A day after dynamic wideout CeeDee Lamb fell into their lap at pick 17, the Cowboys shifted their attention to defense in the second and third rounds. The DallasCowboys.com staff weighs in on the club's most recent picks: cornerback Trevon Diggs (No. 51 overall) and defensive tackle Neville Gallimore (No. 82):
Nick Eatman: I know it's easy to live in the moment – but I seriously don't remember a draft where the Cowboys have landed this much "value" in the first three rounds of the draft. And let's be honest – this is the Cowboys' version of value. Just because the Cowboys have rated these players so high, doesn't mean they're going to be great. But, you'd think the coaches and scouts know what type of players they are looking for, and so far, they're getting them. CeeDee Lamb was the sixth-best player on their overall board and they got him at 17. Heading into Friday, I was told the Cowboys had around 22 players with second-round grades and they landed two of their top five with Diggs and Gallimore. Diggs will step right in and play – either outside or in the slot. Gallimore will learn from two of the best in Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe and could be a really good addition to a line that has certainly gotten bigger. Obviously, time will tell on all draft picks but you can't help but like what we've seen so far.
Rob Phillips: I really like the Diggs pick at 51. A little like Lamb, I expected him to go off the board much sooner, perhaps as early as the first 35 picks. Watching him play at Alabama, you can see his past receiver experience serves him well at corner. He's got excellent ball skills and a knack for high-pointing the football with his long arms. He's got the tools to be a physical press corner against bigger NFL receivers, and coming from a Nick Saban-led program, you know he's got the right approach. I also liked how the Cowboys addressed the front seven in Round 3. A lot of people might have expected an edge rusher, but Gallimore also presented excellent value to them, as Nick said. He continues a recent trend of adding larger space-eating defensive linemen, but he's very athletic for his size. He'll have a chance to earn his way into a rotation spot at the three technique.
David Helman: It's amazing the way a couple dozen picks can change your opinion about a player. I didn't love the idea of drafting Trevon Diggs in the first round, because I didn't like his technique or his consistency. But at pick No. 51? What a bargain. Midway through the second round, you find a 6'1, 205-pound athletic freak who started two seasons in the SEC. That's not to say he's a perfect prospect, but you don't typically see guys like Diggs fall to 51. He's talented enough to push for a starting spot. But even if he starts out on the bench, it gives the Cowboys a highly talented developmental option for the future. I feel a lot better about the cornerback position than I did Friday morning.
Mickey Spagnola: We knew going into Day 2 of the NFL Draft the Cowboys' priorities would be cornerback, defensive end, safety and then just a good football player, the position within reason. Well, by time they got on the clock with the 19th pick in the second round, a total of nine safeties, defensive ends, defensive tackles and cornerbacks already were off the board. So guessing the Cowboys should be quite thankful that with the 51st pick in the draft a quality corner like Alabama's Trevon Diggs still was available. Liked the fact in Gil Brandt's Top 50, Diggs was ranked the 27th best player, Gil saying, "He's a good bet to start in 2020." Should create good competition and at least depth at corner with Chidobe Awuzie, Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis. Plus the former wide receiver has return ability, too. And in the third, Oklahoma defensive tackle Neville Gallimore will provide another big body in the middle of the defense, and his motor should make sure there is no loafing up front.
