NFL Draft grades: Grading every pick the Cowboys made in 2024 NFL Draft

Cowboys draft grade for Marist Liufau: B-

The Packers taking USC running back Marshawn LLoyd with the very next pick took some shine off the Liufau pick. Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network believes Lloyd is the best running back in the draft, so Cowboys fans will monitor Lloyd's career closely to see if the team missed out on a potential stud.

However, Dallas might've got a stud of their own in Liufau. The Notre Dame linebacker is built like a modern-day off-ball linebacker and he's a absolute thumper. He closes ground in a hurry thanks to his 4.64 40-yard dash and his 34 1/4-inch wingspan gives him a wide tackling radius.

Liufau is a little rough around the edges, but he has a high IQ and will have the luxury of being coached up by a linebacker whisperer in Mike Zimmer. Look for Liufau to be a core special teamer from day one and to carve out a decent role for himself in the linebacker rotation.

Cowboys draft grade for Caelen Carson: B-

Instead of reaching on a running back, the Cowboys smartly pounced on Wake Forest cornerback Caelen Carson with the No. 174 overall pick. Carson was expected to hear his name called on day two or round four and he was the No. 116 player on the draft expert consensus board.

Do the math, folks. That's tremendous value.

In a vacuum, though, Carson is a sticky press corner who plays to impact the game at the line of scrimmage. He's an extremely reliable and willing tackler, so he'll fit Mike Zimmer's scheme like a glove. His nose for the ball shows up in coverage, too, as he accumulated 29 pas deflections at Wake Forest.

If Carson brings that physicality and those ball skills to training camp, he has a better-than-puncher's chance at leapfrogging Eric Scott Jr. and Nahshon Wright on the depth chart.