Grading the Cowboys rookies four weeks into the 2022 season

Day Two Selections

WR Jalen Tolbert (Round 3, pick 88)

Widely regarded as the best draft pick the team made in terms of draft value, Jalen Tolbert has been disappointing so far this season, to say the least. Before the season, when Michael Gallup and James Washington were both reported to miss at least the first couple of weeks of the season, everyone expected Tolbert to be the WR2 for the time being.

It’s been quite the opposite. After being a non-factor in the preseason, the third-round receiver has been inactive for three of the four games. In the game he was active in, against the Giants, he had just one catch on two targets for four yards. Granted, he was open on an overthrow by Cooper Rush on the other target, but there wasn’t any reason for him to not step up to the task of beating out Simi Fehoko and Dennis Houston.

The South Alabama product hasn’t lived up to expectations, and perhaps it was unfair to put such high goals for a third-round pick, but he has the talent to succeed in the NFL. The first quarter of the season has made it difficult to continue to believe that given how many times he’s been a healthy scratch.

Grade: F

DE Sam Williams (2nd round, pick 56)

Sam Williams was expected to be a selection by the Cowboys for weeks leading up to the draft, and when it finally happened, there were certainly mixed reviews. Throughout the preseason, Williams showed flashes, and now through four regular season games, he’s showing most of the same.

In a pass-rush group that consists of Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler, and more, I do not fault Williams entirely for his lack of snaps so far. However, he still is continuing to struggle in run defense with the snaps he has.

He is doing a solid job of creating pressure and has shown elite strength at the point of attack. The second-round pick has three pressures in 30 pass-rush snaps, while also logging four tackles on the season.

Grade: C+