Cowboys Draft Ratings

The 2017 NFL Draft ended Sunday, and the Dallas Cowboys looked to have posted their second straight phenomenal draft. Some picks are better than others, but let's break it down:

Round 1 - A-
Taco Charlton DE Michigan
Charlton will be an instant upgrade an awful front seven in Dallas. Charlton is a pure pass rusher who can get to the quarterback quickly. Charlton reminds me of former Patriots DE and now Cardinals OLB Chandler Jones and could make a position switch to an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense if needed. Overall, solid pick by Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, and Charlton has much potential, but only time will tell if the Big D lands another Randy Gregory or uncovers the next Chandler Jones.

Round 2 - A
Chidobe Awuzie CB Colorado
Awuzie was widely acknowledged as a top pick in the 2nd round if he made it out of the bottom of the 1st. The Cowboys lost two starting corners in Brandon Carr (Baltimore) and Morris Claiborne (New York Jets) this offseason and Awuzie will fill their shoes nicely. Fantastic pick by the Jones family as Awuzie will blossom into a top tier NFL cornerback.

Round 3 - C+
Jourdan Lewis CB Michigan
This would be a solid pick if Lewis would not currently stand accused of domestic violence charges. That said, Jerry Jones praised the young man's on and off-field character which could ease the anxiety of some Cowboys fans. Greg Jackson, current Cowboys safeties coach, coached at Michigan while Lewis and 1st round pick Charlton played there and probably vouched for Lewis to the Jones family. The Cowboys really addressed the secondary in this draft, and if Lewis can keep clean off the field, he could be a great fit in Dallas.

Round 4 - A-
Ryan Switzer WR North Carolina
Switzer is a Julian Edelman/Cole Beasley type. A small, quick receiver with great hands who can make plays after the catch. Switzer could develop into one of the NFL's best receivers as time goes on. The Dallas receiving corps in only getting older, and Switzer is a great start to a new generation.

Round 6 - B+
Xavier Woods S Louisiana Tech
Woods will bring more depth to the safety spot of the Dallas defense. Could battle with Jeff Heath for the starting SS job come August.

Marquez White CB Florida State
As said before, the Cowboys desperately need cornerback help after losing both Carr and Claiborne. White will be able to contribute as a role player in the secondary much like Anthony Brown did last year.

Round 7 - B
Joey Ivie DT Florida
The reason why the Cowboys 7th round grade is so high is because of the amount of picks they had. While they lost their 5th rounder, the 'Boys did well to secure more picks in the later part of the draft. With the loss of Terrell McClain, the Cowboys will be forced to send the inconsistent Cedric Thornton into battle alongside Tyrone Crawford. If Ivie develops well, he might become a good rotational player for Dallas.

Noah Brown WR Ohio State
Ezekiel Elliott was a major factor for this selection as he encouraged the front office to pursue his former teammate. Brown looks to be a very good deep threat in the NFL and is an excellent blocker. However, his open-field skills could use some work as well as his ability to contribute in short to intermediate routes. He is very inexperienced (50 collegiate targets including 49 in 2016) and will need time to grow.

Jordan Carrell DE Colorado
The Cowboys nab their second Buffalo of the draft in Carrell who joins an already overcrowded defensive line rotation. However, while the rotation may be overcrowded, there is almost no above-average talent in the group which could work in Carrell's favor as he fights for a position on the roster.