Cowboys NFL Draft Grades: Cooper Beebe pick caps genius first-round trade

The Dallas Cowboys are putting on a show in the NFL Draft. While the selection of Marshawn Kneeland in round two took fans by surprise, he brings an attitude to Mike Zimmer's defensive line. The Cowboys followed that with a home run pick in Kansas State offensive lineman Cooper Beebe.

To say the Beebe pick has received glowing reviews would be an understatement. Beebe was on Cowboys fans' radar throughout the pre-draft process and it was shocking he made it out of the second round, let alone fell all the way to pick No. 73.

Speaking of which, that's the pick Dallas got in its first round trade-back with the Lions. The team moved back to pick No. 29 and got No. 73 in exchange for the 24th pick. It made good use of the initial pick in Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton. The selection of Beebe puts an exclamation point on the swap.

Cowboys NFL Draft grade for Cooper Beebe selection: A+

Between the value of the pick, the need for an interior offensive lineman and player that Beebe is, an A+ is the only grade we considered. Beebe played four positions along the line at Kansas State, including left tackle, left guard, right tackle and right guard.

He has no experience at center, but that's where the Cowboys intend to play him. Don't worry. That's no surprise to Beebe, who revealed after he was picked by Dallas that the team discussed playing him at center before the draft.

Beebe said he'll do "whatever they [the Cowboys] need me to do. He trained at center with offensive line guru Duke Manyweather this offseason, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. It sure sounds like Dallas selected its starting center with a third-round pick it didn't even have when the draft started.

It doesn't get much better than that.

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