

 

[Smitty]

It's not a sexy draft and the biggest names are ones that need development to hit their upsides. Hence the bad grades. Everyone is also essentially dinging us for the draft not reversing our awful offseason agenda, and giving us an F- for our handling of the offseason is totally fair, but also not entirely relevant when evaluating the draft.

As for the draft itself, I object to factoring in need but I also think this is a wait and see draft. It's not an instant A or B grade either. There is too much projection for all the Day 1-2 picks.

At Draft Day +1, I don't put this draft ahead of obvious boom classes like 2010, 2016, and 2020, which we knew early on had some great long term pieces. Not sure it ends up better than 2021 or 2022 either.

It certainly should be better than all-time bust classes like 2009. Hopefully just by the 1st rounder panning out it ends up better than last year's class.

 

[Simpleton]

It's not a sexy draft and the biggest names are ones that need development to hit their upsides. Hence the bad grades. Everyone is also essentially dinging us for the draft not reversing our awful offseason agenda, and giving us an F- for our handling of the offseason is totally fair, but also not entirely relevant when evaluating the draft.

As for the draft itself, I object to factoring in need but I also think this is a wait and see draft. It's not an instant A or B grade either. There is too much projection for all the Day 1-2 picks.

At Draft Day +1, I don't put this draft ahead of obvious boom classes like 2010, 2016, and 2020, which we knew early on had some great long term pieces. Not sure it ends up better than 2021 or 2022 either.

It certainly should be better than all-time bust classes like 2009. Hopefully just by the 1st rounder panning out it ends up better than last year's class.

Guyton involves projection but I don't think there's much projection with Kneeland or Beebe, what you see is more or less what you get with those guys in terms of very high floors.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Of course there's some projection with a left tackle taken at 29. Those guys are never going to be perfect.

But I'll take an inexperienced player with talent over a borderline athlete you hope you can make work... unless he's a turd of a human, which I haven't heard about Guyton.

 

[Bill Shatner]

Jacksonville took an OT around the same area of draft last year. Same kinda developmental guy and it has worked out well. Can't remember his name.

 

[Simpleton]

Jacksonville took an OT around the same area of draft last year. Same kinda developmental guy and it has worked out well. Can't remember his name.

Anton Harrison, although I think Guyton is probably better.

 

[Genghis Khan]

I don't mind low grades, even if I disagree. It's all speculation anyway.

What I do mind is the backwards logic to get there.

If you claim a player has "infinite upside" and "can be special", that's very clearly not the worst pick of a "C" draft.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I don't mind low grades, even if I disagree. It's all speculation anyway.

What I do mind is the backwards logic to get there.

If you claim a player has "infinite upside" and "can be special", that's very clearly not the worst pick of a "C" draft.

If this draft hits on the Oline it's a great draft. If you get a good starting LT and center long term that's a big deal. I think there is probably at least one more future starter in the group. Probably Kneeland or Carson.

 

[Smitty]

My speculation....

Guyton is a relative hit and ends up a starter. Maybe a low end Flozell Adams type. Not a Hall of Famer like Tyron, but a good starter for half a decade or so.

Kneeland ends up a rotational player/low end starter, better than Dorance Armstrong and maybe Sam Williams but not as good as DeMarcus Lawrence.

Beebe ends up starting at some point but is way more Connor McGovern or Connor Williams than Zach Martin.

Liufau is a special teamer and has a career like Kyle Wilber.

Caelen Carson is a minor steal, is not Daron Bland or Orlando Scandrick, but does turn in a Jourdan Lewis like career.

Everyone else washes out.