Meeting Cowboys No. 88 pick Jalen Tolbert: Strengths, Weaknesses, Fit

Jalen Tolbert’s Strengths

Big Play Ability: Arguably his greatest strength, Tolbert is a big play waiting to happen. He averaged 18 yards per catch in 2021 and is the Sun Belt Conference career record holder in that category. He has the speed to take the top off defenses and was fifth in college football in 20+ yard receptions.

Release: The 88th pick has a nice array of release moves at the line of scrimamge. He has very nice footwork and the ability to break out of his releases quickly. The third-rounder is very good at fighting off grabby corners and contains a great balance of strength, speed, and size to overcome pesky defenders at the line.

Ball Skills: Tolbert tracks the ball in the air with great focus and doesn’t skip a beat. He’s very good at keeping speed while tracking the ball and that is evident in his big-play ability. He does a great job on contested catches, using his hand strength and determination to haul in passes over defenders.

Versatility: Another great component of Tolbert’s game is his ability to line up anywhere on the field. He played mostly out wide last season, but he also played a good amount in the slot as well, receiving 33% of his snaps at the Z. This will pay dividends for the offense, allowing Tolbert and Lamb to interchange in the slot, keeping defenses on their toes.

Production: The Sun Belt OPOY is one of the most consistently productive players in the entire draft. Last season, he had a low of 54 receiving yards in a game, which is still fairly productive. He had seven 100-yard games last season, including games against Tennessee and Coastal Carolina. He also had 10 games with at least five receptions.