At the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft, most pundits believed the Dallas Cowboys got themselves a decent enough class, as they filled some necessary holes on both sides of the football, most notably on the offensive line.
Needing to replace future Hall of Famer Tyron Smith, Dallas used its first-round pick on Tyler Guyton, selecting the Oklahoma tackle at No. 29 overall.
And after taking defensive end Marshawn Kneeland in Round 2 at No. 56 overall, America's Team took center Cooper Beebe in the third round at No. 73 to replace Tyler Biadasz, who departed Dallas to sign with Dan Quinn's Washington Commanders.
From there, Jerry Jones & Co. turned back to the defensive side of things, taking linebacker Marist Liafau (No. 87 overall) and cornerback Caelen Carson (No. 174 overall), both of whom took a solid amount of snaps this past season.
The Cowboys then added a little depth at wide receiver by adding Ryan Flournoy (No. 216 overall) and closed things out with a couple of Round 7 picks in offensive tackle Nathan Thomas (No. 233 overall) and defensive tackle Justin Rogers (No. 244 overall).
We won't be focusing on the last two, as neither Thomas nor Rogers took a single regular-season snap. But one year after they joined the Cowboys, let's have a look at how the other six fared in their respective rookie campaigns.
Tyler Guyton, OT, No. 29 overall
Being a first-round pick comes with a lot of pressure. And as mentioned above, Tyler Guyton was brought in to replace franchise legend Tyron Smith, which only amplifies that pressure.
Throw in the fact that Guyton also moved from his natural position at right tackle to left tackle, and the challenge only gets that much tougher.
Early on, however, the Texas native had some solid performances and was maybe even exceeding expectations. But that didn't last long, as Guyton consistently struggled in both the running game and the passing game and picked up far too many penalties as the season rolled along.
At the conclusion of the season, the 23-year-old had a 49.4 overall PFF grade, ranking 115th among 140 eligible tackles. That's certainly not where you want your first-round pick to be, but the Cowboys just have to hope that a year of struggles will serve as motivation heading into Year 2.
Grade: D+
Marshawn Kneeland, DE, No. 56 overall
Marshawn Kneeland's rookie campaign was essentially split into two seasons, as he missed six games during the middle portion of the year due to a knee injury. Such was the life of a Dallas defensive end in 2024, am I right?
When he was on the field, the Western Michigan alum showed flashes of brilliance at times but also had his fair share of struggles, especially after the injury.
While Kneeland failed to record a single sack in his 11 appearances, he did post 13 QB pressures, good for a tie for sixth on the team. Overall, though, he didn't make a significant impact.
With DeMarcus Lawrence out of the picture, the soon-to-be 24-year-old should get a shot to crack the starting lineup in training camp. But he'll face some stiff competition, and it'll be interesting to see how new Dallas defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus utilizes him.
Grade: C
Cooper Beebe, C, No. 73 overall
Like Guyton, Cooper Beebe switched positions at the professional level, as the two-time All-American guard out of Kansas State transitioned to center and performed better than anyone could have expected.
He still needs to be better with his pass blocking, but he was strong against the run, ranking in the top half among all centers in that department.
There's been chatter of Beebe moving back to guard with the retirement of Zack Martin, but we'll have to wait and see how that plays out. Dallas could obviously take a natural center in this year's draft, but it's certainly not a necessity at this point.
Grade: B+
Marist Liufau, LB, No. 87 overall
Like Kneeland, Marist Liufau kinda had two separate seasons. The difference is that Liufau didn't miss a single game all year. It's just that his defensive snap counts were wildly inconsistent up until the final weeks of the Cowboys' 2024 campaign.
But that could be due to the Notre Dame alum's inconsistencies on the field at times. Some weeks, Liufau looked like an absolute steal. But in others, he looked more like a fifth- or sixth-rounder than a third-rounder.
Don't get it twisted, though. There's a lot to like about Liufau's game, and he ultimately recorded 50 total tackles, four tackles for a loss, three passes defended, two forced fumbles, two QB hits, and 1.5 sacks.
The upside is there, and if he can improve in coverage and against the run, his snap counts will see a significant boost in 2025.
Grade: B-
Caelen Carson, CB, No. 174 overall
Thrust into the starting lineup in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns with DaRon Bland on the shelf, Caelen Carson looked impressive in his NFL debut, as he helped hold former Cowboy Amari Cooper to just two catches for 16 yards.
But that was as good as things got for the Wake Forest alum, as he suffered a shoulder injury that clearly hindered his play and ultimately cost him his season.
Expected to be fully healthy heading into the 2025 campaign, Carson will face some pressure to perform, as Trevon Diggs is likely to miss time at the start of the season.
Six games isn't a great sample size to see what the Cowboys have in Carson, especially given the injury. So, we'll cop out a bit here and just stay in the middle.
Grade: C
Ryan Flournoy, WR, No. 216 overall
Taking nearly as many snaps on special teams as he did on offense, wideout Ryan Flournoy recorded 10 receptions for 102 yards in 11 games.
This was a depth pick for the Cowboys, and the sixth-rounder will likely spend his second season much like he spent his first.
Grade: C