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The Dallas Cowboys are focused on winning their Wild Card game against the San Francisco 49ers, but there are individual honors being handed out. Three of their players have now been named to the prestigious Associated Press All-Pro team, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News as well as others.
Cowboys LB Micah Parsons, CB Trevon Diggs and RG Zack Martin are first-team All-Pro selections. Parsons joins Lawrence Taylor, Patrick Willis and Darius Leonard as the only rookie linebackers to be named first-team All-Pro since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger. https://t.co/jLpYHaZJ7s
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) January 14, 2022
As noted, this is a major accomplishment for Micah Parsons. He has taken the NFL by storm as a rookie. Various media outlets have already named him Defensive Rookie of the Year, and some still mention him as worthy of Defensive Player of the Year. He was named to the team as a linebacker, but his selection was heavily influenced by the incredible versatility he showed, shining as a pass rusher as well.
⭐️ 88.5 PFF Grade (1st among LBs)
— PFF (@PFF) January 13, 2022
⭐️ 93.0 pass-rush grade (1st in NFL)@MicahhParsons11: PFF’s Defensive Rookie of the Year pic.twitter.com/cizqMk0Zf3
Cornerback Trevon Diggs made All-Pro because he leads the league in interceptions with eleven, three more than the player with the second most, J.C. Jackson of the New England Patriots. While making the team as a rookie was a major accomplishment for Parsons, being selected in just his second year is also a significant recognition for Diggs. Further, having two young defensive players on the team is a true sea change for the Cowboys after several years of mediocre (at best) performance on that side of the ball. It offers a bright outlook for the defense going forward.
Joining them is offensive guard Zack Martin, who has become an old hand at this. This is his seventh time to be named, and fifth time as a first-teamer. He is a lock for the Hall of Fame and has been the best offensive lineman in Dallas for years.
The Cowboys also had a second-team selection in punter Bryan Anger. He has been a true asset for the team, booming punts and landing many inside the opponents’ twenty yard line.
Not only did three first teamers make the grade for the Cowboys, all were leading vote getters at their respective position.
Cowboys players who received an All-Pro vote (of possible 50 count)
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) January 14, 2022
LB Micah Parsons: 46*
RG Zack Martin: 46*
CB Trevon Diggs: 33*
P Bryan Anger: 18+
LT Tyron Smith: 1
*Most at position; first-team All-Pro
+Second at position; second-team All-Pro
Congratulations to all four of the players who now have some new hardware to display. They fully deserve this for their contributions in getting the team to the third seed in the playoffs. Basking in the glow of the awards will have to wait, however. They have bigger goals still to pursue.
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