By Jon Machota and Bob Sturm
May 1, 2021
The Cowboys completed the NFL Draft by selecting a total of 11 players. That’s the most picks made by the franchise in a draft since picking 12 players in 2009. The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Bob Sturm share their immediate takeaways on Dallas’ draft by answering the following five questions.
The picks
• Micah Parsons, LB, first round, No. 12
• Kelvin Joseph, CB, second round, No. 44
• Osa Odighizuwa, DT, third round, No. 75
• Chauncey Golston, DE, third round, No. 84
• Nahshon Wright, CB, third round, No. 99
• Jabril Cox, LB, fourth round, No. 115
• Josh Ball, OT, fourth round, No. 138
• Simi Fehoko, WR, fifth round, No. 179
• Quinton Bohanna, DT, sixth round, No. 192
• Israel Mukuamu, CB, sixth round, No. 227
• Matt Farniok, G, seventh round, No. 238
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Best pick?
Machota: Jabril Cox. He probably won’t be the best player from this class, but he was a great value in the fourth round. Most experts projected him to go in the second or third. On Cox’s draft call, Jerry Jones said they were excited to have him run with receivers and tight ends because of how the game is evolving. It doesn’t sound like Cox is a great run defender, but he should be able to contribute immediately on special teams and in passing situations against tight ends.
Sturm: Kelvin Joseph. They had their plans ruined at the top of the draft to get a corner they simply had to have, so to be able to rally in Round 2 and have a little good fortune allow Joseph to get to them was vital. He should be a fine pairing with Trevon Diggs and perhaps even a Week 1 starter who has elite upside and some concerns that he is ready to take advantage of this opportunity to be a great pro.
Biggest surprise?
Machota: Nahshon Wright. He wasn’t regarded as one of the top corner prospects in this class. Most experts had him going in the seventh round or even being an undrafted rookie free agent. Dane Brugler ranked him as the 38th cornerback prospect. Wright ended up being the 12th corner picked. New defensive coordinator Dan Quinn prefers long corners and Wright fits that mold (6-4 with 33-inch arms). He also tracks the ball well. Some in the organization believe he is similar to Diggs in that area.
Sturm: Jabril Cox. This one is easy. After knowing they had almost taken Cox a few other times, but saw more pressing concerns, they finally had to grab him in front of the Giants in Round 4. Cox was potentially a Top-50 prospect and the athletic cover linebacker who has been badly needed here the last few years. It should shock nobody if he is starting by 2022.
Biggest question mark?
Machota: Wright. Drafting a player at the position made sense, even after getting Kelvin Joseph in the second round. But Wright seems like a reach right now. If he ends up being a bust, the Cowboys will be heavily criticized because of the players still on the board when this pick was made. The next three picks were also cornerbacks, Elijah Molden to the Titans, Ifeatu Melifonwu to the Lions and Ambry Thomas to the 49ers.
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Sturm: Wright. This one was puzzling for pretty much everyone who covers the draft because seldom does a prospect seem so off the radar. That said, he has very unique and interesting tools and seems to have been a player that they really wanted. He will either be the guy that Dallas is mocked for taking so early or it will verify that they know what they are looking for and should not be underestimated in talent discovery.
Needs left unaddressed during draft?
Machota: No surprise here, but safety remains the biggest weakness on the roster. The Cowboys say they were interested in safeties on Day 2, but they would’ve needed to trade up to get one of the top three. Jevon Holland went to the Dolphins at Pick 36, Richie Grant went to the Falcons at Pick 40 and the Raiders traded one spot ahead of Dallas to take Trevon Moehrig at 43. The Cowboys picked Joseph at No. 44. Did the Raiders get Dallas’ guy? Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones: “I’m sure they think that. But corner was real important to us. As much as we love the player that the Raiders got, we were pretty focused on getting a corner.” Dallas was picking Joseph even if Moehrig was still available.
Sturm: Probably the biggest item unaddressed would be the safety position which has long since been a punchline. It has been many years since they invested substantial capital in this spot of the roster and it seems to have hurt their team defense. This appeared to be the year when they were going to closely pursue the top prospects and pounce, but Round 2 was probably the last real chance and that was missed when they vanished before the pick. Would they have taken a corner or a safety at 44 if they had their pick?
How has the outlook for the season changed?
Machota: For the first time in franchise history, the Cowboys spent their first six picks all on defense. That’s not a huge surprise considering they had arguably the worst defense in franchise history in 2020. Now it’s up to new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to put the players in position to have success. A complete turnaround is not going to happen overnight, but the defense appears to have gained multiple future starters from this draft class. It’s a start. But the wins this team gets in 2021 will largely continue to be because of what they do on offense.
Sturm: There appears to be a path to the defensive rebuild bearing some fruit in 2021 with the overhaul and the injection of their first six picks all being potential contributors on defense as well as the numerous new bodies via free agency. That is what will determine this season’s success assuming a return to health by the offense that should again be amongst the league’s best. Can the defense go from the bottom of the league back to at least the middle? If so, the draft will be why. They look now like a defense that should play well with the lead. Now they need to see it through.
(Photo of Jabril Cox: Andrew Wevers / Collegiate Images/Getty Images)
