NFC East Review: Evaluating the Cowboys’ 2020 NFL Draft class

For the final installment of reviewing the NFC East draft classes, I am begrudgingly looking at Dallas Cowboys’ draft class, which is much better than what it should be.

PREVIOUSLY IN THIS NFC EAST DRAFT REVIEW SERIES: the Philadelphia Eagles | the New York Giants | the Washington football team.

CeeDee Lamb, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma

CeeDee Lamb had a slight drop in the draft and fell right into Dallas’s lap. Lamb will step onto the field as their second best receiver and team up with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup to form what should be the best receiver trio in the NFL. Lamb can be deployed outside or in the slot, giving Dallas a ton of versatility on offense.

I am not looking forward to seeing Lamb terrorize the Eagles for the foreseeable future.

Trevon Diggs, Cornerback, Alabama

Trevon Diggs was another surprise faller in the draft, getting picked in the second round after weeks of being projected to go top 25. Diggs is a raw, but clearly talented cornerback.

The 6’1”, 205 pound brother of Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs has all the tools to be a successful cornerback. He’s muscled up with long arms and great athleticism and plays with an aggressive playmaking mentality. Trevon Diggs’ aggressiveness can lead to a lot of highlight plays for him, but also for wide receivers he lines up against. Diggs has to temper his aggressiveness and tighten up his mechanics before he can be a consistent NFL defender.

If the Cowboys can develop his tools, they will be getting a tough, press cornerback who doesn’t fear contact and can make plays on the ball.

Neville Gallimore, Defensive Tackle, Oklahoma

Every year it feels like Dallas consistently drafts surprise fallers in every round. Neville Gallimore was projected into the top 50 and the Cowboys got him at 82.

The 6’2”, 305 pound defender was disruptive for the Sooners last year and turned a lot of heads this offseason when he ran sub-4.8 in the forty at over 300 pounds. Gallimore is a tremendously athletic, high twitch interior lineman and can be unblockable at times. However, it is clear that Gallimore needs work on his technique; often getting stood up at the line of scrimmage due to bad pad level and can have his aggressive, gap-shooting mentality used against him.

Gallimore figures as a rotational lineman who can make a difference early on for passing downs. If Dallas can help Gallimore hone his tools, there is a ton of upside.

Reggie Robinson II, Cornerback, Tulsa

Admittedly, Robinson wasn’t on my radar before the draft, but after watching him this week I am surprised he went on day three.

Robinson was a productive cornerback at Tulsa; picking off four passes last year and knocking down 13 more. He has great size at 6’1” and 205 pounds and tested very well at the combine. Robinson is a physical, aggressive cornerback who wins at the line of scrimmage and can out jump receivers for the ball. Robinson is a bit tight hipped, which means he projects as a boundary cornerback; but his blend of explosiveness, ball skills and physicality means he could step in early in his career.

Dallas is retooling their secondary after the exit of Byron Jones and the combination of Robinson and Diggs in this draft gives them a pair of physical and athletic cornerbacks for them to develop.

Tyler Biadasz, Center, Wisconsin

Okay, so this pick made me the most angry because Dallas traded up with Philadelphia to draft a center I had graded as a first round prospect.

Tyler Biadasz is not a flashy player by any means, but he was a crucial part of Wisconsin’s phenomenal run game over the last few years. He is a smart, physical player who can quarterback an offensive line and key a great run game.

Biadasz has some health concerns that likely caused his drop, but if he can stay on the field; he will step right in for the Cowboys and given them an immediate replacement for Travis Frederick.

Bradlee Anae, Edge, Utah

Bradlee Anae was a highly decorated and incredibly productive defender for Utah the last three seasons. Unfortunately for Anae, poor testing at the combine clearly had an impact on his draft stock.

The 6’3”, 257 pound defender is not a great athlete by any measure, but was productive due to his nonstop motor, consistent technique and great playing strength. Anae might not run well in a straight line in tights; but throw on some pads, put an offensive lineman in front of him and watch him run right through him.

It will be tough for Anae to be an every down contributor in the NFL given his physical limitations, but he projects as rotational defender who can pin his ears back and get after the passer.

Ben DiNucci, Quarterback, James Madison

With their last pick, the Cowboys took a shot on Ben DiNucci as a developmental quarterback who could back up Dak Prescott. The 6’2” signal caller got his college career started at Pitt after being highly recruited out of high school. DiNucci failed to ever establish himself with the Panthers and ended up transferring to JMU where he thrived in his senior year.

DiNucci is a good athlete with easy arm strength. He displayed an ability in college to attack all levels of the field in the passing game and has no problem testing tight windows. DiNucci threw a lot of interceptions in college, however and that will certainly hold him back in the NFL.

However, DiNucci’s tools and aggressiveness are enough to take a chance on in the seventh round. It will be interesting to see if they can groom him at all.

How Cowboys fans graded the team’s 2020 NFL Draft class: