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11826 DC2 trade Dak
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Boke DRAFTING FOR THECowboys
Draft Selections
Draft Picks Received
Players Gained
Players traded away
Draft Grade — Cowboys
Overall
D
ValueC+
NeedB
TradesF
FutureA+
The Cowboys left with their quarterback, and a D to match. There is reaching, and then there is Vincent Anthony Jr. at Round 4, Pick 12. The Cowboys jumped the board by 67 and dared it to prove them wrong. A D that will need time and luck to look better.
Whatever Fernando Mendoza becomes, the front office has tied its fortunes to the answer. They lost the exchange badly enough to drag the whole class down. The Cowboys indulged a want in Anthony Jr. while a need in tight end stayed open.
That tight end hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall. On value alone, Banks makes the weekend a net positive.
Bottom line, they will need several of these picks to beat their grades just to break even, and tight end is still a hole.
Pick Analysis
Pick1
Rnd1
Fernando Mendoza
In slot 1 they get their quarterback of the future. A real need, handled.
Pick12
Rnd1
Gennings Dunker
In pick 12 they get a long-term starter on the line, reach and all. The biggest hole, addressed.
Pick20
Rnd1
Anthony Hill Jr.
In Round 1, Pick 20 they get a sideline-to-sideline linebacker, though they paid up to get him. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Pick36
Rnd2
Sonny Styles
By-the-book stuff, Sonny Styles at the 36th overall pick squarely in line with his ranking. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick40
Rnd2
Caleb Banks
A tidy bit of business in the Round 2 slot, where Caleb Banks graded well above the range. A minor itch, scratched.
Pick67
Rnd3
Zakee Wheatley
Zakee Wheatley at No. 67 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
Pick75
Rnd3
Julian Neal
A straight-up fair deal on Julian Neal at pick No. 75, value and slot in agreement. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick102
Rnd4
Nicholas Singleton
Nicholas Singleton in Round 4, Pick 2 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick112
Rnd4
Vincent Anthony Jr.
The needs board was loud and they turned it down, spending the 112th pick on Vincent Anthony Jr. with tight end unsolved.
Pick151
Rnd5
Xavier Nwankpa
A big swing on Xavier Nwankpa at the Round 5 slot, well ahead of any board in the building. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
Pick178
Rnd5
Eric McAlister
They paid sticker price for Eric McAlister in No. 178, and that is fine. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick215
Rnd6
Jordan Hall
A real head-scratcher, Jordan Hall in slot 215 is miles ahead of his ranking. The roster fit checks out.
Pick221
Rnd7
J. Michael Sturdivant
No edge and no loss on J. Michael Sturdivant in pick 221; it is a wash and a sensible one. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick225
Rnd7
Fernando Carmona
A market-rate offensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Fernando Carmona. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.






















