Cowboys 2023 Draft: Underwhelming at best

Dallas had a chance to make a difference last spring and the draft side whiffed.

Several Dallas Cowboys topics are currently brewing, and we'll continue to stay on top of them. However, this presents a great opportunity to delve into a year-end evaluation of the 2023 rookie class.

Many of you have inquired whether this is the worst draft class I've witnessed in Dallas. Of course, it's not. Firstly, they've just begun, and it's way too early to make a definitive judgment. I won't reiterate my mention of the Bill Walsh book, but you've probably heard me refer to the entire chapter discussing the challenges rookies face in the NFL. It's not just about football – although that alone is enough to cause a significant adjustment period – but also the extreme life changes a young man and his circle undergo. Walsh essentially assumed that every rookie would struggle, and the true test comes after being in the city for 12 months, knowing one's spot and routine, and starting a facility routine right after the Super Bowl to make the sophomore year much better in nearly every respect. That's when you'll truly understand a player.

This isn't a guarantee that every young player will reach his ceiling because variables are everywhere. Is his body holding up? Was his college evaluation accurate and a good fit for what we want to do? Did the money and lifestyle change his entire motivation and drive to be the best he can be? For every player aiming to conquer the football world, there are probably a handful whose mission is simply to make the NFL. Once you make the league, is your mission accomplished, and can you now enjoy your new life without working as hard? These, along with a dozen more questions, are why evaluating young men and projecting the next eight years of their lives is both a fool's errand and an endlessly enjoyable challenge.

But, I digress.

Typically, I provide a comprehensive evaluation of the draft class from three years ago. So, this offseason, expect a thorough look at the 2021 draft class because those are the guys we need to discuss regarding contract extensions in April and May. However, we have time to wait for that.

Today is simply an examination of how little the 2023 Draft has accomplished so far. Unfortunately, there's nothing positive to report about this rookie draft class the Cowboys have just produced. With eight picks, not a single one had what we would call an excellent rookie year.