Tag: Neville Gallimore

Cowboys’ X-factor: Neville Gallimore poised for increased role in 2021

A look at Neville Gallimore’s potential entering Year 2 and placement in Dan Quinn’s scheme.

The Dallas Cowboys defensive line depth is crowded with recent acquisitions in free agency and the 2021 NFL draft, but second-year player Neville Gallimore is primed for a larger role in Dan Quinn’s scheme.

After injuries to both Gerald McCoy and Trysten Hill, Gallimore made his presence known in the trenches during his rookie campaign.

In 416 snaps from the interior, the three-technique player was productive wrapping up ball carriers at the line of scrimmage and collapsing the pocket with a lethal swim move. In an historically bad defensive output last season under then defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, Gallimore became a bright spot up front. The Canadian fell to the Cowboys in the third round, and they eagerly snagged their second-round target after Trevon Diggs was available at with their pick in the second round.

Gallimore will look to make a mark in 2021. He will compete with Hill and vie for a starting role in Quinn’s ‘Seattle’ system. The former Oklahoma star will transition to a new defensive staff and learn the playbook. He will absorb a different approach to leverage, technique and hand placement as he works on the fundamentals.

Quinn confirmed his scheme will consist of a 3-4 in base packages and a four-man front in nickel situations, which will be utilized 60-70 percent of the time with the prominence of pass-oriented offensive attacks. Gallimore took advantage of opportunities last season and has the chance to become a key playmaker for the Cowboys in 2021. In his second year, he is poised to take a leap.

A year ago, the Cowboys ranked 31st against the run. The most glaring issue is an obvious one. Dallas is scheduled to face many talented running backs in 2021, including Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Saquon Barkley and Alvin Kamara. With the addition of Brent Urban, Carlos Watkins, Gallimore, and Hill returning, Osa Odighizuwa, Chauncey Golston and big-bodied one-technique Quinton Bohanna, this defense is in a much better position. They have a clearer vision and are being put into roles that will maximize talent and are tailored to fit their strengths. More organization will breed success.

After a full offseason of training and working with Quinn hands-on, Gallimore can develop into one of the team’s greatest X-factors. No. 96 can raise the defense and be the differing variable in the interior that takes the unit from solid to outstanding. With a quick get-off, Gallimore is a player to keep an eye on during training camp at the end of the month.

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Injuries brought DT Neville Gallimore to top of Cowboys depth chart, talent will keep him there

Cowboys defensive tackle Neville Gallimore showed promise as a rookie, will he emerge in his 2nd year as a key cog in an efficient attack? | From @CDBurnett7

Neville Gallimore’s rookie year was a chance to prove why the Dallas Cowboys felt fortunate to have him drop to them in the third round. As the story goes, the club was ready to select CB Trevon Diggs in the first round had WR CeeDee Lamb not fallen to them. Thinking they would have missed out on Diggs, they were prepared to take Oklahoma’s Gallimore next until the Alabama DB made his way down the board. So when their second-round target was still available, the front office felt they were still receiving gifts from the draft gods.

Gallimore, jersey No. 96, certainly showed flashes throughout the season. In a defense that was thin upfront due to season-ending injuries to Trysten Hill and Gerald McCoy, he was propelled into a large role early.

Bringing in new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn for 2021, The Cowboys are somewhat asking Gallimore to start fresh in his sophomore campaign, learning under the new staff. On top of the learning process, Gallimore has to challenge Hill for a starting spot. If he earns the top tier, Gallimore can wreak havoc in the middle and be a spark for the defense.

Three former Sooners to be a featured on HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’

Three former Sooners to be featured on cable television staple ‘Hard Knocks’

HBO and NFL films announced that the Dallas Cowboys will be featured for the third time on “Hard Knocks.” This will be the show’s 20th anniversary season. The five-episode season will begin on Aug. 10 at 10 p.m. ET. after the team’s trip to Canton, Ohio to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Hall of Fame game. The annual cable television staple provides a look at an NFL training camp and roster evaluations/cut-down to 53 for the regular season.

