Cowboys should absolutely regret drafting Shavon Revel over Nohl Williams

Trading Micah Parsons completely corroded the Dallas Cowboys' defense. However, perhaps the biggest reason Dallas has floundered without No. 11 wreaking havoc off the edge is the organization's poor recent body of work in the NFL Draft.

Mazi Smith. Sam Williams. Kelvin Joseph. Nahshon Wright. DeMarvion Overshown. All drafted in the top three rounds, and none of them have panned out. In fact, the Cowboys' best defensive draft picks since 2021 -- Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa -- are no longer with the team.

Throw in not re-signing Jourdan Lewis or DeMarcus Lawrence, and you'll get your answer as to why this defense is still bad.

It’s easy to play the “what if” game with the NFL Draft. Imagine if Dallas had taken Player X instead of Player Y. We all do it, and the exercise can get messy in a hurry. But in the case of Shavon Revel Jr., there’s little ambiguity to this point: the Cowboys should have drafted Nohl Williams in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Nohl Williams is already a star for the Kansas City Chiefs

The Cowboys took Revel No. 76 overall. Nine picks later, the Chiefs snagged Williams and have reaped the rewards. Williams has come into his own in Year 2 and might be headed to the Pro Bowl if he continues on his current trajectory.

Matt Conner of Arrowhead Addict had the following to say about Williams' rise:

"The Chiefs originally loved Nohl Williams' nose for the ball and aggressive nature coming out of the draft. (Steve) Spagnuolo trusts his corners to send messages early and often at the line and even when blitzing, but Williams was a bit too much at times in his rookie season. The Chiefs sat him a bit more than expected ,and he soaked up the system behind Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, even as the potential was obvious.

That's why the franchise didn't flinch when losing a top-5 corner tandem in a single spring. Williams has been sensational through the first third of a new season. His ability to disrupt timing, adjust routes, and make instinctual plays on the ball opposite Mansoor Delane's arrival has kept K.C. from even missing their former starters."

Williams has gone from an understudy as a rookie to a No.1 cornerback on arguably the NFL's best team. The Chiefs sit atop the AFC at 5-0, and Spagnuolo's defense is a big reason why.

Many in the media questioned Kansas City's decision to trade All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie and let Jaylen Watson walk. Williams, as Conner noted, has general manager Brett Veach looking like an early favorite to win Executive of the Year.

Here's a look at some of Williams' coverage metrics and where he ranks among cornerbacks, via Pro Football Focus:

Sheesh.

Williams has already played 72 percent of the snaps he totaled as a rookie. It was a short sample size last season, but the former Cal Golden Bear looked the part in Year 1, allowing just 19 completions on 35 targets and zero touchdowns to go with four pass breakups.

I'm not sure the Chiefs expected instant stardom in Year 2, but it was evident early in his NFL career that Williams had the goods. Sooner than later, he'll shed the underrated label. He's a beast.

It still hasn't clicked for Shavon Revel Jr.

Compare Williams' trajectory to that of Revel, and it makes you wonder why Dallas chose to take an injured player over a healthy, proven commodity.

You can call Revel's rookie year a wash because of his knee injury. A setback in training camp delayed his return until midway through the season, and once he got on the field, it was clear he wasn't fully comfortable physically or ready for NFL game action.

The bar had to be raised this year. And Revel was one of Dallas' better players in training camp, which only inflated expectations. There was validated discourse about Revel pushing Cobie Durant for the CB2 job.

Once the regular season started, though, it became clear that Revel's game still needs considerable refinement. He has all the physical tools to thrive as a press-man corner, but he's still too handsy in coverage and too often loses at the top of routes.

Williams is currently being targeted every 18 coverage snaps. Revel was targeted three times on seven coverage snaps against the Packers. He's being hunted by the opposition, while teams are afraid to throw in Williams' direction. That juxtaposition tells the whole story.

Let's take a look at Revel's coverage stats this season:

Revel has only played 83 coverage snaps. Most full-time cornerbacks, like Williams, are hovering around 200. And yet, Revel has allowed more receiving yards (126) than Williams (103). He's also allowed as many receptions (10) as the Chiefs star.

Ameer Speed, whom the Cowboys signed after a June tryout, played more snaps than Revel against Green Bay. And he deserved to. He's flat-out been better.

This isn't to write off Revel. He's only in his second season. But Dallas should absolutely regret drafting him over Williams. Revel probably shouldn't see the field when Cobie Durant returns from his hamstring injury.

That encapsulates one of the biggest things holding this franchise back: An inability to identify and develop enough homegrown talent on the defensive side of the ball.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow