The Dallas Cowboys just had themselves a polarizing draft. After a couple of years of taking the best player available as often as possible, a new draft strategy appeared to be in play last week at the 2023 draft. The Cowboys passed on edge rusher Nolan Smith in the first round to help address their biggest need: stopping the run. The 2023 draft wasn't as exciting as the ones Dallas put together in recent years, but it was productive, to say the least. These are the grades the Cowboys earned for each of their picks in this year's draft.
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Dallas Cowboys 2023 NFL Draft Grades
Round 1, Pick 26 – DT Mazi Smith (Georgia)
Grade – B
The Cowboys' headliner in the 2023 draft is a player meant to help the team right away. It has been a long time since the Cowboys prioritized a big, run-stuffing defensive tackle in the first round of the draft. The last time the Cowboys drafted a defensive tackle in the first round was in 1991 when Russell Maryland came to Dallas as the first overall pick. Especially after the Philadelphia Eagles traded up to get Nolan Smith with the very next pick, the careers of Nolan and Mazi will forever be tied together. Nolan is a fantastic player that the Cowboys could have used, and now he will be a factor against them twice a season for years to come. That shouldn't sour Cowboys fans on the player they did get though.
Mazi's strength and power in the trenches is elite. Shortly after the Cowboys drafted Smith, a clip of him in the Michigan weight room putting his rotational strength on display went viral. The Cowboys believe that strength will help solve the run-stopping problems that plagued the defense and neutralized an otherwise potent pass rush a season ago. Speaking of pass rush, Smith has potential to blossom as a pass-rusher in the NFL as well. A look at his college tape reveals he's capable of generating more interior pressure than his sack numbers might indicate.
Smith wasn't a sexy first-round pick, but he was a good one. It's hard to fault a front office for identifying one of the roster's biggest weaknesses and taking the best player still available at that position with their first round pick. Missing out on some other talent might sting for now, but Smith has a chance to help the Cowboys' defensive line blossom into one of the best in the league across the board, not just on the edges.
Round 2, Pick 58 – TE Luke Schoonmaker (Michigan)
Grade – B+
Michigan tight end Luke Schoonmaker might prove to be the Cowboys' best value pick in the 2023 draft. The Cowboys had a chance to snag one of the draft's top tight ends in Michael Mayer in the first round, but opted to wait and take advantage of a general slide at the position in round two. Just like Mazi Smith, Schoonmaker is a plug-and-play addition to the Cowboys roster. Georgia tight end Darnell Washington was the high-ceiling play at tight end, and the Cowboys could have had him too, but Schoonmaker is better suited to help Dallas win now.
Schoonmaker has a great upfield burst. With a 4.63 40-yard dash and a 1.59 10-yard split, the Michigan product has plenty of giddy-up packed into his 6'5″ 251-pound frame. Those measurables alone project Schoonmaker to be a credible downfield threat. Add to the equation good run-blocking, and the Cowboys have landed a tight end that can help Mike McCarthy's offense in more ways than one. Schoonmaker's addition to the Cowboys tight end room gives McCarthy a stable of tight ends to run all kinds of sets with.
Round 3, Pick 90 – LB DeMarvion Overshown (Texas)
Grade – B-
The end of the third round felt like the right spot for Overshown before the draft started, but it was mildly surprising to see him taken with Tulane's Dorian Williams still on the board. Nevertheless, the Cowboys' selection of Overshown was their second commitment to stopping the run in the first three rounds of the draft, which is a good thing.
If there's one thing Overshown flashed in college, it was his motor. The converted safety still has a lot of work to do, but his upside as a pass-rusher and his physical tools make him a good choice to sit behind Leighton Vander Esch and learn from Dan Quinn for a year or two.
Round 4, Pick 129 – DE Villiami Fehoko Jr. (San Jose State)
Grade – B
The cousin of Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea, Villiami Fehoko Jr. will likely be asked to play the same position instead of defensive end, where he spent most of his college snaps. If Smith was the Cowboys' commitment to stopping the run at defensive tackle, Fehoko is their commitment to getting after the quarterback from the same position. Fehoko posted 44 tackles for loss and 22 sacks over his last three college seasons. The Cowboys will have him put on some weight and enter the defensive line rotation on the interior to see if he can make some noise at the NFL level.
Round 5, Pick 169 – OL Asim Richards (North Carolina)
Grade – B
The fifth round is a lot later than some would have liked the Cowboys to pick up an offensive lineman in this draft. The Cowboys are poised to undergo some stark changes over the next few years as Tyron Smith's career draws to a close. Although taken late, Richards is a player that has the size and versatility to help the Cowboys fill more than one position. In Richards, the Cowboys gained depth and options on the offensive line. They just might have waited too long to take an offensive lineman.
Round 6, Pick 178 – CB Eric Scott Jr. (Southern Mississippi)
Grade – B+
This pick has Dan Quinn written all over him. Eric Scott Jr. is a tall, gangly athlete with an explosive 39.5-inch vertical leap and 11'1″ broad jump. Quinn has shown he can take those tools and turn them into a very productive player. Wait and see on Scott. He's a player that could be something special if Quinn can show him the way.
Round 6, Pick 212 – RB Deuce Vaughn (Kansas State)
Grade – C+
Here's the feel-good story of the draft. Everybody shed a tear watching Dallas Cowboys scout Chris Vaughn call his son from the Dallas war room, but some Cowboys fans might have gotten emotional as soon as Dallas drafted a 5'6″ running back. Size be damned, Vaughn was unbelievably productive at Kansas State. As a pass-catcher out of the Tony Pollard-dominated backfield, Vaughn could be a bigger part of the offense than some might think.
Round 7, Pick 244 – WR Jalen Brooks (South Carolina)
Grade – C-
Jalen Brooks' unimpressive 4.69 40-yard dash at the combine was reportedly a result of a lingering leg injury, so reserve judgement on his athleticism for the time being. Brooks is tall, strong, and flashed good ball skills during his time at wide receiver. It's not a bad pick for the seventh round, but it would have been nice to see the Cowboys pick up another wideout for Dak Prescott before their final pick of the draft.
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