Grading the Cowboys' Last Five First-Round Picks
The Dallas Cowboys front office takes pride in the NFL draft. Jerry Jones has a core belief that homegrown talent is a key contributor to NFL success. The Cowboys have hit on plenty of players historically and in recent years but have also had their fair share of misses. With the draft approaching in April let's take a look at the Cowboys last five first-round selections and how they panned out.
2020- CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma, A+
The Cowboys did not have a major need at wide receiver in 2020 with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup coming off of good seasons. Ultimately Dallas decided to take the best player available in Oklahoma superstar wideout CeeDee Lamb with the 17th overall pick. Lamb immediately took the league by storm and is arguably a top-three wide receiver in the NFL. Lamb, at only 25 is entering his sixth season in the NFL and he already has 496 receptions, 6,339 yards, and 38 touchdowns.
2021- Micah Parsons, EDGE, Penn State, A+
The Cowboys stayed patient with the 12th overall pick in 2020 and landed a player who was widely considered a top-five talent in the draft. On draft night Micah Parsons said it would be a dream come true if Dallas called to select him, and his dream became a reality. Parsons has become one of the league's most versatile and best pass rushers. He has 52.5 sacks through only four seasons in the NFL and is on pace to be one of the Cowboys’ all-time great defenders.
2022- Tyler Smith, OG, Tulsa, A
The Cowboys had a big need after the 2021 season on the offensive line and made a controversial selection in left tackle Tyler Smith out of Tulsa. Smith was widely considered an extremely developmental offensive lineman with raw traits in need of refinement. The Cowboys moved his position across the interior of the offensive line where he has since become one of the top guards in the NFL. Smith is eligible for a contract extension and he is expected to be the highest-paid guard in the NFL after allowing only two sacks last season.
2023- Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan, D-
The Cowboys took Michigan's interior defensive lineman Mazi Smith with the 27th pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The rationale behind the selection was to add depth to a roster without a major need. The Cowboys hoped that Smith would become their starting defensive tackle on the defensive line right away. However, he has struggled immensely as a pass rusher in his first two seasons and has not been as elite of a run defender at the NFL level. The former Wolverine still has room to develop, but his lack of production gives this pick a D minus.
2024- Tyler Guyton, LT, Oklahoma, C
We knew Dallas would want to come away with one of the top offensive linemen in the draft last season after Tyron Smith signed a deal with the New York Jets in free agency. Tyler Guyton was the best true tackle prospect available at number 29 in the first round, and while Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten had a better rookie season, the Cowboys hope they can continue to develop Guyton into their franchise left tackle. The Oklahoma product showed good flashes of strong hands and athletic ability in 2024 but needs refinement in his game. It was also his first year playing left tackle after being on the right side in college.
