This was the first draft of Mike McCarthy's tenure.
He had no complaints about the development.
The Cowboys' team, determined to strengthen its defense heading into the first night of the draft, changed direction when Oklahoma receiver CeeDee Lamb was drafted unexpectedly at No. 17.
“I was honestly surprised when I saw the phone ringing,” Lam said at the time.
Is it surprising? The club conducted 26 virtual interviews in the days and weeks leading up to the 2020 draft. There was no lamb in it. The last time club officials spoke with the talented receiver was during the scouting combine two months ago.
Club officials conducted countless mock exams to prepare for the decisions they might face in time. In none of these test runs was it possible to place the Ram in number 17.
The Cowboys took corner Trevon Diggs in the second round. These two pieces of him will form the basis of this series going forward.
Overall, seven players were drafted in this class. Three of them went to the Pro Bowl and helped set the tone for McCarthy's tenure.
drafted player
| round | player | position | Spot shooting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedee Lamb | W.R. | 17 |
| 2 | Trevon Diggs | C.B. | 51 |
| 3 | Neville Gallimore | DT | 82 |
| Four | reggie robinson | C.B. | one two three |
| Four | Tyler Biadasz | C | 146 |
| Five | bradley anae | D.E. | 179 |
| 7 | Ben DiNucci | QB | 231 |
hit songs
Dallas' board had 19 players with first-round grades. Ram was in 6th place.
Club officials expected the discussion would likely come down to Clemson cornerback AJ Terrell and No. 17 LSU defensive end K'Lavon Chaisson. However, Terrell went to Atlanta at the last minute. That left Chaisson and Ram.
The choice was easy.
“I didn't think he'd be there,” owner Jerry Jones admitted that night. “Later today, we considered various plots that could end up being carried out, but Mike once said that if someone like that (Lamb) is out there, he would scrap this plan. I hinted at a fact: If he loses, I want to vote again.”
Lamb has improved his receptions, yardage and touchdown totals in each of his four seasons. He has 395 catches for 5,145 yards and 32 touchdowns since entering the league.
Diggs was being considered for the Cowboys in the first round if the club returned and traded him for an additional pick. When he was still on the board in the second round, Dallas pounced.
When he received the call from the Cowboys, Diggs said, “I was blown away by the star because it was Jerry Jones.” “Words can't explain it. My heart sank.
“The first round didn’t go as I expected, but I still ended up where I wanted to go.”
Diggs had 11 interceptions in his second season with the Cowboys, tying a number that hadn't been achieved in the NFL in 40 years.
Lamb and Diggs made five Pro Bowls early in their careers. Center Tyler Biadasz, taken in the fourth round, made his first Pro Bowl last season.
mistake
The Cowboys had high hopes for third-round pick Neville Gallimore. However, after starting nine games in his rookie season, the defensive tackle slumped, starting just five games over his final three seasons in Dallas. He's in Miami now.
Fourth-round pick Reggie Robinson was a corner from Tulsa and the club moved him to safety. It didn't work. He was released after making just five appearances in two seasons with the club.
Dallas took quarterback Ben DiNucci with a seventh-round pick to see if he could develop into a solid backup to Dak Prescott. He was unable to defeat Cooper Rush and moved on.
conclusion
Since Biadasz left as a free agent, Lamb and Diggs are the only members of that class still on the roster. it doesn't matter.
When you finish one draft with two players who rank among the best players in their respective positions, two stars who will play important roles in the club's future on the other side of the ball, it's a very productive draft. It was a draft.
Catch David Moore's Cowboys Happy Hour on Wednesday nights in April at 7pm on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM).
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