Getty Dez Bryant
Dez Bryant was active, as usual, on social media during last week’s 2021 NFL Draft. And the veteran free-agent wide receiver had plenty to say, as usual, about the Dallas Cowboys.
Specifically, Bryant believes Dallas erred by not targeting former Michigan cornerback Ambry Thomas, who was drafted in the third round by the San Francisco 49ers.
Dallas should have drafted Ambry Thomas
The latest Dallas Cowboys news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Cowboys newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on Cowboys Newsletter!
More from Dez
For those who were glued to Twitter last Thursday night, Bryant was tweeting almost pick-for-pick his reaction to the Draft. As the Cowboys were concerned, he remarked on the Denver Broncos sniping top cornerback Patrick Surtain at No. 9 overall, one spot before Jerry Jones and Co.
“That was cold blooded Denver,” Bryant said, adding, “I believe Jerry really wanted Surtain.”
Perhaps Bryant was right, because Dallas would move down from No. 10 to No. 12 in a surprising trade with the rival Philadelphia Eagles, targeting the next-highest-rated prospect on its board: former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.
“Cowboys are on the clock!!!” Bryant exclaimed.
“Dallas have to go linebacker.. I think that’s who he really want,” he said.
Parsons was a nice consolation prize for a decrepit Cowboys defense, an instant-impact starter with immeasurable upside. But, in Bryant’s estimation, he remained just that: a consolation. Surtain (or South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn, who went No. 8 to Carolina) was supposed to be the choice for Jones, whose reaction was easy to read.
“Yea Jerry is super pissed lol,” Bryant concluded.
Follow the Heavy on Cowboys Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
Plan K?
So, the Cowboys — seeking defensive players at all costs — didn’t get a shot at Horn or Surtain, widely considered the two best corners in this year’s class. They also opted to pass on Thomas, who declared himself among the top-five immediately upon being taken by the 49ers.
“I’m ready to show everybody what I can do,” he said, per USA Today. “I feel like I’ve got a chip on my shoulder. Because I feel disrespected through this whole process. I know what I bring to the table. I missed a whole offseason at Michigan and I still played how I played last year. I was on one week of practice when I got back. I know what I can do — I’ll put it like that.”
But Dallas did invest a second-rounder in former Kentucky CB Kelvin Joseph, a high-risk, high-reward import with a long-term starting projection. A boundary cover man, Joseph should see significant rookie snaps opposite hyped sophomore Trevon Diggs, forming a competent outside duo to pair with slot men Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown.
“The Cowboys are going to get a playmaker,” Joseph said after hearing his name called. “An all-around smart player whose coming in ready to learn and ready to work with the vets and ready to take the team to another level.”
READ NEXT: Dallas Cowboys’ ‘Biggest Flaw’ Exposed to NFL After 2021 Draft
Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL