Mike McCarthy compares Jalen Tolbert to CeeDee Lamb, Cedric Wilson

The Dallas Cowboys used the No. 88 pick of the 2022 NFL Draft on wide receiver Jalen Tolbert out of South Alabama. Following rookie mini camp, head coach Mike McCarthy is feeling good about their third-round selection.

“In just the short time that I’ve been around Jalen, I think he’s going to do fine,” McCarthy said. “He’s young, and frankly, one of the things he made a big point of in our initial conversations was how young he is and he hasn’t played a lot of football.

“To me, that’s exciting. He said, ‘I don’t know how high my ceiling is but I think it’s going to be pretty damn high,'” I was like, ‘Hell yeah.'” You can see it. He’s natural inside… He reminds you, just on first impression, in terms of his movement traits, he’s somewhere kind of between CeeDee (Lamb) and Cedric Wilson. That illustrates what we’re looking for. When you have that type of skillset when you can come in here and play inside and outside, that’s a real value.”

Earning early comparisons to two of the Cowboys’ top three receivers from the 2021 season is a good sign for Tolbert’s chances of being a big part of the offense as a rookie.

The media asked the former Green Bay Packers coach if he put Tolbert in the No. 18 jersey as a nod to former Packers wideout Randall Cobb.

“That’s a great question. Alot of love for Randall Cobb but I really have nothing to do with the numbers,” McCarthy said.

Tolbert shares what he’s bringing to Dallas

Following the draft, the South Alabama product discussed what unique skills he feels he’s adding to the Cowboys offense.

“I bring versatility. One of my strengths is high-pointing and catching the ball away from my body. I’m excited to continue to improve in every aspect as a wide receiver,” Tolbert said.

Tolbert’s 6-foot-3 height and his speed make him an ideal deep threat and red zone threat for the Cowboys’ passing game. At South Alabama, he had a total of 178 career receptions for 3140 yards and 22 touchdowns. And just last year, he was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year after setting a new school record with 82 catches over their 12-game season.

With Tolbert’s skill set and playmaking ability, he’s already making an impression on the Cowboys coaches early and often.