Cowboys 6 Draft Tricks: How'd It Turn Out?

The Dallas Cowboys Have Six Traditional NFL Draft Tricks, Tipoffs and Tells; How'd It Turn Out This Year?

FRISCO - As we've written on an annual basis, the Dallas Cowboys have six traditional NFL Draft "Tricks, Tipoffs and Tells'' that offer hints to the team's plan that year. Time for a 2020 review:

How did that "formula'' turn out this year?

The six tips (a concept first cooked up by colleague KD Drummond), followed by this year's results:

Tip 1 Can we get the best player at a position? Tyron Smith. Dez Bryant. Travis Frederick. Zack Martin. Morris Claiborne. This is a recurring theme, sometimes somehow executed even when Dallas isn't drafting high enough to make it seem possible.

And in 2020? Another impossible. Despite selecting at No. 17, the Cowboys lucked into CeeDee Lamb, their top-rated receiver, who was also ranked in their top six on Will McClay's Big Board.

An amazing trend.

Tip 2: Let's take a second-round risk! We've often thought that this is about owner Jerry Jones wishing to go "wild-cattin', the old oil man believing that he'd struck safe gold in Round 1, thus giving him the justification to roll some dice in Round 2. Dallas has done that with "risky'' players often, from Bruce Carter to Sean Lee to Tank Lawrence (the trade-up representing risk) to Gavin Escobar (who?) to Randy Gregory to Trysten Hill.

And in 2020? There are those who believe Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs slipped from a possible first-round perch due to an old foot injury. But the Cowboys? They never blinked - and while they don't consider this a risk, the fact that other teams had concerns works well enough for the formula.

Tip 3: Athleticism is Everything - Dallas loves those "SPARQ'' guys. Byron Jones? Off-the-charts athleticism. Leighton Vander Esch? Same. When in doubt with a late-round pick? Tab an athlete.

And in 2020? Lamb and Diggs certainly qualify here. But fourth-round center Tyler Biadasz doesn't. And fifth-round defensive end Bradlee Anae ran a bad 40 time. And seventh-round QB Ben DiNucci isn't here based on athleticism, either. So overall, a bit of a break from habit here.

Tip 4: Follow the Money This is all about observing what positions feature guys with expiring contracts - and what guys aren't going to get paid to stay in the future ... requiring replacements now.

And in 2020? Bingo at cornerback. Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis are both on the final years of their deals. And voila, Dallas drafts not one but two cornerbacks who come with high hopes in Diggs and fourth-rounder Reggie Robinson II.

Tip 5: McClay likes Big School guys Alabama. LSU. Notre Dame. The Cowboys believe that the longer you've been a blue-chipper ... the more you've excelled at the highest levels ... the comfort you have with big audiences and big pressure ... the better.

And in 2020? Oklahoma. Alabama. Oklahoma. Those are the schools repped in the first three picks. The pattern continues. 

Tip 6: The Joneses tell "Easter Egg'' truths in the pre-Draft pressers We've still never figured out whether Jerry (and now Stephen) drop hints in our pre-Draft interviews with them because a) they enjoy tossing out an Easter Egg once in a while or b) they're just blabbermouths who can't help themselves. But they will give you clues ... if you'll just listen.

And in 2020? On the one hand, the Dallas Cowboys were absolutely, positively not going to take a receiver in Round 1 ... and it was the truth ... until it happened. But otherwise? They openly stated their desire to take a cornerback and a D-lineman high. And they did so. New coach Mike McCarthy pitched in by promising to stay open-minded about replacing the retired Travis Frederick - and he was key to the Biadasz pick. And they all but guaranteed they'd take a QB late, and again, McCarthy pinpointed DiNucci.

Overall, amid some changes - maybe McCarthy's influence among them - the six traditional NFL Draft "Tricks, Tipoffs and Tells'' held up solidly. Now we'll see if the actual decisions do so.