Cowboys 2021 NFL Draft grades: Dallas missed the mark too often

The Dallas Cowboys improved their defense in the 2021 NFL Draft but they bumbled their way through too many picks while making major reaches

At this same time last year, we were all signing the praises of the Dallas Cowboys. With Jerry Jones partying on a quarter-billion-dollar yacht, they seemed to hit on one pick after another while getting maximum value with every move.

That simply wasn’t the case in the 2021 NFL Draft.

This year, the Dallas brass seemed to be lost with many of their picks and teams were jumping ahead of them taking the players they seemed to target — as if they sent a photo of their draft board out for the world to see.

In the end, it led to far too many reaches which is evident in the grades that are being assigned here.

Round 1, Pick 12: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State

When first grading this pick on Thursday night I admit I was really harsh. Dallas took the best player on their board but the problem was they just used a day one pick on a linebacker a couple of seasons ago and it didn’t work out.

They also just paid a linebacker a lot of money and that also hasn’t worked out. So naturally, they decide to draft another linebacker with the No. 12 pick as they took Micah Parsons.

In the end, I decided to bump the grade up. They did the best they could here and Parsons is a good player. The fact that they whiffed in the past shouldn’t be an indictment of his ability. Still, the position itself isn’t worth what they paid.

Grade: B