PFF grades from Week 18 yield encouraging results for Cowboys rookie defender
By Jerry Trotta
The Dallas Cowboys have been one of the best drafting franchises in the NFL over the last handful of years and that continued in 2021 when they netted do-it-all defender Micah Parsons with the No. 12 overall pick.
In the third round, they drafted Osa Odighizuwa, who’s currently third on the team in pressures (37), tied for fourth in QB hits (six), second only to Parsons in quarterback hurries (28), and tied for fifth in sacks (three).
The fan base also has reason to be bullish on linebacker Jabril Cox, who fell to the Cowboys in the fourth round and showed promise in limited opportunities before suffering a torn ACL back at the start of November.
In Saturday night’s rout of the Philadelphia Eagles, fans finally got to see a glimpse of second-rounder Kelvin Joseph, who had missed the first half of the year with a groin injury and has since played sparingly in Dan Quinn’s defense.
Making just his second-ever career start, Joseph finished as one of Dallas’ highest-graded defenders, per Pro Football Focus.
Rookie Kelvin Joseph was the #Cowboys' highest-graded defender vs PHI, per PFF's initial review.
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) January 9, 2022
Cowboys rookie Kelvin Joseph showed out against the Eagles.
The most impressive aspect of Joseph’s performance is that he rebounded after leaving an interception on the board in the first quarter. He made a great play to jump an out route near the sidelines, but the ball grazed off his fingertips and into Devonta Smith’s arms for a first down.
After that lapse in concentration, though, Joseph reminded everyone why the Cowboys drafted him with the No. 44 overall pick.
According to PFF, the first-year corner led the way with seven tackles. Known for his prowess in coverage, Joseph was arguably Dallas’ most impactful defender against the run. Take this play for example when he seals the edge on a handoff to Jalen Reagor to force a third and long.
The Eagles wound up punting on this possession.
Kelvin Joseph sealing the edge on 2nd forcing a 3rd and long pic.twitter.com/P4QGRvVi4a
— Burgers and Blitzes (@NotToBeTrite) January 9, 2022
Simply put, Joseph was flying all over the field in this game and could (emphasis on could) force Quinn’s hand in giving him meaningful snaps in Sunday’s Wild Card showdown against the San Francisco 49ers.
Either way, seven tackles, two pass breakups, and a tackle for loss is quite the night for a rookie who found out he was starting just days before the game with Anthony Brown on the COVID list and Trevon Diggs battling an illness.
Joseph’s injury has prevented him from making the profound impact fans expected when he was drafted, but his performance on Saturday showed he’ll be ready to step into a bigger role as a sophomore after a full offseason.
