Dallas Cowboys Draft Picks: Results, Analysis and Grades
After a rough season in 2015, the Dallas Cowboys have finally made it to the point in the offseason where eternal optimism reigns supreme throughout the NFL. Every team hopes that the NFL draft can help propel it toward future success. The Cowboys have nine picks in the 2016 NFL draft, which they will use in an attempt to return to the success of their 2014 season.
With Tony Romo's age (36) and injury concerns, the Cowboys have to walk the fine line of balancing their need to win now and in the future.
Make sure you check back here for analysis and letter grades for each Cowboys pick.
Dallas Cowboys Picks
1 of 10The Cowboys may be slated for nine picks in this draft, but that number will be fluid as the draft rolls along. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones loves to manipulate the draft by trading up and down to get the players the front office covets. Nevertheless, one thing is for certain: The Cowboys will bring in more than a handful of players to improve their football team.
Typically, teams try to accumulate players who can start and contribute immediately in the first two rounds. In the third and fourth rounds, teams usually look for players who can be key backups while contributing on special teams. From the fifth round and on, teams are looking for players with upside that they can develop into key backups or even starters.
Check back to this slide throughout the draft to see who the Cowboys have picked thus far and what picks they still have to make.
Pick Made
Round 1, pick No. 4 overall: Ezekiel Elliott, running back, Ohio State
Round 2, pick No. 34 overall: Jaylon Smith, linebacker, Notre Dame
Round 3, pick No. 67 overall: Maliek Collins, under tackle, Nebraska
Round 4, pick No. 101 overall: Charles Tapper, defensive end, Oklahoma
Round 4, pick No. 135 overall: Dak Prescott, quarterback, Mississippi State
Round 6, pick No. 189 overall: Anthony Brown, cornerback, Purdue
Round 6, pick No. 212 overall: Kavon Frazier, safety, Central Michigan
Round 6, pick No. 216 overall: Darius Jackson, running back, Eastern Michigan
Round 6, pick No. 217 overall: Rico Gathers, tight end, Baylor
Round 1, Pick No. 4: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
2 of 10If there was any doubt whether the Cowboys want to win now, they wiped it away when they selected Ezekiel Elliott with the No. 4 overall pick.
The Cowboys picked the most dynamic offensive weapon in this draft with their first-round pick. Elliott should open the season at the top of the Cowboys' running back depth chart. The ex-Buckeye has everything you want in a running back. He has the speed, quickness, explosiveness, power, vision, blocking and receiving ability to play every down and make a significant difference.
With the Cowboys offensive line, Elliott has a legitimate opportunity to lead the league in rushing yards and touchdowns in his rookie year. Coupled with Tony Romo, Dez Bryant and Jason Witten on offense, Elliott gives the Cowboys a dynamic offense that is sure to put up a ton of points next season.
The former Ohio State back runs zone and gap schemes well because his eyes and feet sync up incredibly. One of Elliott's best skills is his ability to pass-protect, which is vitally important for a team with a quarterback as frail as Romo.
Overall, this pick gives the Cowboys the best ability to win now while Romo is still the starting quarterback. Elliott will take pressure off Romo and allow the Cowboys to dominate the time of possession, which will keep the defense fresh throughout each game.
Grade: A
Round 2, Pick No. 34: Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
3 of 10
Faith is an interesting concept, especially in sports. The fact that thousands of fans put their full trust into a group of people they've never met is a borderline unbelievable thing. However, with the Dallas Cowboys selecting Jaylon Smith with their second-round pick, that is exactly what everybody has to do.
Smith's on-field evaluation is easy. He is a freakishly athletic linebacker who can make plays all over the field. If it wasn't for Myles Jack's unbelievable coverage skills, Smith would be the best coverage linebacker in this draft. He closes on the ball-carrier better than anyone in this class. He is stout at the point of attack and a sure tackler.
Where Smith's evaluation gets murky is his injury history. The fact of the matter is that we don't know the real details of the knee injury he suffered in the Fiesta Bowl on January 1. The Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel's Bob McGinn reported that Smith's "anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament were torn, and at the same time there was damage to the peroneal nerve."
Recovering from nerve damage is a truly scary endeavor, especially considering that the Cowboys invested a second-round pick on him. The Cowboys are bullish on the longevity of Smith's career in the NFL, per ESPN's Ed Werder:
"#Cowboys source on Jaylon Smith's knee-nerve injury: "He's going to have a 10-year NFL career. We just don't know when it starts."
— Ed Werder (@Edwerderespn) April 29, 2016"
Nonetheless, if there is one team that knows about Smith's prognosis, it's the Cowboys. The Cowboys' team doctor is the same doctor who performed Smith's knee surgery. Smith will likely miss the entire 2016 season, per NFL.com's Chase Goodbread, which means this is a pick for the future.
If everything goes right with his recovery, Smith will replace Rolando McClain in 2017, and the Cowboys will have a great linebacker unit. However, it is almost impossible to know whether that will happen. You just have to have faith that the Cowboys front office and medical team know what they are doing.
Grade: B
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Round 3, Pick No. 67: Maliek Collins, Under Tackle, Nebraska
4 of 10
In took them three rounds, but the Cowboys finally got some help on the defensive line when they selected Maliek Collins with the 67th overall pick.
Collins is a penetrating under tackle who fits the mold of what defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli wants on his defensive line. He plays with good quickness, and he uses his hands well to beat offensive linemen. The ex-Cornhusker is a great athlete at defensive tackle who needs to work on his balance and utilizing his great hip mobility.
Collins fits in as a backup under tackle to Tyrone Crawford, which improves the depth of the interior defensive line. Collins has the ability to provide some interior pass rush from the under tackle position, and he can make some splash plays against the run.
