Most Cowboy fans realized it was going to be a long night when the NFL College Draft began on Thursday night, April 25th. Dallas would NOT have a pick in the first round of the draft..
Cowboys owner/general manager, Jerry Jones, called it an eternity as all of the teams made a selection and Dallas had to sit out the first round. But the wait may have been worth it if you consider why they did not have a pick in the first round...
Five games deep into the 2018 season Dallas traded their number one pick in the draft to Oakland in exchange for wide receiver Amari Cooper.. Just 24 years of age the former University of Alabama star caught 53 passes for 725 yards and 6 touchdowns as a Cowboy. Combined with his stats as a Raider, he was over 1,000 yards as a receiver. Most experts say he was better than any receiver Dallas could have picked in this years draft...
Finally on day two of the draft, Friday, the Cowboys got to make a move with the 58th overall selection they went for help on the defensive line. Dallas chose Trysten Hill out of the University of Central Florida..
Hill, #9 in green, is six foot three and weighs in at 308 pounds.. He is bypassing his senior year to become a professional. Coaches say he possesses great 'first step quickness' and his high energy is shown in sideline to sideline aggressiveness. He can play the one or three technique, but is best suited to play head-up on opposing centers..
In the 3rd round of the draft, Dallas had the 90th overall pick and went to Penn State to find help along the offensive line.
Number 66 is Connor McGovern, a six-foot five, 308 specimen that is being projected as a possible guard or center. He could be the back-up for All-Pro center Travis Frederick, who is still recovering from Guillain-Barre Syndrome. The three time All-Pro missed all of last year with the illness.
In the 4th round and 128th overall selection, Dallas picked running back Tony Pollard of the University of Memphis.
With Rod Smith lost to free agency, Pollard could be the back-up to current RB Ezekiel Elliott.. Pollard's big strength is the ability to catch passes out of the backfield, and his speed. Running and catching the ball, Pollard scored 9 touchdowns for the Tigers last year with a combined 1,010 yards... plus 7 of the touchdowns came on kick returns. That could make up for the loss of Cole Beasley.
The 5th round was kind of confusing for the Cowboys... They went to the University of Miami with two picks in this round...Both picks were defensive players, and both had the same last name...Jackson.
Number 28 is Michael Jackson, a 6 foot one cornerback. He was the 158th overall pick in the draft. Head Coach Jason Garrett said "Jackson is big, he's long, he's fast, and he's physical,..just the way we like them." With Byron Jones coming off hip surgery, Jackson could get a lot of playing time. The 210 pounder was 2nd Team All-ACC for Miami and was a two year starter..
Number 99 is Joe Jackson, a six foot four, 275 pound defensive end. He recorded 24 sacks in two years for the Hurricanes and ran one interception back for a touchdown. Coaches at Miami really sang the praises for Jackson to the Cowboy staff. They claim he is big, strong, physical, and loves to disrupt opposing offenses.
Moving to the 6th round and 213th overall pick...Dallas went for help at the safety spot on defense when they chose Donovan Wilson of Texas A&M..
Wilson attracted Dallas coaches with his play off video tape.. 'said to be always around the ball.' He is six foot tall and 199 pounds of speed. Dallas projects him as a strong safety for his hitting ability and quick feet. Since the Aggies played a few games at AT&T Stadium, he should feel right at home with Dallas.
In the 7th round, Dallas went for more help on the defensive line, picking Jalen Jenks of the University of Oregon.
Jenks is six foot eight inches tall and weighs in at 253 pounds. He was a first team All Pac-12 member, but it could be tough breaking in with Dallas. They already have DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory (on suspension), Taco Charleton, and Dorance Armstrong at the end position. Jenks claims to have idolized DeMarcus Lawrence growing up, and now has the chance to practice with him daily and learn some important skills.
With their final pick in the 2019 draft, Dallas returned to Columbus, Ohio as they chose running back Mike Weber of Ohio State..
Weber was a teammate of Zeke Elliott in 2015 and took over as the starter when Elliott went to the Cowboys. He is five foot ten, weighs 218 pounds and is also bypassing his senior year to play as a pro. As a Buckeye, he totaled 2,676 yards and scored 24 touchdowns. Zeke dominated the position last year, but could use a little rest on occasions and Weber might be the man for that moment.
That concluded the college draft for Dallas, but now the real work begins. The coaching staff has already scattered in search of players that did not make the draft, but have the talent to play in the National Football League. Remember Tony Romo was not picked by any team in the draft, but still had a great career in the NFL. Best of luck to all the selections.
