FRISCO, TX – The Dallas Cowboys made their final selection on Saturday afternoon and that was a wrap on the 2022 NFL Draft for the Cowboys. Take a look at the selections below and our recap of the picks.
Dallas Cowboys 2022 Draft Picks:
Round 1 : Pick 24 – Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa
Round 2 : Pick 56 – Sam Williams, EDGE, Ole Miss
Round 3 : Pick 88 – Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
Round 4 : Pick 129 – Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin
Round 5 : Pick 155 – Matt Waletzko, OT, North Dakota
Round 5 : Pick 167 – DaRon Bland, CB, Fresno State
Round 5 : Pick 176 – Damone Clark, LB, LSU
Round 5 : Pick 178 – John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas
Round 6 : Pick 193 – Devin Harper, LB, Oklahoma State
Before the draft there were five areas that the Dallas Cowboys really needed to work on and improve before the 2022 season. Whether that be get a whole new player to start a particular position or simply grab some more players to create depth to that particular position. The five areas were: Offensive Lineman at left guard, Wide Receiver, Linebacker, Tight End, and EDGE rusher. I think we can say that all of those questions were answered and filled with the selections that the Cowboys made.
Left guard:
The most obvious hole that the Cowboys had in the beginning of the draft was at left guard. Losing Connor Williams in free agency to Miami left nobody that was capable enough to fill that position. Last year Williams did not work in Dallas’s favor and it was a position that needed rebuilding in the off year.
Dallas answered that taking Tyler Smith, the OT out of Tulsa. He was the best fitted player and the most important, which is why the Cowboys took him in the first round at pick 24. Smith played left tackle at Tulsa but moving him to left guard will allow Dallas to feature his down hill power in the rush attack while reducing exposure in the pass protection giving Dak Prescott more time in the pocket.
Smith’s wide body stance makes him very powerful at the point of attack which will open up running lanes for Elliott and Pollard.
Wide Receiver:
Wide receiver was another position that they needed more depth in. Yes, we have Ceedee Lamb and Michael Gallup but with Gallup recovering from a torn ACL and his return date yet to be set the Cowboys needed to grab another receiver that can play in that position in the future.
Dallas’s third round pick at no. 88 was a perfect opportunity to fix that depth issue. Dallas drafted wide receiver Jalen Tolbert out of South Alabama. Tolbert ranked sixth in FBS with 1,474 receiving yards. He also set a school record with 178 receptions and 3,140 receiving yards.
Linebacker:
This was another position that Dallas needed depth in. With Micah Parson technically at linebacker but taking some reps on the defensive line and Vander Esch back on a one year deal we needed someone that can come in and add depth to that duo.
Taking Damone Clark out of LSU at the linebacker position at 176 in the fifth round made sense for Dallas. No, he probably won’t play right away due to his spinal surgery that he is getting soon but Dallas doesn’t need him necessarily right away. Getting another LB was on the Cowboy’s agenda before the draft and it was something everyone agreed we needed. Also grabbing Devin Harper in round six for Dallas’s last pick will also add depth to their roster.
Tight End:
Currently the only Tight end that the Cowboy’s had was Dalton Schultz, and he is currently only on a one year deal. Dallas had almost no one at that position that could play up to the caliber that they wanted so they needed someone that could fill that role for a long time.
Jake Ferguson will fill that role and that’s why the Cowboy’s grabbed him at pick 129 in the fourth round. Ferguson will be a force at tight end and something that Dallas separately needed.
Edge:
With the loss of Randy Gregory the Cowboy’s needed some more pass rusher on the roster and that was their second grab with Sam Williams at pick 56 in the second round. Williams stats were very eye opening in 2021. He was one of the most productive pass rushers in college football in 2021. He made 12.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 8 quarterback hurries, 4 forced fumbles and a touchdown to lead the Rebels defense. Williams will be a good add on to this team. His super speed and ability to explode off the edge will really give Cowboy’s defense a good push.
