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Cowboys receive promising grades for fifth round selections in 2025 NFL Draft

The latest NFL Draft grades give promising optimism for the Cowboys' fifth round selections.

Tyler Reed

Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue runs for a touchdown against the BYU Cougars in the fourth quarter.
Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue runs for a touchdown against the BYU Cougars in the fourth quarter. / Jay Janner / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Dallas Cowboys made two selections in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The first was pick No. 149, where the team selected Texas running back Jaydon Blue.

Then, the Cowboys traded with the Seattle Seahawks for pick No. 152, where the team selected Florida linebacker Shemar James.

RELATED: Cowboys trade up, take Florida linebacker in Round 5 of NFL Draft

A quick look at the draft grades from Bleacher Report will tell Cowboys fans that they should be optimistic about the two fifth round selections.

The selection of Blue earned a B grade. Here's what Bleacher Report had to say on the selection of the Texas running back:

"Blue is fast. He may not be as fast as he thinks he is, but he is still plenty fast. The 21-year-old prospect didn't crack the 4.2-second barrier in the 40-yard dash. However, his 4.38-second effort was the second-fastest among running backs at the NFL Scouting Combine. 
Blue later found out that he was dealing with a Grade 2 groin strain at the time, which means he may have even more juice when he's back to full strength."

Shemar Jame
Hawkins Dynamics specialists Trent Bassingthwaite (left) and Cat Moss (center) record force plate measurements for Florida linebacker Shemar James during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

However, the selection of James earned a C+ grade.

"The Dallas Cowboys defense is the island of misfit toys. It’s where failed first-rounders tend to go. Case in point, Kenneth Murray Jr. is projected as a starting linebacker this year. He’s always been a physical defender. The same applies to fellow Cowboy Jack Sanborn (undrafted in 2022). Florida’s Shemar James has athletic limitations as well, but he provides another option among a patchwork group."

Want to know the beautiful thing about draft grades? None of us has any idea what will happen when these players take the field. Both could be major players.

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Tyler Reed
TYLER REED

Tyler is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where he majored in communications. Aside from his roles with the Cowboys and Chargers on SI, Tyler also covers sports and pop culture for The Big Lead.

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