Dallas Cowboys get more help for defense, nab rising Oklahoma DT Neville Gallimore
The Dallas Cowboys got great value and continued to help the defense with Oklahoma defensive tackle Neville Gallimore in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Gallimore was rated as a high second rounder on a lot of draft boards. The Cowboys, who considered taking him 51st when chose Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs, were ecstatic to get him with the 82nd overall pick.
It was another example of them sticking to their draft board and letting good things come to them as they did with the first two pick in Diggs in the second round and Oklahoma receiver Ceedee Lamb in the first round on Thursday.
“Truthfully, to be honest with you, it was a tough decision for us between Diggs and Gallimore [with the 51st pick],” vice president Stephen Jones said. “There were right there. To get a talent from Oklahoma like [Neville] Gallimore, that was certainly a huge, huge win for us in terms of him being there in the third round.
“So yes, I think that if you are patient, and you stay true to it, and you believe in it, and you have good players that are sitting there, and you’re willing to wait on it to come to you, then good things will happen.”
The Cowboys didn’t get the pass rusher they probably needed most on Day 2 but they added a talented player with upside to the defensive line.
Gallimore joins an already impressive list of additions at defensive tackle in free agency with Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe, giving the Cowboys talent and depth up front.
The 6-foot-2, 304-pound Gallimore gives the Cowboys an athletic playmaker at tackle. He ran a 4.79 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting combine and finished his collegiate career at Oklahoma with 147 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He set career-highs in tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (4) in 2019.
Gallimore will certainly be comfortable in Dallas with Lamb, an OU teammate, and McCoy, an OU alum. He says having the here will make his transition easier, though not as easy as his travel.
He worked out before the draft at Baylor Scott and White right next to the Cowboys headquarters at the Star in Frisco and was in Frisco for the draft on Friday.
But he says his focus is on getting better. A native of Canada who started late in the sport, Gallimore believes his best football is in front of him.
“A high-effort guy,” Gallimore said when asked to describe himself. “A jack of all trades. A guy that’s disruptive and can rush the passer or a guy that can stop the run. Whatever you want from me I will do. My ceiling is so high. The best football has not come out of me yet. But it’s coming. It’s coming soon.”
Coach Mike McCarthy likes Gallimore explosiveness and his ability to fly down the line and play sideline-to-sideline. But also his jack of all trades versatility.
“He’s exactly what you’re looking for,” McCarthy said. “The more you can do, the more opportunities you put yourself in position for. The fact he can play multiple techniques is something that you look for. It’s about rotation. You tend to forget it’s a long season. It’s going to take all of your players, especially up front. The ability to have versatility pays well for us.”
The Cowboys have four picks in the final four rounds on Saturday, one in the fourth (123rd overall), two in the fifth (164th and 179th) and one in the seventh (231st).
Safety and pass rusher remain needs.
But the focus will remain the same. Trust the draft board and wait for good players to come to them.
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 9:51 PM.
