Dallas Cowboys 2015 Draft: Aggregating Report Card Grades from Around the Web
The Dallas Cowboys came away from the 2015 NFL draft a lot better than how they entered it, which is all you can really ask of a team in this situation.
The Cowboys started off the draft in a big way, as they drafted Byron Jones and Randy Gregory, two players with top-25 grades by CBSSports.com's Rob Rang. After that, the Cowboys filled a need at swing tackle with Chaz Green and improved their depth at linebacker with Damien Wilson.
Throughout the rest of the draft, the Cowboys targeted athletic players with high upside. Laurence Gibson, Mark Nzeocha, Geoff Swaim and Ryan Russell are all players who have the size and athleticism to be productive in the NFL, but they need to improve in the technical aspects of playing football.
With that said, let's take a look at what some of the draft experts around the web are saying about the Cowboys' haul in the 2015 NFL draft.
ESPN
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Mel Kiper: C+
ESPN's premier analyst is a little pessimistic about the Cowboys' draft class. He particularly takes issue with Dallas' third-round pick:
"Chaz Green was a pretty massive reach on my board, but I did like Damien Wilson in Round 4. If health issues again hurt them in the linebacking corps, Wilson is great insurance.
As to the big question mark, which was not selecting a running back, my sense is the Cowboys know there are many backs who will run effectively behind their offensive line, and you can add one on the cheap pretty easily. The depth chart there just really isn't that bad. Jones is the safe bet, and Gregory the potential home run. From there, we'll see.
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What is puzzling about Kiper's grade is that he gives the Cowboys a mediocre grade, but he only mentions disagreement with one of their selections, Chaz Green. Even if the Cowboys reached for Green in the third round, it shouldn't be enough to knock the Cowboys all the way down to a "C+."
He accurately depicts Gregory's talent, and he also makes mention of the off-field issues that caused Gregory to fall so far. If Gregory keeps his head on straight, he is a game-changing type of talent who could be the final piece the Cowboys need to make a Super Bowl run.
On the positive side, Kiper mentions that he likes the Damien Wilson selection in the fourth round. Wilson is an extremely active and productive linebacker from Minnesota who should fit in as a reserve linebacker that plays a lot on special teams.
CBS Sports
2 of 5
Pete Prisco: B-
Pete Prisco is one of the premier draft analysts hailing from CBSSports.com, he doesn't take issue with much in regard to the Cowboys' draft, but he believes that the success of this draft class hinges on one of Dallas' early picks. "This draft will be defined by how Gregory turns things around. If he can do that, it will be a great draft," Prisco said. "If not, big miss. I do like Jones a lot. Gregory is the key."
Prisco seems to be riding the fence on the Cowboys' draft because he doesn't know how Gregory will turn out in the NFL. He states that he likes the pick, but it can still be questioned because of Gregory's off-field issues. However, Prisco fails to mention that the Cowboys got a legitimate top-10 talent at pick No. 60, which is an incredible value and mitigates the risk to a degree.
Prisco appears to be bullish on the prospects of Ryan Russell. He makes a great observation that Russell flashes the ability to be a good player, but he is never consistent with it. Russell should fit in as a left defensive end for the Cowboys, but if he hopes to make the team he will need to become much more consistent. Russell is the type of player who flashes tremendous talent on one play, but look like a scrub the next. Hopefully, for the Cowboys, he is more of the former than the latter.
It is hard to argue with Byron Jones as the Cowboys' best pick because Jones has the potential to be a truly elite cornerback in the NFL. Jones is an athletic freak that also has tremendous talent. He can play in press or off coverage and he can cover any type of wide receiver. Jones should step right in and make a huge impact on the Cowboys' secondary.
Walter Football
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Walter Cherepinsky: B+
WalterFootball.com's Walter Cherepinsky was one of the more optimistic draft experts in regard to Dallas' draft haul. Cherepinsky makes note that Jerry Jones giving up some control is one of the reasons the Cowboys have been drafting well as of late:
"Dallas has improved its drafting ability ever since Jerry Jones relinquished some control. The team has made major strides out of mediocrity as a consequence, and it figures to be even better in the near future because of the players acquired in this draft.
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Cherepinsky also accurately conveys the type of value that the Cowboys got with Gregory. He even states that he would have been fine with Dallas selecting Gregory at No. 27, which further separates him from other draft analysts. Gregory's talent was too much to pass up on and he should be able to make an immediate impact as a situational pass-rusher for the Cowboys.
The most interesting part of his analysis is that he thinks that Laurence Gibson was a steal in the seventh round. Gibson is a big and athletic talent who has a great deal of upside as a developmental offensive tackle.
Cherepinsky also makes a smart observation about how the Cowboys' new structure in the front office allows them to make much better player-personnel decisions.
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Dallas Morning News
4 of 5
Rainer Sabin: B+
The Dallas Morning News' Rainer Sabin has a very positive view of the Cowboys' draft haul in 2015. He particularly notes how the Cowboys have finally gotten defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli some help:
"Wilson, Minnesota’s leading tackler in 2014, provides additional support within a linebacker corps headlined by two players, Rolando McClain and Sean Lee, with a spotty record of availability. And Russell provides depth at a premium position in Marinelli’s rotation-heavy scheme.
On Saturday, Marinelli was seen wearing a smile at the team’s Valley Ranch headquarters. And it’s easy to see why. But in the process of accommodating Marinelli, did the Cowboys neglect the running back position? That remains to be seen.
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Sabin really liked how the Cowboys improved their talent level on defense through this draft. This should allow Marinelli to better employ his scheme this year and push the Cowboys defense to new heights in 2015.
Sabin also makes note of the Cowboys' fourth-round pick Damien Wilson. While he may not start this year, Wilson will provide depth to a linebacker corps that has been ravaged by injuries in the past. Wilson also figures to make a big impact on special teams, much in the same vein as Anthony Hitchens did a year ago.
However, Sabin agrees with some of the other draft experts as he appears worries that the Cowboys didn't address the running back position. However, he fails to note that the value was at the running back position was never good enough to warrant a selection at the position.
Final Grades
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| Outlet | Grade |
| ESPN | C+ |
| CBS Sports | B- |
| WalterFootball.com | B+ |
| The Dallas Morning News | B+ |
| Bleacher Report | A- |
Overall, the draft analysts are worried about the Cowboys selecting Randy Gregory and disappointed that they didn't address the running back position in the draft. It seems odd that these experts would criticize the Cowboys for not filling a need, as most analysts say the best option is to take the best player on the board and not reach for a need. However, the Cowboys did just that, but they still get hammered for it.
Personally, the Cowboys' draft class looks to be an extremely successful one. You'd be hard-pressed to find a team with better selections in the first two rounds, which inconsequently are the two most important selections. Furthermore, the Cowboys did a great job of identifying late-round players with developmental traits and great athleticism.
The Cowboys are on a quest to win the Super Bowl this year, and they are a little closer to accomplishing that goal with this draft class.
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