Grading the 2019 NFL Draft: NFC East
By Bryan Perez
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys finished the 2019 NFL draft with eight picks, all coming outside of the first round. Their draft class got started at No. 58 overall and the selection of UCF defensive lineman, Trysten Hill. Dallas had been connected to Hill for weeks leading up to the draft and it’s no surprise they took him in the second round.
Hill has some really, really good tape but also some questions off the field. He was a rotational player for UCF in 2018 and for a player as gifted as he is, the fact he wasn’t an every-week starter raised eyebrows. Still, assuming his off-field issues are nothing that will haunt him moving forward, his ability to disrupt and penetrate opposing backfields will be a huge asset for Dallas in 2019 and beyond.
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Dallas addressed the offensive line in the third round with Penn State’s Connor McGovern, a versatile interior prospect who can play both center and guard. He doesn’t project as a sure-fire starter in the NFL, but for a team in need of more reliable play from its interior linemen, McGovern is solid insurance.
The Cowboys added depth at running back, too, with the selections of Tony Pollard (Memphis) and Mike Weber (Ohio State). Neither player projects as an NFL starter but should combine to form a nice duo to relieve Ezekiel Elliott from time to time.
The rest of Dallas’ draft class includes Michael Jackson (CB, Miami), Joe Jackson (DE, Miami), Donovan Wilson (Saf, Texas A&M), and Jalen Jelks (Edge, Oregon).