Ranking the Dallas Cowboys’ best players under 25 years old in 2020.
When you think about the Dallas Cowboys, for the most part, the strength of their roster coming into the 2020 season is in their young players. Guys such as Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott, both of whom entered the league in 2016, are focal points of the offense while Amari Cooper is still in his mid-20s as well. On defense, there are players such as Jaylon Smith, Xavier Woods and DeMarcus Lawrence as well who are under 30 years old.
But while those players are still young in terms of their NFL careers, meaning they have plenty of life remaining in the league and with the Cowboys, they aren’t fresh in the league anymore. All of those players are either over 25 years old or will be at that threshold when the 2020 season kicks off on Sept. 10.
So let’s take a look at the young players on the Dallas Cowboys roster who are set to be the next crop of stars in the league as they mature as professionals. These are the team’s five best players under 25 years old entering the 2020 season.
5. Trevon Diggs, CB
When it comes to NFL rookies, it’s always a bit unsettling putting them on a list of this nature. After all, they’ve not played a snap outside of the college level yet, so no matter what you think about them as a prospect, the potential for them to flop in the professional ranks is ever-present.
Despite that fact, I’m slotting 2020 second-round pick Trevon Diggs into the mix at the No. 5 spot here because I believe he’s going to emerge as a playmaker in Mike Nolan’s defense right away. The Cowboys took the 6-2 cornerback out of Alabama, and the younger brother of Stefon Diggs, and have big plans for him right away.
Diggs should step largely into the hole left by the departure of Byron Jones as the outside corner tasked with using his length and press-man ability to lock down opposing wide receivers. While he may have growing pains, as many rookies do, Diggs should thrive more than he flounders in his rookie season.
4. Leighton Vander Esch, LB
The Dallas Cowboys’ first-round pick in 2018, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch wasted little time making a big impact on the defense in his first season with the team. He was a versatile threat at the position who moved all over the field well, finishing the year with 140 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions and seven passes defended en route to a Pro Bowl selection.
Unfortunately, Vander Esch’s second season in Dallas was less inspiring. He was limited to only nine games due to a neck injury and, while he still racked up 72 tackles, health was an obvious issue for him throughout the year.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
Now coming into his third NFL season, the Cowboys hope and believe the linebacker is healthy and should be able to recapture his previous form. His health is the only reason he’s No. 4 on this list, though as, if he’s on the field, he can be a big-time presence for this defense.
3. Tony Pollard, RB
Having a backup running back at No. 3 on a list of the best players under 25 years old speaks to the embarrassment of riches that the Dallas Cowboys have on offense. Of course, it also speaks to the talent that Tony Pollard possesses.
A 2019 fourth-round pick out of Memphis, Pollard played spot duty behind Ezekiel Elliott as a rookie but flashed every time he got an opportunity. He finished the season with 86 carries for 455 yards and two touchdowns along with 15 receptions for 107 yards and a score. That includes two 100-yard outings in Weeks 3 and 13.
With the arrival of new head coach Mike McCarthy, the offense should take a step forward, which should mean a bigger role for Pollard simply to get the dynamic playmaker more touches. The 2020 season could be a big year for the young running back.
2. CeeDee Lamb, WR
Take what I said earlier about rookies and throw it out the window, at least in the case of CeeDee Lamb. In the simplest terms, I would be willing to be the farm that the Cowboys’ first-round pick from this year’s draft class is going to be an absolute problem for opposing defenses right out of the gate in his NFL career.
At Oklahoma, Lamb totaled 173 catches for 3,292 yards and 32 touchdowns over his three years with the Sooners. He may not be the fastest guy in the league but he has incredible route-running and awareness that both get him open and make him a nightmare to bring down after the catch.
Lamb is undoubtedly joining a talented receiving corps and will be the third option but, even with that, he could still put up big numbers as a rookie. McCarthy should open up the passing offense for Dak Prescott and the rookie wide receiver is going to benefit from the attention paid to Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, demanding attention in his own right.
1. Michael Gallup, WR
Speaking of Michael Gallup, the No. 2 wide receiver on the Dallas Cowboys comes in as the team’s best player under 25 years old on the 2020 roster and for good reason. In addition to having the perfect last name for a wide receiver, he’s also emerged as a mid-round draft steal in this offense.
Gallup was a third-round pick out of Colorado State in the 2018 draft and made some noise right away, catching 33 balls for 507 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. He exploded last season, though, as the young wideout notched 66 receptions for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games.
If there’s one area where Gallup needs to improve, it’s with his catch rate as he was under 60 percent last season. However, as a downfield threat, that’s still not terrible. Regardless, his ability to stretch the field and make plays makes him an unbelievably valuable commodity and a player who should crack the 1,000-yard mark again in 2020.