The Dallas Cowboys drafted 8 players and signed 13 more undrafted free agents to compete for roster spots this season. Several of those players have the opportunity to step in right away and contribute while others will be groomed for future roles or retained on the practice squad. Of that group, which players have the greatest chance to make an immediate impact this upcoming season? Here are three players from the 2019 Dallas Cowboys draft class that I believe will contribute the most this season.
3. TRYSTEN HILL, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, UCF
Trysten Hill was the first player selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2019 NFL draft and he is expected to become the coveted 3 technique in Rod Marinelli’s Tampa 2 defensive scheme. Hill will probably start the season as a backup behind Maliek Collins, Antwuan Woods, and rotate in along with Christian Covington or even Tyrone Crawford. Maliek Collins is the one man who should not be forgotten. It was only 2 seasons ago when the Cowboys players and coaches were singing his praises and if Maliek can stay healthy, he may have his best season ever in 2019. Collins and Woods are probably going to start but Rod Marinelli likes to rotate his defensive linemen heavily. I fully expect Trysten Hill to be heavily involved in the defensive line rotation, both at under tackle and at the 1 technique position, but more likely than not he will need at least a full year before getting the opportunity to be the starter.
2. MICHAEL JACKSON, CORNERBACK, MIAMI
The Dallas Cowboys were able to get Kris Richard a tall, long, physical cornerback in the 5th round that he can mold into the next Richard Sherman or Byron Jones. That expectation may be too lofty, in reality Jackson will have to compete just to make the roster let alone get on the field. I happen to believe that Jackson will not only make the team but he will see his fair share of playing time this season. I believe that it is unlikely that the Cowboys will enjoy the same type of luck they did last year when they went thin at CB and stayed remarkably healthy. I feel as though Jackson has the greatest chance to get an opportunity to play because of the lack of depth at his position. If he does see the field, he has a great chance to succeed thanks to the coaching of Kris Richard and his natural ball skills. My bold prediction is that the rookie Michael Jackson will lead the team in interceptions this season.
1. TONY POLLARD, RUNNING BACK, MEMPHIS
The Dallas Cowboys surprised several experts when they picked Pollard in the fourth round. Many considered the Pollard selection a reach and also had eventual 6th round pick Mike Weber out of Ohio State as a higher rated player. The Dallas Cowboys are much higher on Pollard though, and the impression is that they want to put his dynamic skill set to use. This is encouraging for Cowboy fans since Pollard possesses elite speed, receiving ability, and he is a weapon in the return game. It was obvious that the Cowboys had to address the running back position this offseason. What was not entirely clear was if they would seek a backup for Ezekiel Elliott or a change of pace back that can contribute on special teams. The Cowboys ended up drafting both of those players with Weber likely to serve as the primary back up and Pollard the gadget, hybrid running back/receiver that will hopefully add a new dimension to the Cowboys offense. Also encouraging for Cowboy fans is the presence of Kellen Moore as the offensive coordinator, or more precisely someone other than Scott Linehan who had been criticized heavily for being too predictable and not creative enough. I am excited about the idea of having an electric back like Pollard in the mix on offense and I am confident that he will provide big play ability and improve the lackluster return game. Long term, other draft picks such as Trysten Hill or Connor McGovern will become the most impactful players of this draft class, but short term it will be Tony Pollard who will be the Dallas Cowboys most outstanding rookie in 2019.
*Photo by elisfkc https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode
