Tag: Neville Gallimore

2023 likely last Cowboys chance for DT Neville Gallimore

Gallimore has yet to fulfill his potential and entering the last year on his Cowboys deal, time is running out for the young DT. | From @ReidDHanson

The NFL is an impatient beast. Potential can only get a player by for so long. At some point, players have to perform or teams will move on to someone else. Fourth-year pro Neville Gallimore falls into this category.

The Cowboys selected Gallimore with the No. 82 overall pick in the infamous 2020 draft. Their 2020 draft haul earned praise league-wide for the value and efficiency in which Dallas picked. Gallimore was just one of many prospects the Cowboys selected far lower than his expected draft slot. He was dubbed a bargain by most and even a steal to some.

The 6-foot-2, 302 pound DT from Oklahoma scored well in his pre-draft testing. His RAS (relative athletic testing) rated him with “elite” speed and “great” explosiveness for his position group, leading many scouts to believe Gallimore’s skills would translate well to the professional game.

Gallimore started out strong, earning nine starts and 416 defensive snaps as a rookie (career highs). That first season he logged four tackles for loss, with four QB hits and six pressures (also would be career highs). He wasn’t dominant as a rookie but he was promising, living up to his lofty expectations as a “steal” and keeping the Cowboys optimistic about his future.

The optimism would soon dissipate as Gallimore would seemingly regress. He would go on to only make five more starts and take 567 more defensive snaps over the next two seasons.

The explosive, yet stoutly built, interior lineman struggled in both phases of the game and rated as the 120th DT in the NFL last season, per PFF (out of 127). His run defense was especially abysmal, earning a 36.4 score, third worst in the NFL in 2022.

The film and the numbers support the grades. When Gallimore was on the field, opposing offenses averaged 0.6 yards more on the ground than when he was off the field. 2022 marked a career low in pressures as well (2). It seemed as though nothing was going right for the young DT.

At age 26 and in the last year of his rookie contract, time is running out for the former Sooner. Gallimore still possesses a special skill set of size, speed and explosiveness that made him once seem like a steal. It’s now a matter of putting that together and realizing his potential.

With size, speed and athleticism, Gallimore has something the other 300+ pound DTs on the Dallas roster do not – the ability to pursue.

For as good as Johnathan Hankins and Quinton Bohanna are at the point of attack, they are limited by their lateral movement and can be avoided by determined running games. Gallimore is the one man on the roster who has both the size and pursuit ability.

With the departure of Carlos Watkins (a free agent loss), the Cowboys are expected to be on the lookout for a new defensive tackle in the upcoming draft. Dallas can’t afford to bank on Gallimore to simply pick up the slack and need to start looking to the future.

Entering his fourth season with the Cowboys the time is now for Gallimore to finally realize that high-end potential that the former third round “steal” once flashed.

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Ranking Oklahoma’s last 10 recruiting classes

Ranking the Oklahoma Sooners last 10 recruiting classes.

The Oklahoma Sooners closed the early signing period of the 2023 cycle with a ton of momentum, earning a last-second flip of five-star safety [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. Bowen joined Guyer teammate [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and edge rusher [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] in the 2023 class to give the Sooners three five-star players for the cycle.

It was a huge recruiting haul for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff, who worked their way into the top five of the 247Sports recruiting class composite. This class has Venables fingerprints all over it with a heavy emphasis on the defensive side of the ball.

The Sooners ended up with 16 four- and five-star signees, and 10 of those came on the defensive side. Six were defensive backs, two were linebackers, and two were defensive linemen. The three-star players they signed on defense can play. [autotag]Taylor Wein[/autotag], [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag], [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag], [autotag]Phil Picciotti[/autotag] and [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag] are athletic players with high motors. Each has a chance to outperform his recruiting status.

