BREAKING> The Cowboys player who is entirely forgotten by the public.
The Dallas Cowboys picked outstanding edge rusher Micah Parsons after trading back two positions to draft the top cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft. It will always be recognized as the fallback strategy that the Cowboys found to be quite successful. Not that Patrick Surtain II, who was chosen one slot before the Cowboys, wouldn’t have been a fantastic choice. His seven career interceptions are just two short of Daron Bland’s total from last year, and he has two Pro Bowl seasons under his belt. The PS2 is fantastic, but that guy Parsons? Let’s just say that we’re all pleased with the outcome.
In addition to selecting the top player in the draft, the Cowboys received a third-round pick (84th overall) from the Philadelphia Eagles for enabling them to advance. Chauncey Golston, an Iowa defensive lineman, was chosen by Dallas with that selection.
Going into his third year in the league, Golston has participated in 47 games out of a potential 51. Only three of them have he started; otherwise, he has primarily been a rotational player lower on the squad. He has 41% (2021), 23% (2022), and 29% (2023) defensive snap counts. He has 3.5 sacks and 79 tackles overall.
He didn’t have the strength to anchor down and manage the pushback in the middle, nor the get-off to be an impact edge rusher, thus coming out of college, he was seen as a tweener. As a result, Golston was employed in a number of ways during his time at Iowa, so it is not shocking to see more of the same at the professional level. He effectively split his time between the DE and DT positions, therefore Dan Quinn used him at both locations. It’s okay that Golston hasn’t been able to carve out a niche for himself in the Cowboys’ defense. Versatility is highly valued by the club, and Golston pitches in wherever he can.
You might find him to be unimpressive after seeing his movie. There aren’t any impressive repetitions or unusual athleticism to be thrilled about. Golston is a hardworking individual who excels at his role. His ability to shed blockers with his great length is his most useful skill set. Even though he lacks strength or explosiveness, his long arms enable him to swam past opponents. Golston is also exceptionally adept at determining his destination. He will attack at the appropriate times since he can read the play well. Because of this, he can contribute well wherever he plays.
Golston is useful on special teams as well because he participates in about one-third of the kicking game’s snaps. He has already found the end zone twice; in his first season, he recovered a gift fumble on a blocked punt that fell perfectly into his arms for a touchdown. Additionally, he converted a fake extra point last year, receiving a pass from punter/holder Bryan Anger, which resulted in a two-point conversion.
He’s about to start his final year of his rookie contract. No one is paying him much attention because we are more focused on players with greater upside, such as Viliami Fehoko and Osa Odighizuwa along the interior or Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland on the edge. But don’t overlook Golston entirely. He was deep on the depth chart before, but guys like Dante Fowler and Dorance Armstrong are no longer with the team. Who’s to say that Golston doesn’t locate himself on the defensive line at last, especially with Mike Zimmer, the new defensive coordinator, in charge?
Golston is a coach-friendly, hard-working, and flexible athlete who might be a long-term fixture on this Cowboys defensive line. However, there is still much uncertainty about how this could play out. With more playing time and a few big plays thrown in, he might wind up being one of the cheap re-signs the Cowboys make in the offseason to provide some reliable depth. Golston may have some excellent chances in 2024 if coaching changes and the departure of reps go as planned.