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Most people seem to agree that the Dallas Cowboys had one of the better draft classes throughout the entire NFL. The Cowboys brain-trust managed to achieve enormous value with almost all of their picks which was extremely impressive. They were also generally at positions of need which suggests that the players Dallas drafted will have a sizable impact in the immediate future.
How many of the Cowboys’ picks will be starters, though? Sometimes the term starter is a bit subjective as an offense can technically start in say 13 personnel but play a majority of their snaps out of 11. In this hypothetical different players would be categorized as starters, you get the picture.
PFF’s list of projected starters includes three Cowboys draft picks
This is the time of year for outlets to get their projected starting lineups out and determining who will see the field first for the 2020 Dallas Cowboys is an interesting exercise to say the least.
NFL.com made an interesting prediction as they have a Connor at left guard for the Cowboys, although it is McGovern and not Williams. PFF released their projected starters and while they have Williams in at left guard they made the leap to put three Cowboys rookies out there.
2020 Projected Cowboys Starters
Position | NFL.com | PFF |
---|---|---|
Position | NFL.com | PFF |
QB | Dak Prescott | Dak Prescott |
RB | Ezekiel Elliott | Ezekiel Elliott |
WR | Amari Cooper | Amari Cooper |
WR | Michael Gallup | Michael Gallup |
WR | CeeDee Lamb | CeeDee Lamb |
TE | Blake Jarwin | Blake Jarwin |
LT | Tyron Smith | Tyron Smith |
LG | Connor McGovern | Connor Williams |
C | Joe Looney | Tyler Biadasz |
RG | Zack Martin | Zack Martin |
RT | La'el Collins | La'el Clllins |
DE | DeMarcus Lawrence | DeMarcus Lawrence |
DT | Gerald McCoy | Gerald McCoy |
DT | Dontari Poe | Dontari Poe |
DE | Tyrone Crawford | Randy Gregory |
OLB | Leighton Vander Esch | Leighton Vander Esch |
ILB | Jaylon Smith | Jaylon Smith |
CB | Chidobe Awuzie | Chidobe Awuzie |
CB | Trevon Diggs | Trevon Diggs |
CB | Anthon Brown | Jourdan Lewis |
S | Xavier Woods | Xavier Woods |
S | Ha Ha Clinton-Dix | Ha Ha Clinton-Dix |
There are a few notable things about PFF’s list. Offensively they have Connor Williams keeping his left guard spot over Connor McGovern, but they do believe in some young talent as they have fourth-round rookie Tyler Biadasz penciled in at center.
Dallas obviously really liked Biadasz as they traded up to get him. There would be some insane poetry, as many have noted, for the Cowboys to go from one Wisconsin center to another in Travis Frederick to Tyler Biadasz. There is a lot that remains to be seen for that to fully materialize, though.
PFF also has Randy Gregory starting at defensive end
For the most part the NFL.com projection is fairly conservative. Tyrone Crawford is the team’s defensive end opposite of DeMarcus Lawrence and re-signed Anthony Brown is at the third cornerback spot. Going McGovern over Williams is their lone leap of faith.
PFF is a bit more brave here as evidenced by the Biadasz note. On defense, they too have Trevon Diggs starting as a rookie but they also have Randy Gregory in over Tyrone Crawford. Obviously Gregory would have to first be made eligible by Commissioner Roger Goodell to even play for the Cowboys, let alone start, but if that comes to pass it is certainly conceivable that he could see legitimate snaps.
The PFF projection likely appeases plenty of Cowboys fans on the back end too as they have Jourdan Lewis in over Anthony Brown. There is no shortage of Lewis truthers so seeing him promoted to starting duties would likely please many people. For what it’s worth, both of these projections have Chidobe Awuzie listed as a starter at cornerback despite some chatter that he could be moving to safety.