The trade table was where it all came apart. The Cowboys shipped out far more than they hauled back, and no amount of spin dresses up the bill. Hard to defend, and the D- reflects that.
Jayden Daniels gives the offense a face and a plan, and the grade leans heavily on whether he hits. They are betting Sainristil proves the room right and everyone else wrong. They punted on tight end, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.
That Harden pick is the receipt they will wave around later. The bill for those future picks comes due whether the class hits or not.
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-by-Pick
R1.5
· Pick 5
· Jayden Daniels
· QB
· rank 6
They paid sticker price for Jayden Daniels in the Round 1 slot, and that is fine. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
R1.23
· Pick 23
· Brian Thomas Jr.
· WR
· rank 28
In Round 1, Pick 23 they get a go-to option on the outside. Exactly the need they had to hit.
R2.24
· Pick 56
· Mike Sainristil
· CB
· rank 75
They left a pile of value on the table to take Mike Sainristil this early at No. 56. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
R2.25
· Pick 57
· Kingsley Suamataia
· OT
· rank 61
They took Kingsley Suamataia at par in the 57th overall pick, which is nothing to complain about. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
R3.5
· Pick 69
· Xavier Worthy
· WR
· rank 55
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Xavier Worthy at pick 69 is the proof. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
R3.24
· Pick 87
· Blake Corum
· RB
· rank 84
Blake Corum at slot 87 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
R3.26
· Pick 89
· Zak Zinter
· OG
· rank 105
Zak Zinter in the 89th pick is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
R3.29
· Pick 92
· Maason Smith
· DT
· rank 110
A real head-scratcher, Maason Smith in pick No. 92 is miles ahead of his ranking. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
R5.38
· Pick 174
· Braiden McGregor
· DE-EDGE
· rank 174
Braiden McGregor at the 174th pick is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
R6.41
· Pick 216
· Evan Williams
· S
· rank 215
No edge and no loss on Evan Williams in Round 6, Pick 41; it is a wash and a sensible one. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
R7.13
· Pick 233
· Michael Barrett
· LB
· rank 236
A market-rate linebacker, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Michael Barrett. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
R7.24
· Pick 244
· Myles Harden
· CB
· rank 210
Myles Harden in slot 244 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
