Following the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft last Thursday night, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Dallas had its first-round pick, Tulsa offensive lineman Tyler Smith, graded ahead of offensive guards Zion Johnson and Kenyon Green. This comment had many in the press conference skeptical because they felt Jones was saying the right thing because Johnson and Green were off the board when the Dallas Cowboys selected Smith at No. 24.
But Jones wanted to prove he wasn’t lying, so he picked up a sheet of paper in front of him that he said was printed three days before the draft. It appeared to show all of the team’s first-round grades and the top of their second-round grades.
“Can you see that?” Jones asked reporters.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones started laughing, then told his father, “Don’t show them that.”
Jones put it down before anyone sitting close was able to snap a picture of the sheet. But several TV cameras in the back of the room were able to capture the screen grab and on Tuesday, WFAA reporter Mike Leslie tweeted it:
By enhancing the phot and breaking down player names and school names, the internet was able to come up what many believe to be the top names on that sheet.
Stephen Jones said before the draft that the Cowboys had 14 to 16 first-round grades. After the first round, it was revealed that they had 14, which matches up with 14 names listed in the top box. Judging by this enhanced photo, those 14 would be:
Jon Machata of the Athletic took a swing at it:
1. Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon: drafted at No. 5 by the Giants.
2. Evan Neal, OT, Alabama: drafted at No. 7 by the Giants.
3. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan: drafted at No. 2 by the Lions.
4. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State: drafted at No. 10 by the Jets.
5. Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati: drafted at No. 4 by the Jets.
6. Derek Stingley, CB, LSU: drafted at No. 3 by the Texans.
7. Travon Walker, DE, Georgia: drafted at No. 1 by the Jaguars.
8. Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame: drafted at No. 14 by the Ravens.
9. Ikem Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State: drafted at No. 6 by the Panthers.
10. Drake London, WR, USC: drafted at No. 8 by the Falcons.
11. Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia: drafted at No. 13 by the Eagles.
12. Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State: drafted at No. 9 by the Seahawks.
13. Lewis Cine, S, Georgia: drafted at No. 32 by the Vikings.
14. Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama: drafted at No. 12 by the Lions.
The second-round grades on the front of the paper appear to go as follows:
15. Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State: drafted at No. 11 by the Saints.
16. Tyler Smith, OL, Tulsa: drafted at No. 24 by the Cowboys.
17. Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: drafted at No. 27 by the Jaguars.
18. Daxton Hill, S, Michigan: drafted at No. 31 by the Bengals.
19. Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State: drafted at No. 36 by the Jets.
20. Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M: drafted at No. 15 by the Texans.
21. George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue: drafted at No. 30 by the Chiefs.
22. Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College: drafted at No. 17 by the Chargers.
23. Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas: drafted at No. 18 by the Titans.
24. Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington: drafted at No. 39 by the Bears.
25. Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa: drafted at No. 25 by the Ravens.
26. David Ojabo, DE, Michigan: drafted at No. 45 by the Ravens.
27. Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State: drafted at No. 16 by the Commanders.
28. Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State: drafted at No. 26 by the Jets.
29. Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida: drafted at No. 23 by the Bills.
30. Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State: drafted at No. 38 by the Falcons.
31. Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington: drafted at No. 21 by the Chiefs.
32. Quay Walker, LB, Georgia: drafted at No. 22 by the Packers.
33. Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia: drafted at No. 28 by the Packers.
34. Logan Hall, DE, Houston: drafted at No. 33 by the Buccaneers.
