NFL College Draft 2022
In retrospect, the Dallas Cowboys had weak spots in their defense in 2021 and that was at the top of the list as they headed for Las Vegas to try and improve for 2022. So wouldn't you know they would select an offensive lineman with their number one pick.
Dallas had the 24th selection in the 1st round and they went after offensive tackle Tyler Smith of Tulsa University. He is 6 foot 5 and weighs in at 325 pounds. Actually he will be coming home as he was born and raised in Fort Worth. Tyler just turned 21 years of age last month and should compete with Connor Williams for the left guard spot to gain some experience before moving over to left tackle when Tyron Smith retires. Coaches say Tyler Smith is a big speciman that excells at run blocking. The Cowboys have had good luck when picking offensive lineman with their #1 pick...Tyron Smith in 2011, center Travis Frederick in 2013, and guard Zack Martin in 2014. All were named to All-Pro teams very quickly.
Dallas must have high expectations for Smith as they have issued him #73 as a uniform number.. That was the number of Larry Allen who dominated the offensive line as a Cowboy and who John Madden called the best lineman he had ever seen..
In the second round Dallas had the 56th selection and went for defensive line help when they picked Sam Williams from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). He is 6'3'' and 261 pounds.
Williams is extremely athletic for his position and ran a 4.46 at the NFL Combine, and also a 36 inch vertical jump. His final year at Ole Miss saw him record a school record 12.5 quarterback sacks. Until then the record had stood for 31 years. He was a three year starter for the Rebels and an All-SEC performer. Long arms make him a natural at this position. With the loss of Randy Gregory to free agency, Williams should find some playing time and keep opponents from double teaming Micah Parsons.
In the 3rd round Dallas had the 88th overall pick and went for help at wide receiver.. Having lost both Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson to free agency, they picked Jalen Tolbert of South Alabama.
Tolbert is 6 foot one and tips the scales at 195 pounds. He was almost picked in the 2nd round, but Dallas was surprised when he was still available in the 3rd. He is the all-time leading receiver for South Alabama and had 22 touchdown catches his senior year. Tolbert averaged better than 17 yards per catch.. He is a small school product but stood out in playing in the Senior Bowl. Can play outside or in the slot....also a punt returner.
In the 4th round the Cowboys were choosing the 129th player and he turned out to be tight end Jake Ferguson from the University of Wisconsin.
Fergy is six foot five and weighs 250 pounds.. His father and grandfather all played for the Badgers. Jake was named to the All-Big Ten team in 2020 and 2021. In 47 games played for Wisconsin he scored 13 touchdowns... A better pass receiver than a run blocker but that is something Dan Quinn's squad can work on.. At the NFL Combine he broad jumped 118 inches from a standing spot. He possesses 9 and a half inch wide hands. His college coaches say he is an overachiever and the last to leave the practice field. Should be a back-up to Dalton Schultz this season..
B A Z I N G A... Dallas had four (4) picks in the 5th round and really made an impact on that shopping list for America's Team..
Dallas got more help on the offensive line when they chose big tackle Matt Waletzko of North Dakota.. He is 6 foot 7 and weighs in at 310 pounds. He played in 28 games in 4 seasons with the Fighting Hawks, including 10 games this past season. He is the second offensive lineman Dallas selected (#1 Tyler Smith). Good lateral movement and quick off the line. The Cowboys project him as a possible back-up to Tyron Smith at left tackle or right tackle Terence Steele.
With the 167th pick Dallas picked cornerback DaRon Bland of Fresno State.. He weighs in a 197 pounds and stands six foot one. Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn loves big, rangy corners that go for the ball, and that is what they got in Bland. In track & field competition, Bland was the school's long jumper and 60 meter dash specialist. He ran a 4.46 in his Pro Day debut. Should compete for a starting spot as Dallas is extremely young on the flanks.
The 176th selection saw Dallas going to Baton Rouge for the second year in a row. Last year it was Jabril Cox and this time the Cowboys chose linebacker Damone Clark, a 6 foot 2 inch, 240 pounder. He had surgery in March to have spinal fusion for a herniated disk, but Dallas likes the long term possibilities for this Bengal Tiger. He was a Butkus Award finalist after leading the SEC in tackles with 135.
With the 178th overall pick, Dallas chose defensive tackle John Ridgeway of Arkansas. He stands 6 foot 5 and weighs 321 pounds. He will be only the second Arkansas player picked by Jerry Jones since he acquired the team. Big bodied Ridgeway should take up a lot of space in the middle of the line. He played 3 years at Illinois State before transferring to Arkansas. He told Jones he would dominate for the Cowboys.
Moving to the 6th round, Dallas had the 193rd pick and with it they went for linebacker Devin Harper of Oklahoma State.. He is an even 6 feet tall and weighs 235 pounds..
Thanks to the Covid 19 scare, Harper played five seasons in Stillwater. He started 16 of 59 games played for the collegiate Cowboys. In 2021 he made eleven tackles for a loss and six quarterback sacks enroute to All-Big 12 honors. Look for him to play special teams immediately as he finds his way into the scheme of Dan Quinn's defense. Harper was impressive with his speed (4.49) and athletic ability at the OSU Pro Day..
The Cowboys did not have a pick in the 7th round, but made up for it with four players in the 5th round. The coaching staff has already scattered across the country in search of free agent players who did not make the draft. A couple of the draftees have already come to Dallas for a face to face meeting with the coaching staff. A couple of team meetings are scheduled before the August beginning of training camp.. All of the players look good on paper but the thining out will begin at training camp... Good Luck to all.
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