Final grades for each member of the Dallas Cowboys 2021 draft class

Linebacker Jabril Cox was lauded by many as the best value pick in the draft. Some were initially more impressed with Cox than they were with the Parsons pick.

That was a bold statement considering Parsons is almost unanimously the best defensive rookie this season and Cox was drafted in the fourth round, 116th overall.

I must admit that I was one of those guys but I am happy I was wrong. Cox tore his ACL in the Week 8 contest against Minnesota. If he didn’t sustain the injury, there would have been plenty of opportunities for him to make his mark.

Dallas played against the Arizona Cardinals with only three linebackers on the active roster. The emergence of Cox is probably one of the reasons why Dallas was comfortable enough to release high-priced linebacker Jaylon Smith. That is saying something especially when you find out Cox only played in nine total defensive snaps. His 123 special teams snaps ranked fourth among all Dallas rookies.

Josh Ball redshirted his first year in the NFL. The 6-8, 310-pound lineman has had quite the journey but if his off-the-field issue is a definite thing of the past, he could push for a roster spot in this linemen-starved league.

There obviously wasn’t much to evaluate, but he should have a head start on what to expect in late July.