Predicting which Dallas Cowboys wideout will win battle for WR3 spot

Jerry is not afraid to add to the Cowboys’ receiving corps in any way possible. That includes drafting seven wideouts since 2017, with three being in the top three rounds — including 2022 third-rounder Jalen Tolbert.

The South Alabama product was an explosive and dominant player in the Sun Belt, so much so that he was named the 2021 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year. Tolbert was at the top of all the major receiving categories in the conference.

This past season, the six-foot, one-inch tall wideout led the league in catches, receiving yards, and yards per catch. It’s not often a receiver leads in all three categories. Tolbert dominated every team, eclipsing 100+ receiving yards in seven of his 12 games this past year.

Tolbert leads all players from the Sun Belt since 2001 with 17.8 career yards per reception and sits fourth with 3,140 receiving yards. His growth from 2018 to 2021 is massive and shows the potential to become a star in the NFL.

Amari Cooper was a lethal receiving threat with his smooth-yet-sudden route-running ability. Ironically (or not), the former Jaguar here has the same strength in his game. NFL.com’s Lance Zuerlein credits his route-running in five different points.

The space Cooper once opened on the field became a missing need with him getting traded away. Dallas will field a younger version on a significantly cheaper contract if Tolbert is as advertised.

The downsides to his game, according to Zuerlein, are he needs to be more physical finishing blocks, improve his success rate with contested catches, and improve downfield positioning against physical corners.

The coaches can work on that throughout the season. His route-running and ability to create space without the ball will make him an immediate impact player. If his vertical game is not there right away, both Lamb and Gallup will be more than able to cover for that.

America’s Team has done a terrific job developing wide receiver talent. Look no further than the likes of Lamb, Gallup, and the recently departed Cedrick Wilson. Jalen Tolbert is next up on the list. The only question is will it be sooner or later?