FRISCO, TEXAS — After selecting a wide receiver in the first round of the Draft, the Cowboys shifted gears to the defensive side of the ball in rounds two and three on Friday.
Dallas selected Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs with the 51st pick in the second round. Diggs was projected to go in the first round and once again the Cowboys had a talented player of need still on the board at No.51.
Diggs primarily lined up as the left cornerback in Nick Saban’s press heavy scheme but he also covered inside receivers. He is rarely beat by receivers and has incredible ball skills. He played both offense and defense as a true freshman before Saban switched him from receiver to corner.
Given his prior experience on the opposite side of the ball, Diggs does not want to solely break up passes. He told the local Dallas media following his selection, “I want interceptions.” That is something he prides himself on. The Cowboys defense has struggled forcing turnovers and Diggs could be the missing piece to the puzzle. He had three interceptions in 2019 and has an innate ability to read and react to what offenses are trying to do. Dallas lost Byron Jones in free agency to the Dolphins and Diggs is certainly a viable replacement candidate. He will compete for the spot with his childhood favorite team.
He grew up a Dallas Cowboy fan because of his father. Trevon’s dad died of congestive heart failure in 2008 but that love and tradition will live on, as Diggs will now proudly wear a Star in his honor. He told the media, “ It is amazing this happened. I am living out his dream.”
Diggs was not the only one who wanted to end up in Dallas. In the third round, the Cowboys selected defensive tackle Neville Gallimore with the 82nd pick. Gallimore also grew up a Cowboys fan and has been training in Frisco next door to the Cowboys Headquarters. The versatile interior lineman is ready to get started.
Gallimore lined up everywhere from b-gap to b-gap in Oklahoma’s defensive line. He played as a nose guard, three-technique, and rushed from a five. He has explosive hands to knock blockers out of his way, vision to locate open running lanes, and is a solid penetrator from the interior. He described himself as a “Jack of all trades.”
I spoke with Mike McCarthy on his versatility and he remarked, “ The more you can do, the more opportunities you put yourself in position for. So, the fact that he can play multiple techniques is something you look for. At the end of the day, it’s about the rotation and you cannot ever forget it’s a long season. It will take all your players and especially up front so the ability to have versatility obviously pays well for us.”
