3 Cowboys players who got extremely lucky with 2022 draft results

Every NFL draft class brings winners and losers for members of each team. Some players get lucky that their franchise didn’t draft a talented rookie who may push them out of their spot and others get a heavy dose of competition at their role heading into training camp. This year, the Dallas Cowboys drafted players of multiple positions and skill levels in the 2022 NFL Draft.

From the front office’s perspective, they obviously hope that all nine of the players drafted will make an impact on the Cowboys roster. If even one player can turn out to be what Micah Parsons was for the Cowboys in 2021, the draft will be a success. For some current roster players like Simi Fehoko or Noah Brown, the newest additions (like Jalen Tolbert) spell trouble. Dalton Schultz may be in a similar situation next year if Jake Ferguson turns out to be what the front office thinks he will be.

In this article, however, we want to talk about which members of the Cowboys benefitted from the 2022 draft class. In other words, which players are getting a boost to their 2022 season or getting their spot secured thanks to who the front office decided to add. Let’s take a look.

3 Cowboys players who dodged the ax with 2022 draft results

3. Micah Parsons, LB

Let’s be clear. Parsons’ spot on the roster was never in jeopardy. We know that. However, with the loss of Randy Gregory this offseason and the unknowns around the return of Jabril Cox from injury, there was concern that Parsons wasn’t going to be able to have the versatile role the Cowboys wanted for him and that he’d have to do a lot of filling in at defensive end.

Although Mike McCarthy previously assured reporters that the linebacker would not be permanently switched to defensive end, that was before the draft happened. At that point, the only help added to the roster was Dante Fowler Jr. who hasn’t had a strong season since 2019.

Thankfully for Parsons (and the team as a whole), the Cowboys drafted defensive end Sam Williams in the second round. Having Williams on the roster will not only give the DE depth chart a boost, but it will also allow the Defensive Rookie of the Year to be the Swiss Army knife type of player that he was in 2021. Knowing that the team now has DeMarcus Lawrence, Fowler Jr., and Williams should really allow Dan Quinn to play around with his squad and confuse offenses around the league.

Plus, Williams himself is also supposed to be a very adaptable player. Although he is known for his pass-rushing, the Ole Miss product can line up as a linebacker or defensive end. At Ole Miss, he was a defensive machine. Not only did he have 16.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss, but he also had five forced fumbles.

We already know that Parsons takes pride in “being the most versatile player in the NFL” and the addition of Williams only helps him do that more.