Dallas Cowboys: Randy Gregory will shine in 2015

By Luis Tirado Jr. | May 19, 2015

The Dallas Cowboys are indeed a team to watch in 2015. With one of the best offensive lines in all of professional football, the Cowboys want to continue building upon their success of last season that saw them be NFC East champions at 12-4 and make a serious run in the NFL playoffs.

Of course, things didn’t end the way that they would have hoped but it left the Cowboys knowing they needed to address their pass rushing capabilities if they wanted to push the envelope next time around. That’s why they took a major chance and drafted defensive end Randy Gregory.

At 6’5″ and 235 pounds, Gregory knew that after news surfaced that he failed the drug test at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine, his draft stock would definitely plummet. Before the news hit however, he was considered one of the top pass rushers in this year’s draft and most likely a top ten pick. His stats prove that despite his dumb mistake, he has potential to be a top defensive end in the NFL.

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In just two years at Nebraska, Gregory made quite the name for himself by totaling 120 tackles, 17.5 sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles. The Cowboys knew that taking him is a pretty big risk but at the same time, if he can translate his collegiate success into the pros, he could bolster their pass rush tremendously.

Nov 27, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (90) and Dallas Cowboys middle linebacker Rolando McClain (55) in game action against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Philadelphia beat Dallas 33-10. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Considering that the Cowboys already have both Demarcus Lawrence and Jeremy Mincey as their starting defensive ends, they will most likely use him on specific defensive schemes to utilize his aggressive speed. Gregory should see plenty of time in a rotational situation with Mincey and could rack up a decent amount of sacks in his rookie season.

Since Greg Hardy will be suspended the first ten games of the regular season, it will give even more opportunities to Gregory to really prove his critics wrong. He was shocked that he dropped all the way to the second round but now will make the most out of his golden chance with the Cowboys.

With that kind of chip on his shoulder he could put on quite the performance every single time he steps foot on the football field. His explosive speed and ability to create sacks will definitely give defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli a true weapon in his pass rushing arsenal to deploy come next season.

Dec 27, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive end Randy Gregory (4) works against USC Trojans tight end Bryce Dixon (13) during the fourth quarter in the 2014 Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The sky is the limit for Gregory as one can only imagine what he can do on defense once he gets acclimated to life in the pros. He’ll most likely be eased in over time but has the potential to contribute in a key area when it comes down to defensive stops on 3rd down conversions, an area the Cowboys didn’t do too well in last season.

According to SportingCharts.com, the Cowboys ranked 27th in the NFL when it came to stopping third- down conversations. Successful only 43.6 percent of the time, the Cowboys are hoping that Gregory can step right in and effect this key area by stopping opponents dead in their tracks when trying to convert.

Overall, while the jury is still out on what Gregory will ultimately accomplish in his tenure with the Cowboys, he will surely help them out immediately upon arrival. With a tremendous upside and a knack at getting to the quarterback, the Cowboys will continue to be the team to beat in the NFC East while being a playoff-contending team once again in 2015.

Next: Dallas Cowboys: 5 under-the-radar players to watch in 2015

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