Cowboys Draft Poll Results: How did the Cowboys do in this BTB community draft?

For the last several weeks, we’ve left the draft decisions up to our BTB community as we’ve provided short scouting reports for prospects and you all made the picks. Now, it’s time to post those results and see exactly who went where with the Cowboys 10 draft picks. Of course, to keep this easy, we refrained from any trades, just went fishing for talent. Without further delay, here’s how you all voted at each pick:

BTB’s poll results for the first six rounds:

DT Vita Vea at pick 19 with 44% of the vote

WR Courtland Sutton at pick 50 with 27% of the vote

G Braden Smith at pick 81 with 39% of the vote

LB Fred Warner at pick 116 with 66% of the vote

FS Tarvarious Moore at pick 137 with 52% of the vote

LB Jack Cichy at pick 171 with 44% of the vote

DE Hercules Mata’afa at pick 192 with 44% of the vote

DT Poona Ford at pick 193 with 51% of the vote

RB Ito Smith at pick 208 with 63% of the vote

WR Antonio Callaway at pick 236 with 44% of the vote

There you have it, all ten picks as spoken by the BTB community. Now, let’s get a little analysis of these picks among other thoughts on this team effort draft here:

Biggest Takeaway:

BTB doubled down on three positions of need for the Cowboys. Two wide receivers, two defensive tackles, and two linebackers made up six of the 10 picks. We’ve discussed the possibility of doubling up at certain positions but you all fortified three positions of need with a solid mix of depth and even starting potential. Kudos to that strategy, that’s quality drafting.

Most Valuable Pick:

Fred Warner at pick 116. BTB was able to snag Dane Brugler and NFLDraftScout.com‘s 60th rated player 56 picks after his current spot. To be fair, Warner has risen significantly in the last few weeks, he was ranked 115th at the time he won the poll. Still, if we’re just looking at the facts of this series, that would be one extremely valuable selection. Tarvarious Moore came in a close second falling 42 spots off his current ranking.

Most Questionable Pick:

WR Courtland Sutton at 50. The overall value is nice here as he fell 19 spots from his current ranking. However, is Sutton the right type of receiver for the Cowboys right now? He does have perhaps the best upside to eventually be a WR1 but he’s extremely raw. It’s not certain how early he’s going to be able to make a huge impact though he would be counted on at 50 to contribute right away. Sutton is a receiver in the mold of what Dallas lost with Dez Bryant but there are more ready-made receivers available in the second round that fit better with a quarterback like Dak Prescott.

Highest Upside Pick:

G Braden Smith at 81. The Cowboys have to get their left guard situation sorted out and Smith is a quality candidate for the gig. He’s definitely built in the mold of a mauler-type guard that has extreme power and great leg drive on his blocks. He has some concerns but all of them are easily fixable with improved technique. He’s just scraping that surface of his potential but he can compete for that starting job right away. LB Jack Cichy could also qualify but he’s got an extensive injury history and may need a redshirt year.

Pet Cat Pick:

DT Poona Ford at 193. Not only do we approve of the community doubling down at defensive tackle but the quality of these selections were good as well. Poona Ford wasn’t invited to the Combine because he’s a bit undersized but watch some Texas tape and he’ll show up in bunches. He’s a poor man’s Aaron Donald at times with his ability to relentlessly penetrate the pocket and harass the quarterback.

Worst Team Fit:

DE Hercules Mata’afa at 192. Sure, he was very productive for Washington State but where do you play an extremely undersized guy who played exclusively at defensive tackle? He doesn’t have the instincts and take on ability to play linebacker. At best, he’s a situational pass rusher that needs a creative scheme, is that really a fit in Dallas?

Mr. Off The Field:

WR Antonio Callaway at 236. On talent alone, Callaway is a day two pick hands down but he was suspended for credit card fraud, and suffered drug and domestic violence accusations, and eventually dismissed from Florida’s program. He played two years for the Gators and was awfully good. He’s fast but he also plays with great agility in a similar way to Tyreek Hill. Let’s just hope he’s put all his past transgressions behind him.

All in all, this wouldn’t be a bad draft though there are a few things folks could pick at. It’s not likely that the Cowboys walk away with 10 players picked. With that said, the BTB community did a commendable job at plugging the holes and filling out the depth chart in these exercises.