Setting the early parameters for Cowboys second-round draft pick Marshawn Kneeland

Setting the early parameters for Cowboys second-round draft pick Marshawn Kneeland

Even though the draft is just a few days old, the Dallas Cowboys’ fresh additions to the roster are causing fans to lose their minds. Many believe that the players selected in the team’s first three rounds will have an instant impact. We recently examined what Tyler Guyton would experience in his rookie year. We’ll take a deeper look at defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, the team’s second-round draft selection, today.

Kneeland is a compelling participant. After attending Western Michigan for five years, he experiences the typical doubt that comes with less favorable school prospects. His absence of striking stats against this lower-tier opposition raises even more doubts. Lastly, to further cement the mystery surrounding Kneeland, his unusual build makes him somewhat of a tweener.

Was highly sought after when he was one of the league’s top defensive end prospects going into the draft. Given that half of the league’s teams had planned visits with him, he had one of the busiest pre-draft processes. The main attraction about Kneeland is his athleticism; you’ve undoubtedly already heard about his extremely high RAS score, which highlights all of his physical attributes. He is among the finest speed-to-power pass rushers coming out of college because of his length and quickness.

The intriguing thing about Kneeland is that his college sack total was not very outstanding because his skill set isn’t that of an excellent edge rusher who will stuff the yard. However, disruption is his strong suit.

He’s a bit of a tweener, as we previously discussed, so it’s unclear where he’ll stand on this defense, but that’s okay. As a versatile player, Kneeland can line up with his hand in the ground, attack from the inside or the outside, or start off quickly. He is a player that opposing blocks can become confused by using in a variety of ways.

What can we anticipate in the first year? First of all, there are a lot of snaps available this season, even though DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons are the defensive line’s bookends. 749 representatives are vacant as a result of Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler’s departures. That in and of itself offers some chances. Given that non-defensive tackles accounted for 64% of defensive line snaps during the previous season, the Cowboys also regularly employ defensive ends to attack from the middle. To put it briefly, Kneeland has a great chance to play a significant part in the forthcoming season. Can he take use of such opportunities is the question. We think he is capable.

This is largely due to his anticipated usage. It won’t just be Kneeland spelling Lawrence in a slow-moving progression.

Using him and Tank together will strengthen the Cowboys’ run-stopping ability on the edge. It will also provide the team with new ways to deploy the dynamic Parsons, allowing new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to get creative with his simulation pressure schemes.

And don’t expect Kneeland to be restricted to early down work. He can also be used to attack from the middle as a glorified 3-tech in pass-rushing situations. His athleticism will open the door to possibilities. We should also expect to see an expanded role for Sam Williams as he’ll inherit many of Fowler’s third-down pass-rushing reps, but don’t be surprised if the rookie is on the field quite a bit in 2024.
Kneeland will still have its share of growing pains. When facing significantly larger inside blockers, his aggressive disposition will cause him to overfollow and be lost in the chaos. All things considered, his physical attributes and knack for the game will get him on the field. He should also make an intriguing addition to John Fassel’s special teams squad.

Prediction: He should play a position similar to that of Dorance Armstrong, where he lines up everywhere for 40% of the defensive snaps and then contributes 20% more on special teams. Kneeland could conclude his first season with a decent B performance grade, with the odd splash play thrown in.

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