2023 NFL Draft Getting closer and closer, the Cowboys are entering the action with a reputation as one of the best drafting teams in the NFL. They have an equally long list of great early round picks (CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs, Micah Parsons and Zack Martin, to name a few) as they do late rounds who have become key players for them, headlined by Dak Prescott, but also featuring The likes of Anthony Brown, Noah Brown, Cedric Wilson, Donovan Wilson, Tyler Biadache, and Tony Pollard.
This has not always been the case. In fact, it wasn’t that long ago that the Cowboys had a reputation for making really bad decisions in the draft. However, there was a turning point that caused Dallas to completely change the way they approach the draft. This turning point came ten years ago, in the 2013 NFL Draft, as Clarence Yee recently pointed out.
@tweet Is there an article in the archives about the pivotal 2013 draft that changed the way the Dallas Draft plays? From how did Floyd get passed over to trade back with SF and beyond in the long run?
– Clarence Yee (@MadraiRua) April 12, 2023
The 2013 draft was the third draft with Jason Jarrett as head coach, and the former Reserve quarterback was 16-16 in two full seasons (and 5-3 as interim coach) with back-to-back losses in Week 17 games that would have clinched a playoff win with a win. The Cowboys were right about the competition, but they just didn’t get there.
The big change that preceded this project was an overhaul of defensive philosophy. Rob Ryan was let go as defensive coordinator and replaced by Monte Kiffin, the legendary creator of the Tampa 2 defense. The Cowboys went from running a mixed 3-4 scheme that used a lot of blitz and press man coverage to a prototype 4-3 that was rarely dappled and ran primarily in territory Cover 2. Philosophically speaking, the two approaches couldn’t be more different.
This colored much of the Cowboys’ preconceived speculation, as Tampa 2 requires a dominant 3-tech inside defensive line in order to make it work. It just so happens that the draft has four defensive tackles that fit this mold well in Sheldon Richardson, Starr Lutoleli, Sheriff Floyd (who, coincidentally, joined the Cowboys as a coach this season), and Quan Short. All four players had been connected to a lot of Dallas prior to the draft.
Once the draft came around, Richardson and Lottoleli walked off the plate in consecutive picks at 13 and 14, respectively. Dallas held the 18th pick, losing both, electing to fall back to the 31st pick rather than pick Floyd. After six picks, Floyd was also off the plate, leaving only Short. When Dallas was on the clock again, they refused to take Short, who was considered a more likely second-round prospect, extending the streak of not picking a first-round defensive tackle to 22 consecutive years (it still stands today at 31).
Instead, the Cowboys drafted Travis Frederick, and were immediately criticized for it. Just a year ago, Dallas had awarded big contracts to guards Mackenzie Bernardo and Nate Livings, and had two different positions with starting experience in Phil Costa and Ryan Cook. The idea of taking Frederick seemed strange from the start, and there were many who gave it away The scathing reviews for choice.
NFL Network’s Mike Mayock’s immediate reaction: “You got a third-inning pitch on this guy.”
Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller’s immediate reaction: “I hate that choice.”
Talk to a man on #Cowboys Staff who knows what they’re talking about re: draft. It was incredibly baffling, if we want to underestimate it.
– Armen Williams April 26, 2013
A text from an AFC employee when I told him the Cowboys took Frederick: “Yuck.”
– AlbertBreer April 26, 2013
In the end, the opponents ended up with a lot of white on their faces, as Frederick played at the Hall of Fame level before retiring early in his career due to being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome. But the Cowboys were attacked in the media, and it got worse when Shorts was drafted with three spots prior to being selected in the second round. Dallas eventually dropped out of that draft with only three fullbacks for their new coordinator (JJ Wilcox, BW Webb, and DeVonte Holloman), and only one of them lasted more than a year with the team.
It seems ridiculous to call this draft a failure knowing what we now know about Frederick, but at the time it was the final straw for the Cowboys and their recruiting process. Remember, this was just a year after replacing Maurice Claiborne (a draft that also fielded “sure gems” in Danny Kowal and Matt Johnson) and just four years after the 2009 Special Teams Draft. Something had to change.
And something has changed. Tom Ceskowski, a member of the Cowboys’ front office since his ’90s dynasty days who has effectively managed drafts in recent years, has been demoted in favor of speedy riser Will McClay. Appointed assistant director of player personnel, McClay was now responsible for all draft planning and assembly of the draft plate that Jerry and Stephen Jones followed on draft day.
Maclay’s first draft was also difficult. Jerry made no attempts to hide his infatuation with Johnny Manziel that year, and when the Aggies quarterback was still available when Dallas was on the clock at 16, they ended up using all of their time before fielding the pick. It was later revealed that Stephen had to convince his father to stick to Maclay’s draft board, for which Zach Martin was the MVP available. Fast-forward ten years and Martin is still one of the best players at his position, a Hall of Fame lock, while Manziel is the starting quarterback for the Zappers in the fan-controlled Major League Soccer.
McClay’s first draft also landed DeMarcus Lawrence and Anthony Hitchens, two players who became highly productive players for the Cowboys. Lawrence remains one of the best defenders on the team today, while Hitchens has gone on to win power with superiors. This marked a surprising change in the success of the Cowboys draft, as one taco-shaped bug was the only one off in a resume filled with big hits.
With McClay running the drafts, the Cowboys have found a well-defined process that they adhere to firmly, and one that has yielded proven results over a decade-long draft run. This isn’t to say the Cowboys are immune from overnight criticism as they suffered in 2013; In fact, their last two first-round picks were heavily criticized on draft night. But McClay and the Cowboys were quickly validated either way, and they owe a lot of that to McClay’s operation being logically sound.
As for McClay himself, he has enjoyed recognition and recognition ever since. After his first draft, and when it became clear which gem he had landed at Martin, McClay was promoted to senior manager at the pro and college scouts. After the 2016 draft class, which picked up Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott (among others), he was promoted back to his current title of Vice President of Player Personnel. This makes Maclay the highest-ranking member of the organization to not be a descendant of the same owner. Maclay made multiple overtures from other teams for their GM vacancies, but Maclay always turned them down.
As for Ciskowski, he stayed with the team after his demotion and supported McClay all the way. he He retired after the 2019 NFL Draftcapping a 27-year career with the Cowboys that was highlighted by being the scout who “discovered” Larry Allen back in the day.
McClay’s tenure coincided with great success for the Cowboys, at least in the regular season, as they went from 86 to 60 with only two losing seasons, both of which were marked by significant injuries to the starting quarterback that year. Maclay completely reversed the Cowboys’ fortunes and ushered in an era of first-class player ratings that resulted in the Cowboys routinely having one of the best rosters in the league.
Now, as McClay prepares for his 10th draft as the person in charge, the team is in a situation where the project may not be impactful to the team’s success in 2023. They don’t have any glaring needs, thanks to clever niggling. Extras, and they can simply let the draft board fall to them and take the player they really want based on their board. This was always the McClay way, and it must be gratifying to see a team in that position go into an important draft.