3 rival moves from 2022 NFL Draft Night 1 that should scare Cowboys

Well, Dallas Cowboys fans. After a frustrating end to the 2021 season and a disappointing offseason that saw several key players go and unexciting players join, all Cowboys Nation wanted was a great draft pick to get excited about. While the Cowboys did wisely select someone who can help the offensive line, the person they chose wasn’t Kenyon Green or Zion Johnson like we all hoped. Both were long gone by pick No. 24. Instead, the Cowboys selected Tulsa red-shirt sophomore OT Tyler Smith.

Smith does have incredible strength and power, but he is also very raw and was initially predicted not to be selected until the middle of the second round. Plus, the Cowboys let go of Connor Williams because of penalties. Smith was penalty-ridden for much of his Tulsa career. This pick feels like something a team looking to re-build would do. Not a selection a team that needs to win now would make. Names like George Karlaftis, Devin Lloyd, and Tyler Linderbaum were all still on the board.

To make matters worse, the rest of the NFC East, a division the Cowboys finally won for the first time since 2018 last year, had a great first round. While the Washington Commanders oddly selected Penn State WR Jahan Dotson despite better receivers being available, they still found a way to screw over the Cowboys, too. They traded their 11th overall pick to the New Orleans Saints and moved back to spot No. 16. They also received the 98th and 120th picks in this draft. The problem? Cowboys prospect favorite in WR Chris Olave was selected by the Saints with that No. 11 pick.

The New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles, on the other hand, are raking in the chips after Round 1. Three major moves were made by these clubs that should have the Cowboys very worried for 2022. Let’s take a look.

3 moves made by the Cowboys’ NFC East rivals in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft that are cause for concern

3. The Eagles Get National Champion DT Jordan Davis

The Eagles initially had the 15th pick in the draft, but they traded picks 15, 124, 162, and 166 to the Houston Texans to make a jump up to the 13th pick. With that pick, they selected Georgia Bulldogs DT Jordan Davis. You may remember Davis for his insanely impressive NFL Combine numbers despite his 6-5, 340-pound frame.

As if the Cowboys’ current offensive line issues weren’t already enough, now the ‘Boys get to face off against this massive beast who will likely become a future replacement for long-time defender Fletcher Cox. Davis was a part of the best defense in college football last year. The Bulldogs were No. 1 in points allowed per game and No. 2 in rush defense.

His strength is run defending (not great for Dallas), but he can also get to the quarterback at times. In his four years in Athens, the DT collected 91 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. The Bulldog earned unanimous All-American honors and won the Chuck Bednarik Award and Outland Trophy.