I was really impressed by Neville Gallimore's quick first-step and nonstop motor in the plays I have seen. What do you think his potential can be, and which current NFL player would you compare him to? — H. MELVIN / OCEAN CITY, NJ
Nick: Ok right now, and maybe this isn't fair to anyone, but I compare him to Trysten Hill. And that's not a knock on anyone, but I remember Hill showing a great first-step and a motor that was just relentless. For a guy that size, he's not supposed to move that fast. Ironically enough, I've heard the same statement made about Gallimore. Now, he's supposed to be a better player than Hill, but he actually got picked lower. I know that's not the answer people want to hear, but right now, that's who I will compare him to. Let's see if he's much better. I do think both Gallimore and Hill will benefit from learning behind pros such as Dontari Poe and Gerald McCoy.
David: I tend to assign a similar potential to most draft picks. If you were drafted in the Top 100, the hope and expectation is that you'll grow into a multi-year starter, with a chance of becoming a Pro Bowler. Obviously, the expectations rise with each round. I'm hoping Neville can contribute right away as a rookie behind the two veteran starters, with a chance of being a starter in his own right down the line. I've seen a lot of analysts compare him to Javon Hargrave, which is exciting. That's obviously a very flattering comparison, but Hargrave is a really quality nose tackle with a penchant for pressuring the quarterback – and that's exactly what I hope Gallimore can be.
With uncertainty around the college football season due to COVID-19, could teams (Cowboys included) be more open to trading 2021 draft picks for established players? It seems like evaluating players for the 2021 draft may be very difficult and the safer approach could be to add established players. — JEFF GALLO / BROOMFIELD, CO
Nick: That's an interesting question and concept. My gut tells me "no" and that teams are still confident about their evaluations and the process that they can make educated decisions regardless if there is a season or not. It doesn't make sense for a team to just drop a lot of their picks for vets because they THINK something strange is going to happen. All I know is that Sam Bradford missed most of his final season at OU and still went No. 1 overall. So teams aren't going to just give in because they didn't watch a final season of tape.
David: That'd probably depend on the cost of the established player. The real value of a draft pick is that it gives you the opportunity to find quality production at a fraction of the price. So not only are you trading away a pick, you're trading away the cheap salary that comes with it. Now think about the fact that the Cowboys are paying an absurd premium for their franchise tagged quarterback, and combine that with the uncertainty surrounding the salary cap. It's hard to imagine the Cowboys trading for an overly pricey player in this current situation. I think it's much more likely that the front office puts its faith in the scouting department to make the best of bad circumstances and find them some good players, regardless of what this college season looks like.
