Ranking the Dallas Cowboys best players in 2018: 25-11

After watching the NFL Network conclude their top 100 players list from the 2017 season, I decided to rank the 53 best Dallas Cowboys from bottom to top.

Welcome to the fourth installment of a series ranking the best players, from bottom to top, of the Dallas Cowboys.

Players 53-26 have already been revealed and now we enter into the starters and borderline, soon-to-be stars. One stellar sign for the Cowboys is the average age of this group. The fifteen players representing spots 25-11 are just under the age of 25. No one is older than 29 and just five are older than 26.

It speaks to how the Dallas Cowboys have really targeted getting younger, especially on defense, specifically through the draft. Without any further ado, let’s get to the list.

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25. Maliek Collins
24. Randy Gregory
23. Cameron Fleming
22. Jeff Heath
21. Connor Williams
20. Tyrone Crawford
19. Tavon Austin
18. Chris Jones
17. Chidobe Awuzie
16. Jourdan Lewis
15. Leighton Vander Esch
14. Jaylon Smith
13. David Irving
12. Cole Beasley
11. Allen Hurns

Ten of the fifteen players reside on the defensive side of the ball. On the defensive line, you have what amounts to a lot of promise unfilled. Collins has shown flashes of being a problem for offensive lines but seemingly cannot stay healthy. Irving and Gregory both have multiple suspensions during their brief tenure in Dallas.

It’s possible all three actually participate in the same game for the Cowboys this year. We’ll see if that promise becomes destiny.

At linebacker, Smith and Vander Esch will give the Cowboys speed they have not seen since the days of Dexter Coakley and Dat Nguyen. The new young guns add power to their speed as well, making this year’s defense extremely interesting. IF… and it’s a big if, the two of them, along with Sean Lee, can play in all 16 games, Dallas could have a top ten defense.

A solid defense would be nothing without some coverage on the back end. With Awuzkie and Lewis, they will only continue to get better. As 2017 neared its end, those two really came on strong for the Cowboys. As always, you can never forget the most underestimated player on the team and possibly the league. All everyone does is hope to replace Jeff Heath and all he does is make big plays for this team.

Offensively, this list contains two new additions to one of the best offensive lines in all of football. Williams will come in and automatically start as the “fifth Beatle.” Fleming will provide a much better insurance policy than last year’s options at swing tackle if an injury occurs.

Lastly, the revamped wide receiving group has a few names perched in the range. It remains to be seen how offensive coordinator Scott Linehan will use Austin, but we all know he is a multi-talented threat. As for Hurns, as long as he plays his game and does not try to fill the huge void left with Dez Bryant‘s absence, he should be just fine.

Next: 30 greatest players in Dallas Cowboys history

So, there you have it. Dallas Cowboys 53-11 have been revealed. Check in Sunday morning as we conclude this installment with the top ten players on the Dallas Cowboys roster.

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