The 2020 NFL College Draft was a unique one right off the bat. Thanks to the Cornavirus there was no big celebration facility thanks to the quarantine in effect. The big loser in this decision is the city of Las Vegas, who was scheduled to host this year's event.
Dallas went into the draft with definite holes to fill, especially on the defensive side of the ball. All-Pro Cornerback Byron Jones, All-Pro End-Rusher Robert Quinn, and safety Jeff Heath were all lost to free agency. All-Pro Center Travis Frederick's sudden retirement was another vacancy that needed attention, but defense was definitely on everyone's mind as the 2020 draft got underway.
The Cowboys had the 17th pick in the first round of the draft, and watched in amazement as early choices went for offensive linemen and quarterbacks. The player that was forecast to be the fifth or sixth overall pick in the draft kept falling...and fell right into the lap of America's Team.
CeeDee Lamb was too good a prize for the Cowboys to pass on and he became the number one draft pick for Dallas. Lamb is 6 foot 2 inches tall and weighs in at 190 pounds. He played three years for the Oklahoma Sooners and recorded 173 catches for 3,292 yards and 32 touchdowns. Coaches say he never had a catch of less than 20 yards. He completed a steller career at Norman, Oklahoma with 62 catches for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior. He will give the Cowboys an awesome triplet of receivers as he joins Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup as targets for Dak Prescott.
In the 2nd round of the draft, Dallas had the 51st overall pick and quickly resumed that defensive shopping list. Cornerback Travon Diggs of the University of Alabama heard his name called by the commissioner with this pick.
Diggs is the younger brother of Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stephon Diggs, so look forward to that meeting in the future. Travon is 6 foot 2 and 207 pounds, and an arm length of 33 inches. He originally was a wide receiver in high school, but Bama converted him to a defensive back in 2017 and he has grown into the position. Diggs started all 12 games for the Tide his senior year and recorded 20 tackles, 3 pass interceptions, and 8 pass break-ups. Second team All-American and first team All-SEC. Should compete for starting job with the Cowboys.
Round three rolled around and Dallas had the 82nd overall pick. They returned to Norman, Oklahoma for defensive line help when they selected tackle Neville Gallimore from the Sooners.
Gallimore is 6 foot 2 and tips the scale at 304 pounds. OU Coaches describe him as 'stocky and steady' with tremendous upper body strength. He uses his hands to deny offensive linemen from getting a grip on him with a quick pop. He is extremely quick off the line and sometimes looks like he precedes the snap. Gallimore played all four years for the Sooners and was hardly ever in the training room for injuries.
Round 4 found the Cowboys again in Oklahoma,..but not in Norman. From the University of Tulsa, Dallas picked Cornerback Reggie Robinson. He is 6 foot 1 and weighs in at 205.
Robinson was a 4 year starter for the Golden Hurricane and being a Cowboy means he will be returning home. He is from Cleburne, just 40 miles south of the Metroplex. Robinson was a First Team All-Conference performer in 2019 with 4 interceptions and 17 pass deflections his senior year.
If indeed the Cowboys had a need at corner, they suddenly find themselves with a crowd looking for playing time. 2019 starter Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis, Anthony Brown, and Maurice Canady are already on the roster, but Awuzie, Lewis, and Canady are in the last year of their contract with Dallas.
Dallas also had a second pick in the fourth round as they made a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys gave up the 164th pick in the 5th round and a future 5th round pick to move up to the 146th pick, the last selection in the 4th round... and Dallas got the center they needed.
The Cowboys picked Tyler Bladasz, a 6 foot 4 mammoth of a man, tipping the scales at 315. He anchored a Wisconsin Badger offensive line that produced over six thousand yards rushing over the last three seasons. Bladasz is the Rimington Award Winner, which annually goes to the top center in the country.
Bladasz obviously was an All-American and All-Big Ten selection, and coaches say he was almost another coach on the field. Dallas was shocked when current center Travis Frederick, who played at Wisconsin, announced his retirement earlier this year...but the All-Pro is still fighting the after effects of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which forced Frederick to miss the entire 2018 season. Bladasz said he tailored his game after watching Frederick on film, and Wisconsin coaches said the two were almost identical in their play.
Round 5 rolled around and the Cowboys again went shopping for defensive help on the line when they chose Bradlee Anae.
Anae is 6 foot 3 and at 257 pounds could be a little light for defensive end in the NFL. His hands are said to be 10 inches across. As a freshman in his first collegiate game at the University of Utah he recorded 4 tackles and two sacks of the quarterback. As a senior he led the team with 41 tackles, 13 of those behind the line of scrimmage.
He played all 14 games his senior year at Utah and helped the team make a Bowl Game appearance.
The Cowboys did NOT have a pick in the 6th round, but in the 7th round with the 231st selection Dallas went for a quarterback..
Ben Dinucci started his collegiate career at the University of Pittsburgh, but lost his starting spot and transferred to James Madison University for his final two seasons.
Dinucci passed for 3,441 yards for 29 touchdowns against only 6 interceptions in a year and a half for James Madison. As a collegian he completed 70% of his passing attempts while leading James Madison to the FCS National Championship, which was played just down the road from Cowboy headquarters.
Big Ben is 6 foot 3 inches tall and tips the scales at 210 pounds. Coaches at both schools were impressed with his vision on the field and his strong arm. Not to be left out, he can also run with the ball when his receivers are covered..
That closes out the draft for the Dallas Cowboys, and media reports have Dallas with the best draft among the 32 teams in the NFL. They seem to have not only filled their needs, but accomplished it with quality players. Now the team coaches will fan out across the country looking for undrafted free agents. Tony Romo and Drew Pearson both came to the Cowboys that way. Good Luck to all the players and we wish them good health and long careers... How 'bout them Cowboys!
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