Jerry Jones Confirms CeeDee Lamb Was Cowboys' 6th-Rated Player After Rumors

The Dallas Cowboys lucked out by grabbing wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with the 17th overall pick. They just didn't consider themselves as lucky as previous rumors made it seem. 

After a local report surfaced naming Lamb the top player on Dallas' draft board, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones said that was not the case, noting the Oklahoma product was the team's sixth-ranked prospect.

Regardless, the selection gives new head coach Mike McCarthy an even more electric group of skill players as Lamb joins quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott and wideouts Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. 

Jones told the media he didn't believe Lamb would be available when it was the Cowboys' turn to pick. McCarthy didn't think that would be an option, either, yet told the general manager if the wideout was there, he had his vote. 

McCarthy said when Henry Ruggs III fell to Oakland at No. 12, the team became hopeful that Lamb would slide a few more spots. Dallas executive vice president Stephen Jones admitted the Cowboys didn't even interview Lamb, believing it would be time wasted on a prospect who'd be taken long before the team had an opportunity to grab him. The Cowboys did multiple mock drafts and didn't have Lamb falling outside the top 10 in any of them.

Dallas was getting ready to take defensive end K'Lavon Chaisson or a cornerback, but couldn't pass up the opportunity to add Lamb. 

In doing so, an offense that finished as the league's best with 431.5 yards per game in 2019 got even stronger. 

While trying to enhance what's already a skilled unit may seem like overkill, it strongly aligns with McCarthy's philosophy.

The head coach told the media he believes in drafting the best player available, and at No. 17 that was clearly Lamb. 

From a room onboard his $250 million yacht, Jones made the call to grab Lamb, turning down three opportunities to trade.