Last offseason was known primarily for the exodus of many veterans in the Dallas Cowboys defensive secondary. Three starters in safety Barry Church and longtime cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne were all allowed to leave via free agency.
In their place, the Cowboys focused heavily on defense in the 2017 NFL Draft. Using seven of their nine selections on that side of the ball, Dallas retooled their secondary with young talent. And, the gamble appeared to pay off as rookies like safety Xavier Woods and cornerbacks Jourdan Lewis and Chidobe Awuize excelled in their inaugural season.