Grading the Cowboys rookies four weeks into the 2022 season

We are four weeks into the 2022-23 NFL season, and the Dallas Cowboys are sitting pretty at 3-1. Much of this success is due to the entire team doing their part, with some stars also sticking out.

I could take my whole day talking about how great Micah Parsons is, how well CeeDee Lamb has been playing, or that Cooper Rush is the next Kurt Warner. However, rather than talk about the obvious, let’s talk about the crown jewel of the 2022 offseason: the draft class.

I’m going to actually take it a step further and evaluate the young guys. With three of them on the roster as well, we will dabble in what the undrafted free agents are up to. The grades given to each player will be based on their draft position, immediate expectation, and their performance thus far.

Grading the Dallas Cowboys 2022 rookies four weeks into the regular season

UDFA’s

WR/KR/PR KaVontae Turpin

One of the more surprising signings in the offseason, KaVontae Turpin was expected to come in and be a sparkplug for this team. After an MVP season in the USFL, the team decided to sign the 5’9″ speedster, immediately making him the return man for this squad.

So far, he has done a great job in the punt return game, averaging 12.4 yards per return. This ranks within the top 10 in the NFL. He also has done a solid job in kick returns as well, averaging 20.2 yards per return. Turpin has yet to make much noise on the offensive side of the ball, but he has provided some flashes of explosiveness.

Grade: B-

TE Peyton Hendershot

One of the stars of Week 3, Peyton Hendershot has been a pleasant surprise. After making the 53-man roster, the tight end out of Indiana enjoyed a solid game against the New York Giants, finishing with three catches for 43 yards.

In the small number of attempts the team has had to defend the kickoff, Hendershot also made his presence known last Sunday, making a tackle in the lone return on the day. He’s certainly exceeded expectations so far, despite how little there may have been.

Grade: B+

S Markquese Bell

Markquese Bell was the cover boy of the Cowboys’ training camp this year, but aside from that, he has yet to make much of an impact in the regular season. He sees most of his time on the field on kickoffs, but with Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker both playing really well, I’m not going to knock the UDFA for lack of playing time.

Grade: C

Day Three Selections

Due to being claimed by the Washington Commanders after being cut, John Ridgeway will not be getting a grade.

LB Devin Harper (6th round, pick 193)

So far, as expected, the final pick of the draft for America’s Team hasn’t seen much of the field this season. Devin Harper has spent some time on special teams but has yet to make too big of an impact.

Grade: C

LB Damone Clark (5th round, pick 176)

Damone Clark will also not be receiving a grade, as he is still recovering from spine surgery.

Grade: N/A

CB DaRon Bland (5th round, pick 167)

At the time of this pick, many didn’t love the selection. DaRon Bland wasn’t a largely known prospect, but he fit the Dan Quinn mold — the elite defensive coordinator loves his tall, long defensive backs.

Before Week 4, Bland had been pretty quiet. He played mostly on special teams but then got 59 snaps against the Commanders. He certainly made the most of his opportunity, snagging his first career interception after he jumped a route, reading where Carson Wentz was going perfectly.

That in itself is a great way to jumpstart your career. Hopefully, the Fresno State product gets a bit more consistent action over the coming weeks.

Grade: B+

T Matt Waletzko (5th round, pick 155)

Another controversial pick, Matt Waletzko hasn’t seen much action yet this season. With a nagging shoulder issue, the 6’8″ offensive lineman played just one snap on offense against the Giants. Otherwise, he has been playing mostly special teams snaps.

Grade: C

TE Jake Ferguson (4th round, pick 129)

Wisconsin product Jake Ferguson was seen as the future successor to Dalton Schultz after the draft, assuming the team and Schultz can’t get a long-term deal done. Many compared Ferguson’s style of play to Schultz’s during the draft process, and so far it seems accurate.

Over the first four weeks of the season, Ferguson has started the two games Schultz had missed (Weeks 2 and 3). To this point, the fourth-round pick has accumulated three catches for 20 yards while also grading out as the second-best pass blocker on the team according to PFF.

Grade: B

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+

Day One Selection

OL Tyler Smith (Round 1, pick 24)

The reaction to this pick by the front office was certainly one-sided. Almost nobody liked the selection of Tyler Smith with the 24th overall pick. Now, people are feeling very differently about the Tulsa product.

Being tasked with playing guard right away in the NFL is one thing. Having to step in for a future Hall of Fame left tackle is in its own different world of difficulty and pressure. Smith has stepped up to the task and exceeded expectations.

Smith has been a force in the run game, as expected, appearing on highlight reels of long runs by the ‘Boys backs. He has also held his own against star pass-rushers, such as Trey Hendrickson, Shaq Barrett, and Montez Sweat, allowing none of them to get to the quarterback. In four games, the first-round pick has allowed seven pressures in 150 pass-blocking plays.

The 24th pick seems to be another hit on a first-round lineman for the scouting department in Dallas. He has done a phenomenal job of filling in for Tyron Smith, and he is making a case to stick around there longer than they may have anticipated.

Grade: A