B-
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys won the night they stopped Sampson from sliding. Grade: B-.
by arngar ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 3 steals
· 6 reaches
The board owed the Cowboys one, and it paid up: Dylan Sampson, the No. 65 name on the board, sitting there at No. 168 like a gift left on the doorstep. A dependable weekend that grades out a B-.
They will need Card to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it. They will regret leaving cornerback for another day if the season turns on it.
Nothing here to lose sleep over, and plenty to feel decent about.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 12th overall pick they get a weapon on the perimeter, reach and all. The biggest hole, addressed.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Donovan Jackson in the 44th pick, miles early. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They talked themselves into Shemar Turner at pick No. 76, and the board did not agree. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They robbed the room for Barrett Carter here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Dylan Sampson in Round 5, Pick 31 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Hayden Conner this early at No. 170. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They reached into another round for Ty Hamilton, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
They let Ollie Gordon II come to them and pounced at slot 186. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Fair-plus on Jordan Hancock, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Hudson Card at pick No. 248 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.