The Dallas Cowboys have had a strong start to the draft

It’s hard not to like what the Dallas Cowboys have done in the first three rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft. And saying otherwise would be a reach.

The Dallas Cowboys had plenty of pressing needs going into the draft Thursday night, and many clamored for them to choose a wide receiver to replace recently released Dez Bryant. The Cowboys went in a different direction entirely, but that’s not to say it was the wrong one.

In fact, the selection of Leighton Vander Esch served as just the opposite, as the Boise State linebacker served as a catalyst for a surprisingly strong start to the 2018 NFL draft.

Last season, the Cowboys boasted a top 10 defensive unit for the first time since 2009, and finished 8th overall. However, the team was a far-less vaunting unit when Sean Lee didn’t play. And after losing middle linebacker Anthony Hitchens to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, and Jaylon Smith’s ceiling somewhat in question, a sideline to sideline ‘backer like Vander Esch in the first round is really a no-brainer.

As much as I like the Vander Esch selection on Day One, it was the second day of the draft that really got me juiced for the 2018 season. Conner Williams looks like an absolute steal in round 2 and solidifies the left guard spot that was a bit creaky last year. Plus, he has the versatility to slide to virtually any spot along the line if one of the other starters goes down with an injury. Getting the unit back to the dominance it displayed in 2016 was clearly a priority for the Cowboys in this year’s draft.

And while many fans (including myself) pleading at the television screen for the Cowboys to draft a wideout early on, it proved to be a shrewd move to wait until the second round, as they got another steal in wide receiver Michael Gallup.

Many had a second-round grade on the 6″0 wideout from Colorado, who is the perfect replacement player for Dez Bryant. Mostly, because he’s a very similar player. He’s a tough, physical receiver who can go up and get 50/50 balls, and he’s a great run-after-the-catch threat. He’s also a very crisp route runner and knows how to get open using his body, two traits the Cowboys felt Dez lacked over his last few seasons.

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The Dallas Cowboys knocked the first three rounds of the draft out of the park this year, and it’s reaching to say otherwise.