The first two rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft could not have gone much better for the Cowboys. In the first round, their sixth-rated player fell in their laps at No. 17 to give the club what is perhaps the most fearsome trio of pass-catchers in franchise history. Friday’s second round allowed the club to address their depleted secondary with a cornerback who could have easily been selected the night before without anyone batting an eye or calling it a reach.
With their third-round pick, the team continued to address their underachieving defense by drafting defensive tackle Neville Gallimore from Oklahoma.
The native Canadian stands 6-foot-2-inches and weighs in at just over 300 pounds. But the big man turned heads at the combine with a 40-yard-dash time of 4.79 seconds, the fastest for a three-bill D-lineman in two decades.
Gallimore’s game improved with each season at Oklahoma; as a senior, he helped lead the Sooners to a Big 12 Championship and earned third-team All-American honors. Now having graduated to the pros, he’ll be tutored in front-line play at the next level from the likes of DeMarcus Lawrence, Dontari Poe, and Gerald McCoy.
Here is what some draft gurus were saying about the newest Dallas Cowboy when he was still just a college prospect.
Dane Brugler | The Athletic
Position rank: 7
Overall rank: 70
“Gallimore is an athletic marvel for a 300-plus pounder with the rare motor and violent hands to make plays outside his square. His splash plays are some of the best snaps you will see at the position, but his college production doesn’t match up with his impressive power/athletic traits. Overall, Gallimore isn’t the most technically sound player, but he is an athletic, charged-up big man with the explosive hands to reset the line of scrimmage or pass off blocks on his way to the pocket, projecting as a three-technique with NFL starting potential.”
Lance Zierlein | NFL.com
Projected: Round 2
Grade: 6.0 – Developmental traits-based prospect
“Flash talent whose tape has moments but fails to fully deliver. Gallimore goes hard from snap to whistle with secondary effort that brings decent production, but his NFL potential may be limited by a lack of leverage and contact balance. Oklahoma had him playing in the gaps but he might be more effective improving his hands and learning to two-gap. Unless he turns the flashes into a finished product, his future may be as a rotation tackle in an even front.”
Mike Renner | Pro Football Focus
Position rank: 6
Overall rank: 51
“For many defensive line schemes in the NFL, the goal is simple: get into the backfield by any means necessary. Gallimore possesses such ability from the nose tackle position. He’s one of the most athletic 300+ pounders in the draft class and can make plays sideline-to-sideline. While his pass-rushing toolbox is only scratching the surface of what it could be, we loved how much he took a step forward in that regard this past season. For a player that still looks like he’s learning the position at times, grading out as well as he did is a great sign.”
Kyle Crabbs | The Draft Network
Position rank: 5
Overall rank: 46
“Neville Gallimore is a disruptive 1T in a penetration style defensive system. Gallimore isn’t necessarily a huge finisher and hasn’t rolled up huge production in the backfield but make no mistake, his initial quickness, power, hand counters and motor will provide plenty of disruption up front for even front teams looking to collapse the pocket and get opposing quarterbacks on their heels. Gallimore has viable three down ability thanks to his short area agility. An NFL starter.”
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