Evaluating the 2020 Cowboys Rookie Class - And Jumping to 2021, Wheee Kiper & McShay have Dallas picking Penn St. LB Micah Parsons
FRISCO - We are now three-fourths of the way through the season, meaning some level of judgment of the Dallas Cowboys' 2020 NFL Draft class can be made: Good overall - but not good enough to help this team from its 3-9 doldrums, and therefore not good enough to prevent us from jumping ahead to 2021 and Dallas' present position in the No. 4 hole.
Where, according to ESPN's Mock Draft, Kiper & McShay have the Cowboys picking Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.
Dane Brugler (below) has a different idea. So does Jimmy Johnson (also click below).
How can the 6-3, 245-pound Parsons help? Like so ...
More with the linebacker ...
Parsons didn’t suit up this college football season due to concerns over COVID-19, but when he suits up again?
“I hope I stay in that blue and white,'' he tweeted, along with a photo of him at AT&T Stadium for last season’s Cotton Bowl Classic against Memphis.
If Parsons lands in Dallas, who are the youngsters he will he be helping? Let's glance back at the way this year's rookies arrived, and then their performances:
Dallas' selection process started off in shocking fashion when the Dallas Cowboys selected wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with the 17th overall pick. The Oklahoma product was the sixth-ranked player on the Cowboys' draft board in late April, and many believed he was the best, wide receiver in the 2020 class.
After losing Byron Jones in free agency, the Cowboys solidified their secondary in the second round, picking cornerback Trevon Diggs out of Alabama.
READ MORE: Is Cowboys' Lamb Like Dez? Or Like Deion?
In the following picks, the Cowboys selected Tyler Biadasz, Reggie Robinson II, Bradlee Anae and Ben DiNucci.
Let's dive in and see how the 2020 draft class has performed so far this season:
- CeeDee Lamb: He has been everything Cowboys fans have hoped for and more. Lamb ranks first in catches and third in yards among all rookies, racking up 696 receiving yards on 59 catches and four touchdowns. Keep in mind, this is all with subpar QB play following the devastating injury of Dak Prescott in Week 5.
- Trevon Diggs: Trevon started every game up to his broken foot injury in Week 9. When on the field, Diggs put up an impressive stat line of two interceptions, nine passes defended, and 48 tackles. Trevon earned the starting spot back in training camp, and should remain a starter when he ultimately comes back from injury.
- Tyler Biadasz: The award-winning Wisconsin product, who was drafted in the fourth round, started four games at center this season before suffering a hamstring injury in Week 8. While on the field, Biadasz impressed and filled in well for the Cowboys crippled offensive line. He has a future in the middle.
- Reggie Robinson II: The fourth-round rookie out of Tulsa hasn’t played a single snap yet. The lengthy 6-1 defensive back will look for some playing time as the season comes to an end. We think he time should've already come ... but regardless, he's got a play-maker's instinct, so we think it's coming.
- Bradlee Anae: Anae has made very few contributions on the defensive side, where he was drafted as an end. After being taken in the sixth round, Bradlee has had more snaps on special teams, where he will continue to try and make a mark on this team.
- Ben DiNucci: DiNucci, drafted in the sixth round, started one game as both quarterbacks above him were sidelined with injuries. In his start, DiNucci had a poor outing, ultimately leading to a Week 8 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He's been turned into a whipping post of sorts, with even owner Jerry Jones poking fun at his failures.
In reality, and in summation, though, there can still be a future for every one of these guys. And if the Cowboys have a series of high picks in 2021, this group can be joined by yet another haul of talent starting with a player of Parsons' talents.