It was an historic class for the Sooners, marking just the second time in the 247Sports database (since 2000) that they signed multiple five-star defensive players, and only the second time they had three five-star signees. Looking back, let’s take a look at how it stacks up with the last 10 recruiting classes for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Every Oklahoma Sooner on an NFL roster in 2022 training camp

Where are your favorite former Sooners playing at the NFL level?

46 former Oklahoma Sooners are deep into preparations for the 2022 NFL season. The Cleveland Browns and the Kansas City Chiefs lead the way with four OU alum each, followed by three Sooners a piece on the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, and Philadelphia Eagles’ rosters.

Oklahoma is projected to have three starting quarterbacks in the league with Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts. CeeDee Lamb took over as the No. 1 wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, and Marquise Brown will play that role for the Arizona Cardinals while DeAndre Hopkins serves his suspension.

Oklahoma has a strong presence of offensive linemen in the league led by one of the best players in all of football, Trent Williams. Creed Humphrey made a case to be in consideration for the best center in football in just his rookie season.

Some may not make it to the opening day roster, but a large percentage of the 46 players will be on a team come week one.

Where is each former Sooners player working in training camp ahead of the 2022 NFL season? Take a look.

Oklahoma’s Jeffery Johnson projected to be the No. 2 defensive line transfer for 2022 by On3 Sports

Projecting which defensive line transfers will be the most impactful for 2022, On3 Sports ranked Jeffery Johnson second.

In recent history, the Oklahoma Sooners have done fantastic work acquiring players via the transfer portal to play significant roles on the team. The quarterback additions of Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, and now Dillon Gabriel have helped the Sooners maintain their status as one of the top programs in college football.

And while Dillon Gabriel has to take a snap for the Sooners, his move to Norman is part of what provides the optimism that the Sooners can contend in 2022. But he’s not all. The Sooners made several additions on both sides of the football that will have a significant impact in 2022.

Look no further than defensive tackle Jeffery Johnson, the transfer from Tulane.

Johnson isn’t the same type of defensive tackle that we’ve seen in recent years with Neville Gallimore, Perrion Winfrey, and even Jalen Redmond. Johnson is a space-eater and people mover who will be disruptive on the interior, making life difficult for opposing guards and centers. His presence will make life easier on the linebacker corp as they look to fill from the second level in the running game and Jalen Redmond as teams have to send two blockers Johnson’s way.

Projecting who will be the most impactful transfers at each position in the 2022 season, Jeffery Johnson was ranked No. 2 among defensive linemen by On3 Sports’ Mike Huguenin.

The skinny: Jeffery Johnson was a four-year starter at nose tackle for Tulane, including as a true freshman in 2018, before entering the transfer portal. Johnson (6-2, 313) had 44 tackles last season, along with five tackles for loss, and had 33 tackles and six TFL in 2020. OU is looking to rebuild its defensive line under new coach Brent Venables, and Johnson gives Venables and new DC Ted Roof an experienced plug-and-play guy. Johnson had a good spring for the Sooners and could end up starting next to holdover Jalen Redmond; if he doesn’t start, he’ll still be an important part of the rotation. – Huguenin, On3 Sports

In 42 games over four seasons with the Green Wave, Johnson accumulated 135 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks. Against the Sooners in 2021, Johnson had six total tackles and a tackle for loss, providing a challenge for the Oklahoma offensive line.

And while he’ll make his presence known mostly as a run defender, Johnson has the ability to get after the quarterback as well. In 2021, he was tied for fourth in total pressures for Tulane, according to Pro Football Focus.

Playing with improved talent along the defensive line, Johnson should be able to make a far greater impact. Simply his presence will make things difficult on opposing rushing attacks as his 330-pound frame won’t be easily moved. That size and strength on the interior will be a welcomed addition for the Oklahoma Sooners to kick off the Brent Venables era in Norman.

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Top 20 Madden ’23 ratings for Oklahoma Sooners in the NFL

Top 20 ratings for former Oklahoma Sooners in EA Sports Madden NFL 23.

