DALLAS — On Day 2 of the NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys continued their trend of using this year’s festivities to fill roster holes left by the departures of some of their more talented players. With their pick in the third round, the Cowboys selected wide receiver Jalen Tolbert out of South Alabama.
After trading Amari Cooper earlier this year, Tolbert should compete for playing time right away with the Cowboys. With the cupboard looking barren behind No. 1 WR CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys were in danger of heading into the season without much depth at the position.
Wideouts Cooper, Cedric Turner, and Malik Turner are all gone while newly re-signed veteran Michael Gallup is likely to miss an early part of the 2022 season while continuing to rehab a torn ACL that he suffered in January.
In 88th overall selection Tolbert, the Cowboys gained a receiver who dominated against lower-level competition. However, Tolbert was recruited heavily but chose to stay close to home and play for the Sun Belt Conference’s Jaguars rather than enrolling at Michigan St.
No matter the opponent, Tolbert is bringing his athletic profile to the NFL. Tolbert has a long, lean frame, and possesses the ability to break away from defenders in the open field. He also has a quick first step to gain separation, but one of Tolbert’s greatest traits is his knack for coming down with contested catches.
With a wingspan of close to 77 inches and an arm length of 32-inches, Tolbert frequently wins on jump balls. That’s a quality that the Cowboys can use in the red zone, where they have struggled for the past few years.
There isn’t much to complain about with Tolbert, who earned some high praise from Pro Football Network’s Cam Maller.
“[Jalen] Tolbert is the prototypical wide receiver for any NFL offense in 2021 and beyond,” said Maller.
“He creates separation pre-snap with his eyes and understanding of defenses just as he creates separation from defenders with routes. He has tremendous straight-line speed for his size yet doesn’t lose speed in his cuts. He’s a dependable YAC threat with terrific hands who is an exceptional high-pointer of the football. He’s the total package outside.”
One area where Tolbert can improve is holding onto the ball, as he had some issues with drops. However, over the course of the last two seasons in college, Tolbert put up big numbers. The 2021 Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year amassed 2,559 yards and totaled 16 touchdowns. During his four years in college, Tolbert was a big play waiting to happen, as he averaged close to 18 yards per catch.
The goal coming into this weekend was clear for the Cowboys. They wanted to come out of the first three rounds in the draft with another top receiving target. Lamb and Gallup are a great tandem, but in today’s NFL, you need a wealth of options and Tolbert is expected to help in that area.
If Tolbert can quickly assimilate to the competition he’ll see at the next level, the Cowboys got a prospect with the potential to exceed expectations. Tolbert has the ability to be more than a complementary receiver but Dallas hopes that they’ve found a third threat for 2022 in the meantime.
It's ironic that the Cowboys had the 88th pick and used that selection on a WR. The number is iconic for the franchise at the position. Currently, 88 belongs to the No. 1 WR in Dallas, and Lamb won’t be giving it up, but the lore of the number will only grow in fame if Tolbert turns out to be a star.
The Cowboys needed another WR to elevate the quality of the position and the selection of Jalen Tolbert has all the makings of an outstanding pick.
Do you think the Cowboys found an enticing receiving option with Jalen Tolbert? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.