America’s Team was also on the show’s training camp documentary series in 2002 and 2008. The Cowboys present a unique cast in 2021. Last year, Dallas went 6-10 in Mike McCarthy’s first year as head coach and this season will provide behind-the-scenes introspective on how the team bounces back under his leadership and created culture. The season will also shed light on first-year defensive coordinator, Dan Quinn, and his newly implemented scheme. He will strive to maximize the talent on defense and turn around a unit that hit record-setting lows last season as the 31st ranked run defense.

Dak Prescott’s return from injury will be a main storyline as he writes his comeback story on the turf. Three former Sooners will likely make an appearance as well. In Prescott’s talented supporting cast, CeeDee Lamb is poised to make a leap in Year 2 following a stellar rookie campaign. His acrobatic catches turned heads a year ago and on defense, defensive tackle Neville Gallimore and safety Steven Parker will be looking to leave their mark in Quinn’s defense. Gallimore became a starter midway through the 2020 season and impressed in the interior bulldozing ball carriers. He made plays on the ball and became a bright spot on a squad that desperately needed a boost.

Many big-name players provide intrigue as position battles take form. One to watch will be in the secondary. With the acquisition of Jayron Kearse and Damontae Kazee in free agency paired with Israel Mukuamu in the draft, this will be a group to watch.  They will join Donovan Wilson, Reggie Robinson II, Darian Thompson, and Steven Parker in the club’s last line of defense. The new coaching regime is not married to players and training camp will provide insight on predominant starters in the lineup come fall.

Cowboys 53-man roster prediction is heavy on defense following draft

The Dallas Cowboys will go heavy on defense in this way too early 53-man roster prediction for the 2021 season.

The 2021 NFL draft dust is just settling, rookie free agents are in the process of getting signed and the teams are narrowing down their rosters to 90 players. The Dallas Cowboys did a little house cleaning to their roster when they released veteran players recently, most notably DT Antwaun Woods, to reach the threshold.

Now set within the roster rules with their 90-man arsenal, the Cowboys have less than four months to trim the player down to its initial 53-man team. Here’s a way too early guess at what the 2021 edition of the Cowboys might look like when they break training camp and head into the season.

Former Sooner Tony Casillas dishes on potential of Neville Gallimore

Former Oklahoma product Tony Casillas gives insight on Neville Gallimore’s productive rookie season for the Dallas Cowboys.

Every year, players at the collegiate ranks wait to hear their name called at the NFL draft and witness dreams become reality. Former players, family members, and alumni watch as household favorites are added to NFL rosters.

Not every elite college player has a successful career in the pros with the speed of the game and ever-evolving schemes. There is immense pressure for a young player to produce given the high expectations. Oklahoma product, Neville Gallimore was projected to be a second-round draft pick and the Dallas Cowboys snagged him in the third. He impressed in his rookie season and took advantage when his number was called.

Gallimore was drafted to be developed into the team’s hybrid system under Mike Nolan and to meet a need at defensive tackle with the interior of Dallas’ line exposed. With injuries to Gerald McCoy and Trysten Hill, along with the release of free agent acquisition Dontari Poe, Gallimore was thrust into action midway through the 2020 season. He helped elevate the squad’s struggling run defense.

The 24-year-old played in 14 games (nine starts) in his first year totaling 28 combined tackles, four tackles for a loss, 0.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, and one pass defended. Quite the resume considering he played only 36 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in 2020 and stats do not tell the whole story.

In a recent interview with former Sooner Tony Casillas during the season, he lit up talking about Gallimore.

“Neville [Gallimore] gets his chance, his opportunity to play, and I think he is showing some of the signs and things he did at Oklahoma. He’s disruptive, very quick, and agile for a guy his size, and I think once he gets confidence under his belt- the sky is the limit for him. He has so much potential. “

“Experience is everything and I think for him, being able to get the reps and it is all about confidence. You create confidence and you make plays, realizing that ‘every play is going to be different but I can do it’ – there is a lot of growth to that.”