The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner, so we’re on the verge of a new EA Sports Madden NFL game. The folks over at EA Sports have been rolling out positional ratings over the last several days, and now the full database is available to peruse.

Former offensive tackle [autotag]Trent Williams[/autotag] leads the way for the Oklahoma Sooners as one of four members of the “99 club” according to EA Sports. He joins Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams and Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett in the exclusive club.

[autotag]Mark Andrews[/autotag] is the third highest rated tight end in the ratings behind Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers.

With the release less than a month away on August 19, let’s take a look at the top 20 Sooners in EA Sports Madden NFL 23.

Sooners of the past descending on Norman for Oklahoma’s 2022 Spring Game

Oklahoma’s Spring Game will welcome in the Brent Venables era, but also welcome back a number of past Oklahoma Sooners’ greats.

The 2022 Oklahoma Spring game will represent the first time fans will get an opportunity to see [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ Sooners take the field. And as the current roster puts in the final touches on spring ball before breaking till fall camp, Oklahoma will also welcome in a bevy of recruits they hope to convince to be future Sooners.

Helping the football program sell the University of Oklahoma will be Sooners greats of the past. In a strong social media campaign, dozens of former players let it be known on Twitter that they’ll be in Norman for the Oklahoma Sooners Spring Game.

It’s a who’s who of the past, including the man who will be immortalized in Heisman Park on Saturday, [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag].

Mayfield was in Norman on Friday, spending time with the team and at the facility before the unveiling of his Heisman statue during tomorrow’s festivities.

From [autotag]Jason White[/autotag] to Baker Mayfield and [autotag]Dusty Dvoracek[/autotag] to [autotag]Neville Gallimore[/autotag], here are some of the Oklahoma greats that will be in attendance as Brent Venables’ team takes the field in front of Sooner Nation for the first time.

Perrion Winfrey goes to the Dallas Cowboys in post-NFL Combine mock from The Draft Network

Oklahoma’s Perrion Winfrey sent to the Dallas Cowboys in The Draft Network’s post-NFL Combine Mock Draft.

The NFL Combine has come and gone and now draft hopefuls will turn to pro days and on-site meetings with NFL teams ahead of the 2022 NFL draft.

The Sooners weren’t short on invitees to the NFL Combine, sending 11 players to the annual event. That number tied with Alabama for the second-most participants at the combine behind Georgia’s 14.

In his first mock draft after the NFL Combine, The Draft Network’s Kyle Crabbs gave Oklahoma Sooners defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey a big bump, sending him to the Dallas Cowboys at 24th overall.

The Cowboys have already shown they have an affinity for Oklahoma defensive tackles when they drafted Neville Gallimore a few years back. This isn’t quite that, though. Instead, Winfrey has prototypical length and I would assume he can play some odd front end, base end, and serve as a 3-tech. The Senior Bowl (and combine) showcased what Winfrey can look like when he’s not playing zero-tech… and I like that projection quite a bit. – Crabbs, The Draft Network

Alongside former Sooners CeeDee Lamb and Neville Gallimore, Perrion Winfrey would provide Oklahoma fans further incentive to follow the Dallas Cowboys.

Neville Gallimore was solid in his first season, but a preseason injury before 2021 limited him to just five games at the end of the year. He’ll have another year in Dan Quinn’s system and hopefully an offseason with a clean bill of health to continue to round his game out. Adding Winfrey to the mix gives the Cowboys two defensive tackles with ridiculous motors and interior versatility.

Osa Odighizuwa and veteran Brent Urban look poised to hold down the one-technique spot in Dan Quinn’s four-down look. A rotation of Winfrey and Gallimore at 3-technique can help keep Micah Parsons clean while providing an interior pass rush. That might be something Quinn could get behind.

The Cowboys don’t have a major hole at defensive tackle. However, investing draft capital on one of the premier defensive tackles in this draft class to help make life easier for your All-Pro linebacker seems like a sound strategy.

