One of the worst-kept secrets leading up to the first round of the draft was the Cowboys looking for an elite receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb. Late in the process it had become a sweetheart pick to mock Tetairoa McMillan to the ‘Boys at No. 12, but that blew up in their faces on Thursday night with the Panthers taking the big receiver out of Arizona to give Bryce Young another weapon.
This hit Micah Parsons particularly hard. Parsons was on an NFL Draft live show when the pick aired, and was immediately beside himself.
“That was supposed to be our pick! I’m hurt. He was supposed to be opposite of CeeDee Lamb. CeeDee … I’m sorry brother!”
Obviously it was a massive gut punch to Cowboys fans hoping to add another weapon. Instead the team was forced to pivot at No. 12 and ended up reaching in a major way for Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker, who was 31st on JP Acosta’s big board. It’s not that Booker is a bad player by any stretch, he just wasn’t good value at all where the Cowboys took him — and Micah’s initial reaction says it all.
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Parsons semi warmed up to the pick, but still said he wished the team had gotten more help at a skill position, or on the defensive line. Instead Dallas took the fourth offensive lineman off the board, and are hoping that Booker can become the next Zack Martin — which seems more like a prayer than a plan.