Going up against top guards in the league and out leveraging blockers to collapse the pocket or clog holes to stop rushers is a challenging task. As expected, there was a learning curve throughout the young DT’s transition and lack of offseason due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

As the season wore on and his trust in himself and his abilities increased, his performance on the field thrived. The 6-2, 300 pounder showcased solid pass rush moves, explosive hands, and quick one-step maneuver. Gallimore penetrated gaps from the interior and got upfield.

His most notable performance came against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week nine. The Cowboys limited Pittsburgh to 46 rushing yards, a team that was averaging 118 yards-per-game on the ground. He did a tremendous job plugging holes, which only boosted the play of teammates DeMarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford, and Randy Gregory.

“I think the main thing for Nev [Neville Gallimore] was just trusting himself,” DeMarcus Lawrence remarked via conference call on No.96’s growth.

“Coming into the league as a rookie, there’s a lot of pressure being great right now, instead of working on the basics and the fundamentals of this game. I feel like he had that type of pressure on him, once he started loosening up, started having fun with it and also knowing his plays and stuff, he started attacking more.”

After a successful rookie season, Gallimore will likely have a starting role in 2021. The defensive tackle spot is unknown for the team. Tyrone Crawford is a free agent and Antwaun Woods is a restricted free agent. Trysten Hill will be returning from knee surgery after a promising start to his 2020 campaign but regardless, Gallimore is certainly a defensive player to watch for in 2021. Grab the popcorn, he is just getting warmed up.

Pair of former Sooners ranked among Dallas Cowboys’ top three rookies

The Dallas Cowboys added two former Oklahoma Sooners in the 2020 NFL Draft and during the season they were rewarded with their play.

From Baker Mayfield with the Cleveland Browns, Kyler Murray with the Arizona Cardinals, to a list of 34 more former Sooners, Oklahoma has plenty of NFL talent. In the past NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys took two Oklahoma players over the three-day event. It was headlined by CeeDee Lamb, giving quarterback Dak Prescott yet another top target.

The Dallas Cowboys ranked their top rookies from the past season that ended in disappointment. The former Sooners were not among those disappointments. Both were ranked by the team’s website as two of the best three rookies on the team.

(AP Photo/David Berding)

No. 3: Neville Gallimore

Neville Gallimore didn’t begin the year as the starter but when former Sooner Gerald McCoy tore his quadricep before the season, it opened an opportunity. When the team released Dontari Poe, it gave Gallimore even more chances to show why he was a third-round draft pick.

He would start nine games and played in 14 of the team’s 16 games. Gallimore compiled 28 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, four quarterback hits and 0.5 sacks in his rookie campaign. Gallimore recorded the most tackles by a defensive tackle on the team in 2020.

What the Cowboys said:

It’s not how you start, but how you finish. If that cliche holds true, then it’s one for Gallimore, who came on strong at the end of the season. In fact, he was one of the Cowboys’ most active players, especially on the defensive line. The Cowboys were gutted at defensive tackle all season long, but Gallimore continued to take advantage of added snaps.

His game against the Steelers was arguably his best, when he often controlled the line of scrimmage, showing off his unique combination of size and quickness. Gallimore will be one of the cornerstones to Dan Quinn’s defense moving forward.

Next, the No. 1 rookie for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020

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Cowboys News: New year, who’s this? A playoff hopeful prepping for a finale

A preview of the Cowboys-Giants pivotal Week 17 matchup, a rookie review, Kellen Moore’s future in Dallas in jeopardy, and more.

The Dallas Cowboys are about to face the New York Giants and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett for the potential right at a playoff berth, could there be a more fitting end to the 2020 season? Cowboys fans will have to hold their nose and root for the Eagles this week, as Dallas needs Philadelphia to defeat Washington to have any chance of the postseason. The Cowboys and Giants are the first NFC East matchup on Sunday at noon, with the fate-deciding Philadelphia-Washington game starting at 3:25 pm.