The Cowboys also don’t have any impact players on the interior of their defensive line. There are guys with a lot of potential, but someone with Winfrey’s talent, demeanor, and energy would be welcomed on a Dallas. Cowboys defense that allowed 170 rushing yards to the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

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3 Stars: Cowboys DL challenges for title of team’s most impressive unit

The Dallas Cowboys beat Washington in Week 14, thanks to their defense. Find out which 3 defenders were this week’s stars of the game. | From @AsaHenry_55

The Cowboys pushed their lead in the NFC East to three games after escaping Washington with a win in Week 14. Dallas seemingly had the game in hand with a 24-point advantage at halftime, but their divisional rival cut the deficit to just seven late in the fourth quarter. Dallas held on, proving head Coach Mike McCarthy’s midweek guarantee of a victory true.

How did Dallas hold on? Their defense, finally featuring a near-full allotment of players, dominated the Washington offense, making big play after big play. The offensive performance didn’t match the other side of the ball, which is becoming a troublesome trend, but the Cowboys defense is quickly becoming one of the league’s scariest, something few fans or pundits predicted prior to the season.

Here’s a look at three Cowboys who made a serious impact in the Cowboys crucial NFC East win.

Cowboys activate Randy Gregory, Neville Gallimore as part of Week 14 roster moves

The Dallas defense gets two key pieces back for Week 14’s game; Darian Thompson and JaQuan Hardy are among the practice squad elevations. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys have made it official: defensive end Randy Gregory and defensive tackle Neville Gallimore are once again on the active roster and eligible to play Sunday in Washington.

Both were removed from the Reserve/Injured-Designated for Return list on Saturday.

Gregory has missed the past four games with a calf strain. Gallimore will make his regular season debut after suffering a dislocated elbow in the preseason.

The Cowboys did a bit of further shuffling to prepare for the Week 14 divisional showdown in the nation’s capital, elevating safety Darian Thompson, tight end Ian Bunting, and running back JaQuan Hardy from the practice squad. Defensive tackle Justin Hamilton was waived.

The Hardy elevation is of particular interest due to the uncertainty surrounding the team’s stable of running backs. Ezekiel Elliott has been nursing a knee injury for two months, though he says he plans to play through it. Tony Pollard has been listed as questionable after tearing a plantar fascia during the Week 13 win in New Orleans. Free agent Ito Smith was signed midweek, joining backup Corey Clement.

Clarity on how any of them will be used may not come until shortly before kickoff at FedEx Field, as there is still a list of gametime inactives to be determined.

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Cowboys DT Neville Gallimore begins practice window, DeMarcus Lawrence could play Thursday

Gallimore started the season on IR; he could be activated any time in the next 21 days. DeMarcus Lawrence could play as early as Thursday. | From @ToddBrock24f7

It’s been a long wait for defensive tackle Neville Gallimore to make his 2021 debut. But the wait is almost over, for both the Canadian-born third-round pick of last year’s draft and the Cowboys fans who have been eager to see if he can build off a solid rookie season and stellar training camp this year.

The Cowboys announced Monday that Gallimore has started his 21-day practice window after starting the season on injured reserve.

Dallas can activate the Oklahoma product at any time, though it would be an usually quick turnaround if he were made eligible to play Thursday night in New Orleans. The team’s Week 14 game, Dec. 12 at Washington, is a more likely target date.

Edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence also returned to practice Monday; he could suit up Thursday night, which would be his first game action since Week 1’s loss to Tampa. He broke a bone in his foot in practice prior to Week 2.

Gallimore suffered a dislocated elbow in the Cowboys’ second preseason game versus Arizona in mid-August. At the time, a four-to-six week recovery window was given. The injury resulted in minimal structural damage, with nothing torn.

Dallas put Gallimore on short-term injured reserve to start the season, but it took him significantly longer than the required three weeks to be ready to return.

In nine starts as a rookie last season, Gallimore recorded 26 tackles (four for loss), was credited with one-half of a sack, and logged 12 quarterback pressures across 14 games.

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