Overall, Collins may not have the value of a player like Jonathan Bullard or Andrew Billings, but he is a great scheme fit who will be a great rotational player early on for the Cowboys.
Grade: B-
Round 4, Pick No. 101: Charles Tapper, Defensive End, Oklahoma
5 of 10
Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli loves speed off the edge, especially on the right side, and Charles Tapper is a speed freak coming off the edge. At 6'3" and 271 pounds, Tapper ran a 4.59 40-yard dash, which is incredible for a man of his size.
Tapper was miscast in Oklahoma's two-gapping and reactive defensive line. Oftentimes, he lined up in a frog stance, which limited his ability to utilize his explosiveness off the snap. This is why you have to throw out most of Tapper's college tape because he was such a bad scheme fit.
When Tapper was allowed to attack upfield, like in the Kansas and Iowa State games, he was disruptive. When he was allowed to attack upfield, like in the Kansas and Iowa State games, he was even more disruptive. In fact, in those two games, Tapper recorded five sacks, per CFBStats.com.
Overall, Tapper is going to have to relearn a lot of aspects of playing defensive line. He'll have to become more aggressive and utilize his physical attributes to their fullest extent.
The ex-Sooner is another high-upside pick who has the potential to become a great pass-rusher and run defender for years to come.
Grade: B+
Round 4, Pick No. 135: Dak Prescott, Quarterback, Mississippi State
6 of 10
It was no secret that the Cowboys were going to come away from the 2016 NFL draft with a quarterback. They finally pulled the trigger on a signal-caller at the end of the fourth round with Dak Prescott. They didn't hide their love for Prescott, as he was an official predraft visit for Dallas, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.
Prescott is an athletic and strong-armed quarterback who grew by leap and bounds as a passer in 2016. When his feet are set, Prescott has an excellent arm, and he can be extremely accurate.
The problem with Prescott is that his footwork is all over the place. This leads to him making mechanical errors, which result in inaccurate throws. He needs to tighten up his throwing motion, but Prescott appears to have the work ethic and intelligence to develop those traits.
If the Cowboys were going to go with a big, athletic quarterback to develop, Cardale Jones may have been a better pick, but that doesn't mean that Prescott wasn't a good value.
Hopefully, Prescott can develop into a solid backup quarterback and potential starter once Tony Romo retires.
Grade: B+
Round 6, Pick No. 189: Anthony Brown, Cornerback, Purdue
7 of 10
The Cowboys opted to improve their secondary in the sixth round when they selected cornerback Anthony Brown.
Dallas was thin at cornerback, and this move helps improve the depth at the position. Brown is a speedy cornerback who is a great value in the sixth round.
Brown has blazing speed (4.35-second 40-yard dash), and he displays a lot of the traits you look for in a cornerback. Brown has the footwork to play in press or off in zone coverage. His patience is one of his best traits, as he doesn't get too antsy at the line of scrimmage.
Brown is a little stiff when he has to turn and run, and he needs to work on how physical he is in coverage. Despite his technical ability, Brown allowed 17 touchdowns on 162 targets the last three seasons, which is entirely too much and a big concern. Having said that, a lot of his touchdowns were due to having to cover for long periods of time because of Purdue's putrid pass rush.
Overall, Brown is close to a complete cornerback, and he will come in and battle Terrance Mitchell and Deji Olatoye for the final cornerback spots on the Cowboys' 53-man roster.
Grade: B
Round 6, Pick No. 212: Kavon Frazier, Safety, Central Michigan
8 of 10
The Cowboys opted to improve their safety depth when they selected Kavon Frazier.
The former Central Michigan defensive back is a strong safety through and through. He struggles to turn and run in coverage, and he tends to get lost in zone coverage. Nevertheless, Frazier is a good box safety. He tackles well, and he isn't afraid to take on blockers.
Frazier will make his biggest impact on special teams. He has the athleticism, toughness and tackling ability to take Danny McCray's spot as the special teams stud on the Cowboys.
Frazier looks like a candidate to take J.J. Wilcox's spot on the roster next year as a backup strong safety.
Overall, Frazier is a tough and gritty player who will do the dirty work for Dallas.
Grade: B
Round 6, Pick No. 216: Darius Jackson, Running Back, Eastern Michigan
9 of 10
The Cowboys doubled up at running back in the 2016 NFL draft when they selected Darius Jackson in the sixth round.
Jackson doesn't have the best film, but he has elite size and athleticism for the position. On the field, Jackson is an upright runner who tends to try to dance in the hole too much, which is concerning.
Nevertheless, Jackson may be the best athlete in this draft class. He is fast and explosive, which makes him a great ball of clay to mold for the Cowboys.
He is a low-risk, high-reward pick because if he busts, Dallas didn't invest much, but if he hits, he is one of the best values in the draft.
In the late rounds, teams have to draft for certain traits that you can develop, which is exactly what Jackson has.
Grade: A
Round 6, Pick No. 217: Rico Gathers, Tight End, Baylor
10 of 10
The Cowboys used a pick on a player who never played a snap of football in college. Former Baylor Bear Rico Gathers was a star basketball player in college who is going to try his hand at football.
Much like Antonio Gates, Gathers is going to try to make it as a tight end in the NFL. At 6'6" and 273 pounds, Gathers has the size you want in a tight end. Furthermore, Gathers is an athletic player who ran a 4.75-second 40-yard dash at his pro day.
Gather is a total upside pick for the Cowboys, and it has the chance to really pay off. Look for Dallas to try to sneak Gathers onto the final roster or practice squad in the hopes of developing him into a viable tight end in a year or two.
This is the kind of shot you take in the sixth round.
Grade: B
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