There's no getting around the fact that the Dallas Cowboys didn't make the sexiest picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. And that's okay.
While there were some skill positions that needed to be addressed — running back, for example — they did a decent job at filling some holes that needed filling, particularly up front on the offensive and defensive lines. Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton, of course, was the Cowboys' first pick at No. 29 overall.
The running back Jerry Jones wanted — Jonathan Brooks — went to the Carolina Panthers at No. 46, a full 10 slots ahead of where Dallas was picking in the second round. The Cowboys ultimately selected edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland at No. 56 overall.
Jones could have gotten a decent back in the fourth round, but seeing as how he'd traded that selection to the San Francisco 49ers to get Trey Lance — a decision that baffles the mind to this day — that wasn't an option.
Just as a reminder, Bucky Irving (No. 120), Will Shipley (No. 127), Ray Davis (No. 128), Isaac Guerendo (No. 129), and Braelon Allen (No. 134) all went off the board in Round 4. But hey, at least Jones brought Ezekiel Elliott back to town, right?
At the end of three days, America's Team ultimately had eight new players, only six of whom made it through training camp.
On August 26, seventh-round selection Justin Rogers (No. 244), a defensive lineman out of Auburn, was released during roster cuts and now resides on the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad.
And one day later, the Cowboys' other seventh-rounder, Louisiana offensive lineman Nathan Thomas (No. 233), was placed on season-ending injured reserve with an undisclosed injury.
As for the six who have seen the field for America's Team this year? Let's have a look at how they've fared through the first half of their first professional seasons.
Tyler Guyton, OT (No. 29 overall)
Tyler Guyton was always going to fight an uphill battle in his first pro season, as he was moving from right tackle to left tackle, which isn't an easy transition to make. Throw in that he was replacing Cowboys legend Tyron Smith, and there was just that much more added pressure.
But while there were bright spots early on, the regression came quickly. Both his pass protection and run blocking slipped, and the penalties started piling up. Once Guyton was injured during the Cowboys' Week 5 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, All-Pro guard Tyler Smith slid over to left tackle.
And while Guyton was healthy enough to play the following week against the Detroit Lions, he didn't take a single snap. He was back in action after the bye against the San Francisco 49ers, taking 100% of the team's offensive snaps at tackle. And he had a solid showing, only to regress yet again against the Atlanta Falcons, although some of that can be attributed to a neck strain.
As these growing pains were expected, it's tough to knock him too much. Nevertheless, as a first-round pick, Guyton still needs to pick it up in the second half.
Grade: C
Marshawn Kneeland, DE (No. 56 overall)
Like Guyton, Marshawn Kneeland suffered an injury against the Steelers. Only his was much more severe, as he had to be carted off the field after tearing the meniscus in his right knee.
Thankfully, he avoided a season-ending ailment, as the initial fear was an ACL tear. The No. 56 overall pick ultimately underwent arthroscopic surgery, and his recovery time was reported to be somewhere between four and six weeks, which means he could return soon.
Prior to the injury, Kneeland was playing solid football, so much so that he made his first start that night against the Steelers. In the five games in which he's appeared, he recorded 10 tackles, one of which went for a loss, three QB hits, and one pass defended.
There are still improvements to be made, of course, but more snaps will naturally bring more results. I like what I've seen thus far.
Grade: B
Cooper Beebe, C (No. 73 overall)
A two-time All-American guard at Kansas State, Cooper Beebe transitioned to center during training camp and has been better than anyone could have expected.
There's a natural learning curve at the professional level, and that only increases when making such a big move to a new position. And Beebe's life hasn't been made any easier with Zack Martin and Terence Steele having subpar seasons.
Again, though, he's been better than anyone could have asked of him up to this point, and he's only going to get better.
Grade: A-
Marist Liufau, LB (No. 87 overall)
Linebacker Marist Liufau's rookie campaign has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride.
Some weeks, he starts; some weeks, he doesn't (he's at a 4-4 split right now). Some weeks, he'll take half or two-thirds of the defensive snaps. And then there's last week, where he played 8.8% of the defensive snaps. He still gets plenty of action on special teams, but that's a significant dropoff.
With DeMarvion Overshown and Eric Kendricks ahead of him on the depth chart, Liufau has still racked up 15 tackles and a pair of passes defended. Like everyone on this list, he's still got improvements to make, but he's shown some flashes here and there, and those improvements will come with more playing time.
Grade: B-
Caelen Carson, CB (No. 174 overall)
With DaRon Bland sidelined to start the season, Caelen Carson was thrust into a starting role early and played well in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns, essentially locking down Amari Cooper. He wasn't as good against the New Orleans Saints, but let's get real here; nobody was.
Carson then suffered a shoulder injury in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens and just made his return this past week against the Falcons. And that wasn't a great performance, as he allowed receptions all eight times he was targeted, allowed a passer rating of 117.2, and led the team with three missed tackles.
There's talent here, for sure, and he may end up being somewhat of a steal down the line. But we've only got a small sample size thus far, so it'll be interesting to see how this second half plays out.
Grade: B-
Ryan Flournoy, WR (No. 216 overall)
Ryan Flournoy was inactive for the first four games of the Cowboys' season, and since he's returned, he's spent the vast majority of his time on special teams.
The sixth-rounder receiver has taken just 31 offensive snaps thus far, recording two catches for 25 yards. Not much to grade here, so we'll just give him a C and be done with it.
Grade: C