The Cowboys season hasn’t gone nearly as the club planned, but here they are in a position to possibly extend their season. In some ways the year is ending as it began, with the Cowboys 2020 draft class garnering tons of attention. The recent draft class of Lamb, Diggs, and Gallimore are not only living up to the hype, they are exceeding it. Dallas will need their rookies to step up once again in this loser-goes-home Week 17 battle. Plus, could the Cowboys really lose offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to his alma mater, Boise State? Happy New Year, Cowboys Nation.

Cowboys place DT Antwaun Woods on IR, ending his 2020 season

The Cowboys added starting defensive tackle Antwaun Woods to the injured reserve on Saturday.

The Dallas Cowboys 2020 season is ending in a similar fashion to how it started, with a number of key injuries. Saturday, the club added two new defenders to the Injured Reserve, including starting defensive tackle Antwaun Woods (ankle).

Woods injured his ankle in the Week 15 win over San Francisco, and was ruled out for Week 16 earlier this week before he landed on the IR, ending his regular season.

Woods took to Twitter to confirm the bad news, and let his teammates know that they have his full support for the rest of the season.

 

The undrafted Woods has spent three of his four years with Dallas, and he started 32 games over those three seasons. The former Southern California Trojan has steadily improved during his time in Dallas, and is one of the teams most consistent run stuffers.

Woods is a restricted free agent in the offseason and the Cowboys could try to retain his services going forward based on a need for quality depth at the defensive tackle position. Woods is clearly one of the leaders and emotional catalysts on this Dallas roster. You may remember Woods defending the star from a Juju Smith-Schuster touchdown celebration earlier in the season, à la George Teague and Terrell Owens.

The Cowboys interior defensive line had already been ravaged by injuries, as Gerald McCoy was lost before the season started, and second-year prospect Trysten Hill showed promise before a season-ending injury; now Woods is the latest addition to that list. DT Dontari Poe was released from the club midseason after being one of the biggest free agent signings.

With Woods out, Dallas will turn to a defensive tackle rotation primarily consisting of Neville Gallimore, Justin Hamilton, and Eli Ankou. Defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford and Aldon Smith will also slide inside and see reps at the 3-technique spot, especially on obvious passing downs.

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Cowboys News: Elliott’s future safe, young defenders rising stock, Eagles rivalry

Moving on from Ezekiel Elliott will be difficult considering his deal and finding a trade partner. Youth movement on defense has impressed.

The Dallas Cowboys moving on from Ezekiel Elliott would be difficult when looking at his deal and finding a willing trade partner if they wanted to go that route, which is highly unlikely. Trevon Diggs, Neville Gallimore, and Donovan Wilson have all shown flashes of being building blocks for the Cowboys defense going forward.

Texas native Andy Dalton loves playing with the Cowboys and would consider a return, but is focused on beating the rival Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday. Former defensive backs coach Kris Richard’s name has come up as a possible Mike Nolan replacement, but looking at how his time in Dallas ended, that might not be the smartest route to go. Is the Cowboy’s current two-game win streak due to better play or simply catching all the right breaks at the right time? That and much more is covered in this edition of the news and notes.

Cowboys News: Pollard primed, Pro Bowl snubs, playoff pushing

The NFCCE is coming down to the wire, the Cowboys lose another defensive starter to injury, and the biggest storylines for Dallas vs Philly.

No Dallas Cowboys made the Pro Bowl for the first time in 31 years meaning there were a few snubs. Leighton Vander Esch could potentially miss the remainder of the year with a high ankle sprain. Does Tony Pollard have a case for the best back in Dallas, and how will the team utilize their running backs moving forward?

The Cowboys picked up their first back-to-back wins of the 2020 season when they defeated the San Francisco 49ers last weekend and a number of other young prospects played well. The win kept Dallas alive in the NFC East playoff race, making this Sunday’s showdown with Philadelphia that much more meaningful.