3 second-year Cowboys players to look out for in 2022

With the 2022 NFL Draft around the corner, we wanted to take some time to reflect on the players the Dallas Cowboys drafted in 2021. Last year, the Cowboys selected 11 players to join the squad. There was the crown jewel of the class in Micah Parsons whose rookie season may be one of the best first-year campaigns in NFL history. There were guys like defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa who stepped up when getting increased playing time due to injuries. But, there were also names like Josh Ball who never played a snap in 2021.

In this article, we want to talk about three players from last year’s draft class who have the potential to have a breakout season in 2022. These players either didn’t get enough playing time, got injured, or weren’t able to make enough impact for some other reason last year. With several changes to the roster, these three Cowboys will have a chance to prove themselves and step up this upcoming season.

Keep in mind that we didn’t include names like Parsons and Odighizuwa because we felt those players did make their names known in 2021. That doesn’t mean those two won’t have great years in 2022, though.

3 2021 draft picks that Cowboys fans should look out for in 2022

3. Jabril Cox, Linebacker

Ahead of the 2021 season, Jabril Cox was expected to have a great year. That sentiment continued after the release of linebacker Jaylon Smith. As a fourth-round selection by the Cowboys, Cox was seen as a steal for his talent in 2021. The former LSU Tiger had one of the best coverage pedigrees in the entire class.  In his time at North Dakota State and LSU, PFF gave him coverage grades of 87.4, 85.2, and 83.5.

The potential was real for Cox. Unfortunately, the rookie linebacker suffered an ACL tear in the Week 8 victory over the Minnesota Vikings just when he was starting to get more defensive snaps from Dan Quinn. The injury happened during one of his many special teams’ snaps.

Even before the release of Keanu Neal and the re-signing of Leighton Vander Esch, the Cowboys were excited for the LSU product to finally get his chance to prove himself in 2022. But with the release of Neal, the likelihood is that Cox will get to start alongside Parsons next season.

Plus, the team seems to have immense faith in him. At the NFL’s annual meetings in Florida last month, Stephen Jones was asked why the team didn’t make a deal with veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner. Part of his answer was his faith in the recovery and talent of Cox. Here’s what Jones said:

"“We feel great that he’s the right fit for what (coordinator) Dan (Quinn) wants to do defensively. Should be a big plus for us this year. He’ll probably fill right in where Keanu left off.”"

If he can stay healthy, 2022 will be a great opportunity for the linebacker. He will certainly get increased snaps and will hopefully pick up right where he left off before his injury.

2. Simi Fehoko, WR

The former fifth-round pick out of Stanford has a giant chance to make a turnaround in 2022. Last year, Simi Fehoko stood at the bottom of a long list of talented wide receivers. He logged no official stats and had just seven offensive snaps. Now, with Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson gone, his opportunity for increased snaps as a WR3 or WR4 is here. He also has the possibility to prove himself early with Michael Gallup likely out for at least one game at the start of the season.

Some believe that the reason Fehoko fell to the fifth round was the fact that the PAC-12 season was limited to just six games in 2020 due to COVID-19 – a reality that affected many players in the conference. In his final season with Stanford, he had 574 receiving yards thanks to his unique height, speed, and weight. Had the season been 12 games, he would’ve been well above a 1,000-ard season. But, regardless of the number of games he played, his tape showed clear skill.

This offseason will be a big one for Fehoko who has a lot to prove and a real chance to increase his snap count. With his size, he has the ability to thrive on the outside and also be a great red-zone target. The Cowboys have struggled to find a red-zone receiver for many years, and Fehoko can offer that.

In an interview after the 2021 season, the Stanford product said he was in touch with coach Mike McCarthy on how to increase his role in the offense and what he can do to improve. The 24-year-old is ready to have a big impact on the offseason this Fall.

1. Kelvin Joseph, CB

Kelvin Joseph is another 2021 draft pick whose first year was cut short due to injury. The former Kentucky Wildcat tied for second in the SEC with four interceptions (including one pick-six) in his final college season. Like cornerback teammate Trevon Diggs, Joseph was a highly-touted second-round selection.

Unfortunately, the cornerback suffered a groin injury in the final preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The injury sidelined him until Week 8. He made his NFL debut in the contest against the Vikings. Although he played in ten games, he did not receive his first career start until Week 16 against Washington. When he was given that chance, he shined. The cornerback had 57 defensive snaps and got three tackles, a pass breakup, and allowed negative two yards on five targets.

By the end of the season, the Kentucky product had 150 snaps. In his second start against the Philadelphia Eagles, he played in all 74 defensive snaps. Joseph was drafted with the intention of lining up on the other side of Diggs. Although Anthony Brown’s improved season did keep Joseph’s snaps limited, if the younger CB can prove himself in training camp, he has a real chance to start with Diggs in 2022.

All in all, these players have both a great chance to prove themselves with roster changes and showed promise that Cowboys fans look forward to seeing next year. Hopefully, they will all have breakout seasons in year two.