In light of the struggles the Dallas Cowboys’ defense has faced this year, many have looked to the NFL Draft as a means for replenishing the roster’s deficiencies. Unlike perimeter positions that may be targeted subsequent to free-agent departures, other needs, such as defensive tackle, have required addressing for quite some time.
In Dallas, Demarcus Lawrence and Robert Quinn have provided a potent pass rush that allowed defensive play-caller Kris Richard to blitz with decreasing frequency. Unequivocally, by blitzing less, they can drop more defenders into coverage. At the same time, the Cowboys’ pass rush has come up short in key situations, and any defense would welcome an improvement in this facet.
Double team rate as an edge rusher (x) by pass rush win rate as an edge rusher (y).
PRWR = rate at which pass rusher beats his blocker within 2.5 seconds.
(ESPN metric, Next Gen Stats data) pic.twitter.com/7TrubcE0t3
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) November 18, 2019
It would be difficult to make any refinement at edge rusher, but one hole has remained in the front seven. They have missed a legitimate 4-3 defensive tackle to create pass rush synergy with their productive edge pieces. In this year’s class, all eyes are on Auburn’s Derrick Brown, who rightfully deserves the hype he’s received after an incredible collegiate career. However, he’ll likely find himself selected in the top-ten come April, striking his name off Dallas’ draft board. Officially picking 17th overall, a separate player comes into focus.
Neville Gallimore would be a home run first-round pick for America’s Team.
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The Sooner redshirt senior may not garner the hype of Brown, but it is unjust to write him off as anything less than an excellent prospect. The consensus may be lower on his current draft stock, but every year, the NFL Combine propels the outlooks of its jaw-dropping participants. Count on Gallimore to experience a similar rise to first-round relevancy.
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman was early to uncover Gallimore’s athleticism, writing, “He wowed Sooner coaches by clocking a mind-blowing 4.76 40 at 6-foot-2, 330 pounds.
He also squatted 800 pounds. OU defensive tackles coach Ruffin McNeill told me he’s never been around someone that freakish,” as early as 2018. As always, a deeper dive into his days at Oklahoma tells the story of why he goes toe to toe with the best defensive line prospects this class has to offer.
Games Watched
Iowa State (2019), Texas (2019), Texas (2018)
Strengths
Gallimore’s aforementioned athletic prowess is the cog to his production machine. His get-off is elite and helpful in overwhelming centers who have to quickly transition to blocking after snapping the football. Whether he is taking advantage of guards or centers, the Canadian import can collapse pockets at light speed. His natural speed is enough to make a defensive coordinator drool, as his ability to finish and carry out stunts is intriguing at worst, and dominant at best.
This also aids in his ability to impact runs outside of the tackles, where most defensive tackles see their impacts mitigated. Similarly, his ability to pursue ball carriers past the line of scrimmage adds an extra layer of protection for a defense, which has had its struggles with tackling.
As an interior pass rusher, Gallimore can showcase game-breaking talents. Whether he is taking on a guard on early downs or kicked to nose tackle in obvious passing downs, he can combine tools to manufacture pressure. His ability to win with athleticism, strength, and technique are each lethal on their own and tend to surpass comprehension when combined. We’ve seen what players like Fletcher Cox can do for a defense. With a Gallimore selection, the Cowboys would have their own world-wrecking talent from the same mold.
Oklahoma senior DT Neville Gallimore with the JUICE on an inside spin rush v. Iowa State #NFLDraft
🔸How Gallimore wins as a 0-tech
🔸Smart and violent hand usage controls the rep from the start
🔸Quick + dynamic movements: cut weight from 2018!#OutOfMySeat rep right here!! pic.twitter.com/KwkFo9WTwV— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) December 15, 2019
Like most great pass rushers, hand usage is critical to Gallimore’s success. In a league where most prospects are raw and unrefined entering the league, the Oklahoma product possesses an exceedingly refined pair of hands.
His move set is expansive for an interior defensive lineman, but he is allowed to be creative because of this broad array of moves. With impressive hand speed, he can easily combine technique with athleticism or power to win his engagements. Likewise, Gallimore has showcased the ability to maximize leverage and use it to his advantage, especially against interior linemen that may trump him in the size department. Improvements can be made in the development of his counters, but overall, Gallimore’s technique is promising as both a run stuffer and pass rusher.
Furthermore, Gallimore can make indirect impacts on a defense as well. When asked to twp-gap, Gallimore can showcase the best of his gap manipulation skills. This allows him to take on multiple blocks and help his teammates find more advantageous engagements. Any extra attention paid to him would open up opportunities for Lawrence, Quinn, or an additional blitzer.
Against the run, this skill aids the linebackers and safeties behind him, who now have a chance to penetrate instead of filling. Additionally, as with any defender on the field, there will come a time to tackle, and thankfully, Gallimore doesn’t have any real concerns in this regard. Thus, his floor is raised by his ability to impact plays without producing and eliminating ugly mistakes.
Weaknesses
To start, there are no red flags or true, glaring weaknesses in Gallimore’s game. His deficiencies are not holes in his game as much as they are areas of mediocrity when compared to the elite strengths he possesses. Anyhow, Gallimore has experienced troubles with his anchor, a factor that may limit his positional versatility at the next level.
With Antwuan Woods (RFA) next to him, the pressure to take snaps at nose tackle on early downs diminishes. When taking on double teams, struggles emerge, as he can be neutralized. Taking on the extra blocker is beneficial, but being able to take these on better could raise his ceiling to an even higher status. On a similar note, Gallimore’s anchor strength can be called into question in short-yardage and goalline situations. Here, he is somewhat inconsistent, compared to his pass rush reps, where his strength can be more functional.
Moreover, his play against the run is by no means bad— I’d actually consider him an above-average run defender. It may require more work than his pass-rushing skills, but his floor in the run game is not too concerning. He is much more likely to lose reps against the run, where his technique suffers a slight drop off. His dominant reps lie solely on pass rushes, but that does not render him useless. Gallimore is hard to make disappear, but block shedding woes have flared up from time to time. His ability to manipulate gaps on zone runs remains an issue, arguably the most significant obstacle in his play as a run defender. Progress here would quickly help him realize his potential and wreak havoc wherever he lands.
Summary
Gallimore’s game can be traced back to his remarkable athletic profile. This will be put on display during the NFL Combine, barring any health concerns. His name may not be a frequent subject of first-round talks now, but it is only a matter of time before his stock takes off. In a class with an unimaginable amount of defensive talent at the top, Gallimore’s game has flown under the radar for too long.
His tape against Iowa State is the best any defensive lineman has to offer in this year’s class, and one of the main reasons why I think his best NFL comparison is Quinnen Williams. Personally, he is one of the few prospects I would pound the table for, and his fit with the Cowboys should only emphasize these notions.
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In Dallas’ 4-3 defensive front, Gallimore could step in between Woods and either Lawrence or Quinn and be a difference-maker from the jump. Whether his impact is direct or not is yet to be seen, but with the increasing value of interior pressure, Gallimore fits the archetype this defense needs. Coaching changes will certainly attempt to bring change, but with the opportunity to rush Lawrence and Quinn on every snap, a schematic change to the front seven should not be on Jerry Jones’ to-do list. If Gallimore is available at 17, Dallas’ draft card shouldn’t take long to fill out.
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