Devin Lloyd's Spot on Cowboys' Draft Board Also Potentially Revealed
Earlier this week, internet sleuths helped determine exactly where Jacksonville Jaguars No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker was on one team's draft board. Now, it looks like we have an idea of where the Jaguars' other first-rounder was on the Cowboys' board.
According to some further examination of Jerry Jones' self-admitted draft board by Jon Machota of The Athletic, it appears 34 names can be made out and deciphered, including that of Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd, who the team selected No. 27 overall.
While Walker came in at No. 7 on the Cowboys' board, The Athletic's configuration of Dallas' board has Lloyd at No. 17 at overall -- and with Dallas seeing Lloyd as the best linebacker in the draft. Considering Dallas' homerun evaluation on Micah Parsons, the fact they see Lloyd as the best linebacker in the draft should get anyone in Jacksonville excited.
In this understanding of the Cowboys' potential board, Walker came in at No. 7 and trailed Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux, Alabama's Evan Neal, Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson, Ohio State's Garrett Wilson, Cincinnati's Ahmad Gardner, and LSU's Derek Stingley.
Walker was ranked above Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton, North Carolina State's Ikem Ekwonu, USC's Drake London, Georgia's Jordan Davis, Miss. State's Charles Cross, Georgia's Lewis Cine, Alabama's Jameson Williams, Ohio State's Chris Olave, and Smith, who the Cowboys took at No. 24. Lloyd was the next player behind Smith and evidently carried a second-round grade for the Cowboys, with Dallas only having 14 first-round grades.
Lloyd carried a higher grade on the Cowboys board than Michigan's Daxton Hill, Iowa State's Breece Hall, Texas A&M's Kenyon Green, Purdue's George Karlaftis, Boston College's Zion Johnson, Arkansas' Treylon Burks, Washington's Kyler Gordon, Iowa's Tyler Linderbaum, Michigan's David Ojabo, Penn State's Jahan Dotson, FSU's Jermaine Johnson, Florida's Kaiir Elam, Penn State's Arnold Ebiketie, Washington's Trey McDuffie, Georgia's Quay Walker, Georgia's Devonte Wyatt, and Houston's Logan Hall.
The only other linebacker in the Cowboys' top-34 was Walker, who was ranked at No. 32. Walker was drafted No. 22 overall by the Green Bay Packers and was the first linebacker off the board. Walker was widely connected to the Jaguars throughout the process and there is a real chance his selection helped convince the Jaguars they needed to move up from No. 33 to draft Lloyd.
The Jaguars traded the No. 33 pick, the No. 106 pick (fourth-round), and the No. 180 pick (sixth-round) for the No. 27 pick, taking Tampa Bay's spot in the first round and ensuring one of the draft's top linebackers would land in Jacksonville.
"I think Coach and I looked at each other right around the Dallas pick, I think. I think they were picking 24th or -- we talked about it a little bit before that, but when it got to Dallas and Dallas picked the center, Tyler Smith, the offensive lineman," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said after they took Lloyd.
"When we got to that, we felt, okay, we've got a chance here, we picked up the phone and talked to Tampa.
Lloyd, a former safety, appeared in 47 games and started 32 for Utah after redshirting his freshman season. After collecting six tackles as a backup in 2018, Lloyd became a full-time starter in 2019. He earned honorable mention All-Pac 12 in 2019 after leading the team with 91 tackles, along with 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and one interception.
Lloyd was named a first-team All-Pac 12 member in 2020 as he started five games. The Utah team captain recorded 48 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, and one forced fumble, leading the team in tackles and tackles for loss.
Lloyd started 13 more games in 2021, being named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Pac 12 as he recorded 110 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 10 pass deflections and four interceptions.
