Dallas Cowboys: Michael Gallup’s rookie season was worse than you think

Now, let’s see how some of the Cowboys’ own wide receivers have performed during their rookie season in the past few years …

Receivers drafted by the Cowboys since 2010

Ryan Switzer (2017) – 6 recs, 7 targets, 41 yards – 85.7 catch percentage
Noah Brown (2017) – 4 recs, 9 targets, 33 yards – 44.4 catch percentage
Devin Street (2014) – 2 recs, 7 targets, 18 yards – 28.6 catch percentage
Terrance Williams (2013) -44 recs, 74 targets, 736 yard – 59.5 catch percentage
Danny Coale (2012) – didn’t played in the regular season
Dwayne Harris (2011) – was not targeted his rookie season
Dez Bryant (2010) – 45 recs, 73 targets, 561 yards, 6 tds – 61.6 catch percentage

Since 2010, there have been two receivers to post a worse catch percentage than Gallup their rookie seasons in Dallas. And both Noah Brown and Devin Street racked up less nine targets each their first year. Gallup was targeted 68 times, which is a stark difference.

In fact, you’d have to go back to 2002 to find a drafted Cowboys’ receiver with a worst catch percentage than Gallup. And that was Antonio Bryant, who was a former second rounder. The lesser known Bryant who wore No. 88 caught just 44 of his 93 targets his rookie season, a catch percentage of 47.3.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. Having Dak Prescott as your quarterback didn’t do Gallup any favors as a rookie. And certainly chemistry combined with Prescott’s bouts with inaccuracy played a part in his poor catch percentage.

Yet, the chemistry between Prescott and Amari Cooper seemed fine from the start. Cooper was targeted by Dak 76 times following the trade that brought Amari to Dallas after Week Eight. The three-time Pro Bowl wideout racked up 53 receptions for 725 yards and six touchdowns in the span of nine games. That’s a catch percentage of 69.7, a whopping 21.2 percent better than Gallup’s. And the rookie had an entire offseason to work with Prescott, unlike Cooper.

And consider some of the other quarterbacks who threw to rookie wide receivers in 2018 on the aforementioned list. Passers with lower completion percentages than Prescott (67.7) like the Arizona Cardinals’ Josh Rosen (55.2), the Denver Bronco’s Case Keenum (62.3), the Cleveland Browns’ Baker Mayfield (63.8) and the San Francisco 49ers’ Nick Mullens (64.2). In all five of these cases, (Keenum passed to two rookies on the list) not a single one had a catch percentage lower than Gallup’s.

Here’s the final point. Michael Gallup has many intriguing attributes both the Dallas Cowboys and their fanbase hope will develop into a more consistent, reliable option in 2019. But make no mistake, Gallup had a rough rookie season and should not be a lock for the starting role. He still has a lot to prove … as most second-year players do.