Revisiting the 2019 Cowboys draft class: What’s their 2020 ceiling?

The Dallas Cowboys 2019 draft class underwhelmed last year. How good can they be in 2020?

To say that last year’s draft picks for the Dallas Cowboys were a disappointment soft pedals the reality. Not a single member of the group started in 2019, and most of them had little to no impact at all.

Let’s put it this way: If the only player from your draft to make a real contribution is your fourth-round pick, you might have had a weak draft.

Just to review, these were the Cowboys’ draft picks from 2019:

• Second round (#58 overall) – Trysten Hill, defensive tackle (three-technique)
• Third round (#90 overall) – Connor McGovern, guard
• Fourth round (#128 overall) – Tony Pollard, running back
• Fifth round (#158 overall) – Michael Jackson, cornerback
• Fifth round (#165 overall) – Joe Jackson, edge rusher
• Sixth round (#213 overall) – Donovan Wilson, safety
• Seventh round (#218 overall) – Mike Weber, running back
• Seventh round (#241 overall) – Jalen Jelks, defensive end

Tony Pollard was the obvious bright spot of the draft. He rushed for 455 yards and two touchdowns, with a 5.3 yard per carry average (higher than starting running back, Ezekiel Elliott’s average).

Trysten Hill and Connor McGovern, the highest draft picks with correspondingly high expectations, were the biggest disappointments. McGovern tore his pectoral muscle in training camp and was put on injured reserve for the season.

Hill hardly played and gained a sulky reputation, falling asleep in team meetings. In his few appearances in games last year, Hill made five combined tackles.

Of the rest of the draft picks, hardly any of them made any impact at all, and three are gone from the team entirely (Jackson, Weber, and Jelks). So what can we expect this year from the five remaining players? Let’s look at them one at a time.

Trysten Hill – Hill might be the luckiest player in training camp this year. After the Cowboys signed Pro Bowl defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe, then drafted another D-lineman in Neville Gallimore in the offseason, there was talk of Hill getting cut.

But since McCoy tore his quadriceps tendon and was released, Hill has been mentioned more than any other DT. This looks like a case of opportunity meeting preparation. By all accounts, Hill made a lot of progress over the offseason.

He appears to have bulked up physically, but also sounds more serious. Defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, for one, has been singing Hill’s praises, according to Nick Eatman at DallasCowboys.com.

"“I’m tickled to death in how hard he’s working both mentally and physically, and how hard he’s working in the meeting rooms. The questions, the phone calls, the texts – him swinging back by the office at night, asking questions. … I’m really [excited] for that guy and the way he’s approaching it and getting better every day.”"

Commentators have also pointed to Hill’s performance in camp, that he looks quick and strong. All of this sounds good, but it’s still hard to say how he’ll actually play.

Either way, Hill looks likely start the season as the principal backup to Tyrone Crawford at the three-tech spot. But Crawford is recovering from hip surgery, and may be shuffling back and forth between tackle and defensive end.

Rookie defensive tackle, Neville Gallimore, with less experience and fewer splash plays in training camp looks to be locked in behind the two. All of this creates a very real opportunity for Hill to play lots of snaps, at least early in the season.

After that, it’s all up to the second-year player. If he plays well, he could be starting before the end of the year. Or… if Crawford and Gallimore outplay him, Hill could be pushed down the depth chart. Nevertheless, Hill has a great chance here.