The Dallas Cowboys actually did nail this 12 months’s NFL draft and their rookie class seems extraordinarily promising with a variety of excessive character gamers that every one had productive collegiate careers. Whereas everybody will get hyped for the 9 draft picks they made throughout the seven rounds, additionally they quietly put collectively an fascinating ensemble of free brokers throughout the undrafted free company interval. Let’s grade the gamers they’ve taken and what their outlook is predicted to be at Dallas.
WR, Josh Kelly, Texas Tech
Kelly had a reasonably productive 2024 season, recording 89 receptions for 1,023 yards and 5 touchdowns, main the FBS with 32 third-down receptions. His skill to realize yards after the catch is simple to note and his 605 yards-after-catch and 26 compelled missed tackles highlights his playmaking expertise with the ball in his arms. He’s an clever route runner with dependable arms, able to enjoying each outdoors and within the slot.
Given the Cowboys’ present depth at vast receiver, Kelly faces a difficult path to safe a spot on the 53-man roster. Nonetheless, his versatility and particular groups expertise might make him a worthwhile asset for the observe squad with potential to be known as up throughout the season. His school manufacturing and ability set recommend he might develop right into a contributor for Dallas if given the chance.
Decide Grade: B
WR, Traeshon Holden, Oregon
The Cowboys added a second vast receiver of their UDFA class with Traeshon Holden from Oregon. Holden, who started his collegiate profession at Alabama, showcased enchancment all through his time in school. In his last 12 months at Oregon, he recorded 45 receptions for 718 yards and 5 touchdowns. Notably, he had a standout efficiency towards Ohio State with seven catches, 116-yards and two touchdowns. He definitely has dependable arms with a formidable 83.3% catch charge in 2024, and does properly to make contested catches, even towards some good cornerbacks. His drawback is pace and explosiveness, the place he actually lacks each. He ran a 4.57s within the 49-yard sprint and solely hopped a 32” vertical.
Holden’s measurement, arms, and willingness as a run blocker make him an intriguing addition, however his path to make the observe squad is an actual check.
TE, Rivaldo Fairweather, Auburn
Fairweather has just a little extra intrigue right here because the Cowboys frolicked with him throughout a non-public exercise earlier than the draft after watching him on the Shrine Bowl. He started his collegiate profession at Florida Worldwide College (FIU) then transferred to Auburn in 2023. Throughout his school profession, he amassed 116 receptions for 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns. He demonstrates the flexibility to be a dependable goal, most definitely on brief routes. He lacks any pace at any space of the sphere, however his power and catch radius tasks extra as redzone participant. Add his skill to be run blocker solely reinforces his redzone capabilities.
Fairweather’s mixture of measurement, dependable arms, and blocking skill will definitely look to extend the competitors at a place that was missing final 12 months.
Grade: B+
TE, Tyler Neville, Virginia
Neville was a graduate switch from Harvard and performed one season with the Cavaliers. He recorded 37 receptions for 394 yards and two touchdowns final season, and his greatest efficiency got here in Week 2 towards Wake Forest, when he caught 4 passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns, turning into the primary UVA tight finish since 2007 to realize a two-touchdown sport. He’s a reliable run blocker with toughness and a bodily mentality, however Neville faces an enormous uphill battle to safe a spot on the observe squad.
Grade: C+
LB, Justin Barron, Syracuse
At 6’4” and 225 kilos, Barron possesses the dimensions and size that Dallas usually seems for in a linebacker. He’s a flexible defender who transitioned from security to linebacker throughout his collegiate profession, showcasing adaptability and athleticism on the sphere. They may look to make use of him as a hybrid linebacker and most undoubtedly on particular groups. His background as a security contributes to his strengths in protection, pursuit angles, and acceleration. However his areas for enchancment, notably in controlling his pace in area and shedding blocks, means he might wrestle within the NFL as a full time linebacker. This signing has all of the markings of a participant taken for particular staff responsibility, which is one thing Dallas wants.
Grade: B
DB, Alijah Clark, Syracuse
Ranked highest on the board, Clark represents the very best expertise on this 12 months’s UDFA signings for Dallas. What additionally provides some further sauce with Clark is the actual fact he’s greatest suited to play the slot nook or nickel again function, a place that holds many questions in Dallas since Jourdan Lewis’ departure. If Dallas make the most of Clark in the proper manner he might stand an opportunity at making the ultimate roster and carries probably the most potential. Whereas enjoying at each Rutgers and Syracuse, Clark amassed 189 whole tackles, 12 tackles for loss and go breakups.
Grade: A-
S, Mike Smith Jr, Japanese Kentucky
Smith, a 6’1” and 206-pound security had a reasonably good 2024 season, recording 63 tackles, 4 interceptions, six go breakups, and one compelled fumble. His efficiency earned him a number of All-American honors and a unanimous First Group All-UAC choice while being the captain of the Colonels protection. His efforts helped Japanese Kentucky enable solely 23 factors per sport en path to the FCS Playoffs with an 8-4 common season file.
That is fairly a savvy transfer for the Cowboys. His confirmed manufacturing, management qualities, and flexibility present depth at a place that has a degree of uncertainty past this season.
Grade: B-
CB, Zion Childress, Kentucky
Childress, a Houston native, started his collegiate profession at Texas State earlier than transferring to Kentucky, the place he grew to become a two-time staff captain and a flexible presence within the secondary. Over his five-year school profession, he performed in 62 video games and amassed a whopping 283 tackles together with 13 tackles for loss, 17 go breakups and three compelled fumbles. The problem for Childress is in all that point he solely accounted for one interception.
Childress comes with large versatility having performed a number of positions within the secondary, together with security, nickel and boundary cornerback. His expertise in varied roles showcases his adaptability, soccer IQ and coachability. If he works on tackling method and exhibits enchancment at rookie minicamp in addition to coaching camp, there’s each probability he might make the observe squad.
Grade: B-
CB, Bruce Harmon, Stephen F. Austin
Harmon is from Rockwall, Texas and performed six seasons for the Lumberjacks. In that point, he amassed 86 whole tackles, 26 go breakups, and eight interceptions. He was named to the Senior Bowl watchlist and was one of many extra obscure names on the checklist. His mixture of expertise and particular groups potential might make him an addition to the observe squad, however that could possibly be an enormous process for him right here.
