Cowboys In PFF Top 101; Where are Randy Gregory & Trevon Diggs?

The Cowboys knocked on the door of playoff success in 2021. Who are some of the players that contributed the most according to Pro Football Focus?

FRISCO - We are now two weeks removed from the NFL season finale, a thriller of a Super Bowl between the Rams and Bengals (still not a misprint). While each organization is focused on the future and how to get to Arizona on Feb. 12 for Super Bowl LVII, Pro Football Focus has recapped the best players of 2021 from an individual standpoint.

The PFF Top 101 represents the top 101 individual performances this season, regardless of position, and credits the best players of the season that was. Some basic criteria for the list, according to PFF, is that is solely for 2021 play, ignoring past play or future expectations, for the sake of the list, all positions are equal.

Randy Gregory and Trevon Diggs

The Dallas Cowboys had seven players represented on PFF's list. (Oddly, two of them aren’t named “Trevon Diggs” or “Randy Gregory”) …

4. G ZACK MARTIN

2021 Snaps: 1,105 | 2021 PFF Grade: 94.3

In any other season, Martin’s year would have been the best offensive lineman performance, but this season, it’s second to Williams. Evan Mathis' 2013 season is the only time PFF has given a better grade to a guard during the regular season in the past decade. Martin was a dominant run-blocker for Dallas and allowed 23 pressures from 17 games, including the postseason. Martin has been the most consistent member of the Cowboys' offensive line since he arrived in Dallas, and 2021 represents his best season.

Martin continues to be one of the best players on the roster regardless of position and he seems to get better with age. He moved up from No. 48 on 2020's list.

10. LB MICAH PARSONS

2021 Snaps: 960 | 2021 PFF Grade: 89.7

Few rookies have ever made the kind of impact that Parsons was able to this season in Dallas. Drafted as an off-the-ball linebacker, Parsons was forced to moonlight as an edge rusher, and all he did was finish the season with the best pressure rate (22.6%) and pass-rushing grade (93.0) of any player in the league. He became a hybrid weapon on defense, giving the Cowboys rare flexibility upfront while forcing his way into the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year conversation.

When drafted No. 12 overall, most expected Parsons to be a defensive game-changer. After his rookie season, that was an understatement. Parson will only get better and will be a defensive weapon for defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and the Dallas Cowboys for years to come.

28. T TYRON SMITH

2021 Snaps: 754 | 2021 PFF Grade: 91.9

At his best, Smith is arguably the best left tackle in the game. However, a career blighted by injuries has left us with a scant view of that player. We saw him back again this season, as he posted a 90.0-plus PFF grade for the first time since 2015. He couldn’t escape injuries entirely and did miss a stretch of games, but he was outstanding when he did take the field, allowing 17 pressures across 515 pass-blocking snaps and earning a run-blocking grade of 90.0.

Smith went unranked in 2020, mostly due to a lack of playing time because of injuries. But he came back in 2021 to pick up where he left off. He wasn't injury-free in 2021, but a 50 percent Smith is still better than most other tackles.

51. T LA'EL COLLINS

2021 Snaps: 702 | 2021 PFF Grade: 85.7

Another player who missed time but was outstanding when he did take the field, La’el Collins helped Dallas solidify its position as the best offensive line in the NFL over the season. The seventh-year tackle had to earn his starting spot back at right tackle but allowed 20 pressures over more than 500 pass-blocking snaps in total. His 89.7 run-blocking grade represents a new career high in that facet of play.

Like Smith, Collins missed a lot of time in 2020 and was left off the list. But he returned to help shore up a sketchy-at-times offensive line.

57. WR CEEDEE LAMB

2021 Snaps: 880 | 2021 PFF Grade: 84.9

Lamb built on a strong rookie campaign with a season that saw him emerge as a true dominant force. For the second year in a row, he started on an incredible pace before his quarterback situation deteriorated and his production declined down the stretch. This time, Dak Prescott was still under center, just not playing as well as he had before picking up an injury. Lamb averaged 1.94 yards per route run, moving outside from the slot on 59.1% of his snaps this season.

Lamb went unranked on 2020's list as a rookie but followed his rookie season up with another impressive campaign. With contract questions surrounding Amari Cooper, and the free-agent status of Michael Gallup, Lamb could emerge as Dallas' No. 1 option next season.

81. QB DAK PRESCOTT

2021 Snaps: 1,113 | 2021 PFF Grade: 81.6

Before getting hurt, Prescott looked on his way to a ranking at the very top of this list, but he was never able to recapture the same form after returning from a calf injury. Prescott accumulated 34 big-time throws overall, recording more than one in a game nine times. He had 24 turnover-worthy plays, 16 of which came from Week 11 on.

Due to Prescott's well-known 2020 injury, he was unranked last season, only to return to the list in 2021. The second half of his season raised many questions for Cowboys fans.

95. G CONNOR WILLIAMS

2021 Snaps: 963 | 2021 PFF Grade: 81.1

Williams is one of the more polarizing players in the NFL. Fans often focus on his negatives, but the baseline of his performance, especially relative to the current state of NFL guard play, is actually high. Williams allowed 15 pressures across 15 games starting in which he played 624 pass-blocking snaps. His run blocking was also good, and he earned a PFF grade of at least 74.0 in each facet of play.

Williams has seen a lot of negative press in 2021 but played well enough to be included at the tail end of this list after being excluded last year. He's one of Dallas' free agents that will be due a ton of money, and the Cowboys will have a tough decision to make.