Winners and Losers: How the 2021 draft impacted key Cowboys veterans

The impact of a draft class is not often instantly realized. While draft grades are all the rage following the three-day event, they don’t necessarily reflect what’s about to transpire during the coming offseason work and future training camp. No, just because the Dallas Cowboys’ fifth-round flyer received an A grade doesn’t mean that he’s penciled into the starting lineup.

Still, the acquisitions do have impact. At worst they mean new blood has been injected into a position group, but there are 90 players on an offseason roster to begin with. At best, there is true competition and veterans who are either on the last year’s of their contract or on deals where they can be deemed expendable have been put on notice. Sometimes though, the team doesn’t address an issue that the media and fans wondered if they would attack. In those instances, a player (and his representative) are likely breathing a sigh of relief.

Here’s a look at who we deemed the early winners and losers, from a veteran perspective, of the Cowboys 2021 draft haul.

Winner: Donovan Wilson

(AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Not only did the young, starting strong safety not hear, "With the xx pick, the Dallas Cowboys select safety..." a single time during the draft, but he got relatively good news during the post-draft press conferences. If there was any confusion before (there shouldn't have been, Cowboys Wire has been adamant about the reports prior to this weekend), free agent signing Keanu Neal is going to be a linebacker for the Cowboys, not a strong safety. Then the Cowboys went and didn't draft a true safety. Now, Stephen Jones did say that 6-foot-4 sixth-round pick Israel Mukuamu would be transitioning to safety. Wilson was a sixth-round pick, so he knows the road ahead of Mukuamu, not to mention he's going to have to transition to the position. At least for now, Wilson seems safely etched in as the starting strong safety for the Cowboys.

Loser Jaylon Smith

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

While the Cowboys refused to use the selection of Micah Parsons and Jabril Cox as cover for declining the fifth-year option on Leighton Vander Esch, the selections clearly impact the position. As was written during the draft, it's a notice being sent to both of the Cowboys' linebackers, mostly Jaylon Smith though. Smith's contract is seen as an albatross after receiving an extension in 2019. There's a lot of savings, potentially over $9 million if he's released next season as a June 1 cut. He's safe for now but the writing is on the wall.

Winner: Connor Williams and Connor McGovern

(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

No Rashawn Slater. The Cowboys had the perfect opportunity to find their left tackle of the future and a for-now elite guard at both No. 10 and No. 12 in taking the Northwestern standout. They chose to go a different direction with Micah Parsons. Dallas didn't draft a guard until their 11th pick, in the 230s. Although Matt Farniok looks like a capable player who could start one day, the training camp battle will assuredly be between the two Connors.

Winner Michael Gallup

(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

The Cowboys didn't do the dumb thing and trade Gallup for a pick just because he's going to be a free agent in 2022. They also waited until Day 3 to select a wide receiver and while Simi Fehoko is intriguing for his height and speed, Gallup has no worries about losing his snap share. This means that his stats should still be astronomical when he gets to pursue his bag.

Loser Bradlee Anae

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Anae has a motor that won't quit, but that wasn't enough to get him on the field for Mike Nolan as a rookie. Now, there's a new regime who brought in their own guys in a deep defensive draft and Anae's job in proving his worth to them got even more difficult after not having any pro film for them to be intrigued by. This is the life for Day 3 picks who don't get the chance to shine despite a lost season. Anae's lack of athleticism was the reason he fell in the 2020 draft despite his elite stats. Will he be able to move up the depth chart despite FA additions like Brent Urban, Tarell Basham and Carlos Watkins and draft picks Osa Odighizuwa and Chauncey Golston? That's a tough ask.

Loser Anthony Brown

(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

Brown was penciled in as the starter opposite Trevon Diggs, but even he had to know that was tenuous. Dallas drafted Kelvin Joseph of Kentucky in Round 2 and he has top-15 talent with a red flag for being perceived as difficult to coach despite his immense skill set. He'll likely get every chance to start sooner rather than later. Dallas also grabbed a third-round surprise in 6-foot-4 Nahshon Wright of Oregon State. After inking Jourdan Lewis to a three-year deal, and with his contract set up to offer immediate cap relief if released, Brown will have to convince the new staff during training camp why he should remain in the fold. Even if he does, 2022 seems like an easy decision for Dallas unless he does something radically different than his first five seasons.

Loser Trysten Hill

(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

For the fifth straight year Hill is under a different regime and scheme, a death sentence for a young player who was raw to begin with. After Scott Frost, he didn't get along with Josh Huepel and was benched at UCF. Rod Marinelli fell in love with him in the 2019 draft and was then axed along with most of Jason Garrett's staff. Mike Nolan lasted just one season, in which Hill tore his ACL and now Dan Quinn is in. Odighizuwa was the latest thorn in the side of a player who still has yet to consistently look good, but showed a pulse last season.

1

1