Final grades for each of the Cowboys’ draft picks, plus an overall grade

Brian Schottenheimer’s first draft was a huge success.

The Dallas Cowboys wrapped up their draft on Saturday, and the overall sentiment is a positive one despite no receiver being taken at any point. That, in and of itself, is impressive. But just how good is this class? Obviously only time will tell, but let’s take a shot at grading it class anyway.

OG Tyler Booker

Pretty much the only draft pick that generated any negative initial reactions was the Cowboys’ highest pick in Tyler Booker. Even still, most of the negativity centered around where Booker was picked, not who the team took.

Booker is a physical blocker who fits perfectly with the style that new offensive coordinator Klayton Adams is bringing to the trenches. Primarily a left guard in college, he has experience at right guard and should slot into Zack Martin’s old spot without too much trouble. Brock Hoffman will certainly put up a fight in training camp, but Booker has the talent to become an extremely serviceable starter for years to come.

Grade: B-

EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku

The Cowboys’ best pick, when judging for value, was easily Donovan Ezeiruaku. The Boston College edge rusher notched 16.5 sacks last year and was sixth in the nation in pressures. His slender frame and limited effectiveness against the run caused him to fall in a stacked EDGE class, but many draft analysts had a late-first-round grade on Ezeiruaku.

Landing a talent like that at 44th overall is big for Dallas, especially with the departure of DeMarcus Lawrence. Ezeiruaku offers an immediate upgrade to the pass rushing options opposite Micah Parsons, a huge boon for new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.

Grade: A+

CB Shavon Revel Jr.

The Cowboys got another steal in the third round when they took East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. At 6’2” and 194 pounds, Revel has great size and length and excels in press coverage. Many draft analysts viewed him as a future first-round pick heading into the 2024 season.

Of course, Revel tore his ACL just three games into the year, and that scared some teams off. Nobody ever knows how a player will recover from that serious of an injury, but the Cowboys’ team doctor was the one who performed Revel’s surgery. The fact that Dallas drafted Revel here says they’re comfortable with his recovery. If he returns to form, the Cowboys just landed a first-round talent in the third round.

Grade: A-

RB Jaydon Blue

The Cowboys, like nearly every other team, waited a while to take a running back despite facing a loaded class. When they finally did, though, it was a local kid: Houston native and Longhorn star Jaydon Blue, who clocked a 4.38 40-yard dash.

Blue is electric with the ball in his hands, both as a runner and pass catcher, and has home run potential on every play. He’s a bit small, but still thrived on between-the-tackle runs at Texas. His fumbling issues – seven total over the last two years – are a bit concerning. Blue isn’t the surefire star running back many were hoping to get in this draft, but it’s easy to envision a world where he ascends to that role before too long.

Grade: B+

LB Shemar James

Not long after the Cowboys took Blue, they traded up to make another selection, this time taking Florida linebacker Shemar James. Linebacker was a position in need of extra depth, given the uncertain timetable for DeMarvion Overshown, so the James pick makes a ton of sense.

James was a team captain for the Gators, a recurring theme for the Cowboys in this draft, and he comes with speed and physicality. His skillset seems ideal for special teams contributions right away, while also adding some upside for Matt Eberflus – a linebacker whisperer in his own right – to work with.

Grade: B-

OT Ajani Cornelius

The Cowboys kept finding great value picks well into Day 3 of the draft, and Oregon tackle Ajani Cornelius was no exception. Several draft analysts viewed Cornelius as an early Day 3 prospect, and Pro Football Focus had him ranked as the 175th best player; Dallas got him at 204.

Cornelius almost exclusively played right tackle, first dominating at Rhode Island before Oregon and other Big Ten and SEC schools came calling. He more than held his own with the Ducks, flashing elite physical tools, but is still honing the finer details of playing tackle. It was reported that the Cowboys see him more as a guard in the NFL, so he brings versatility.

Grade: A-

iDL Jay Toia

Jay Toia was not exactly a household name coming into this draft, and opinions on him were very split. Pro Football Focus had him ranked 275th, while Dane Brugler of The Athletic gave Toia a third/fourth-round grade.

At 6’3” and 341 pounds, Toia is the prototypical nose tackle. He isn’t as long as some teams prefer for the position, but Toia played with power and consistency against some elite Big Ten offensive linemen. He projects to work as a key backup for Mazi Smith in the space-eating 1-technique for Matt Eberflus, a key role but not one that’s paramount to success.

Grade: B

RB Phil Mafah

Just in case some Cowboys fans were worried about Jaydon Blue’s smaller frame, Dallas doubled down on the running back position, landing one of the more physical runners in this draft by way of Clemson’s Phil Mafah.

Standing at 6’1” and 234 pounds, you can tell right away what Mafah’s play style is. He’s a powerful downhill runner who averaged 3.47 yards after contact per carry over his four years at Clemson. He immediately fits in as the thunder to Blue’s lightning, and gives the Cowboys two really exciting, young running back options.

Grade: B+

iDL Tommy Akingbesote

The Cowboys’ final pick of the draft featured another double dip, this time opting to once again fortify the defensive trenches with defensive tackle Tommy Akingbesote. A former 4-star recruit, Akingbesote never quite put it all together at Maryland but plays with a ton of physicality.

Akingbesote is teeming with potential, which makes him a great type to take a flyer on this late in the draft. If nothing else, he can provide depth for Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas. Defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton has a reputation for getting the most out of his players, though, so don’t be surprised if he has Akingbesote looking like that former 4-star talent before too long.

Grade: B+

Overall Grade: B+

The average draft grade from most media outlets comes out to an A-, and I get that. Ezeiruaku and Revel, in particular, are extremely valuable selections, while Booker will be an instant starter despite being a reach. The Cowboys also landed some really good players on Day 3, including two running backs that should be contributors early on.

In a vacuum, this draft haul looks like an A- group to me. Of course, it didn’t exist within a vacuum, and the neglect of the wide receiver position is hard to forgive. If they go on to add a veteran receiver – such as Amari Cooper or Keenan Allen – it’ll be easier to remember this draft as truly great.

Until something changes with that position, though, I have a hard time going above and beyond with the grade. It’s still a great collection of players, though, and Brian Schottenheimer’s first draft as head coach looks to be a resounding success.