In the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, former Hawkeye defensive end Chauncey Golston was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the 84^th overall pick.

Golston was the first Hawkeye off the board in the 2021 NFL draft. In total, four Hawkeyes were drafted — wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette went to the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round with the 157^th pick overall. One pick after Smith-Marsette, Daviyon Nixon was drafted No. 158 overall to the Carolina Panthers. In the sixth round, former Hawkeye linebacker Ben Niemann was drafted 185^th overall to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Golston’s four-year rookie contract is projected to be worth about $4.9 million, according to Spotrac.com.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 269 pounds, Golston was a mainstay on Iowa’s defensive line for the last three seasons, competing in all of the Hawkeyes’ games from 2018-20. Last year, Golston and Nixon led the Hawkeyes in sacks, racking up 5.5 each.

Golston also registered 8.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble in 2020, garnering first-team All-Big Ten honors.

Now, the Detroit, Michigan native will join a Cowboy team that gave up 473 points in 2020-21 — the most points allowed in a single season in franchise history.

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Dallas went 6-10 in 2020-21 in its first season under the direction of head coach Mike McCarthy.

Golston is projected to be the Cowboys’ backup right defensive end, sitting behind starter Randy Gregory.

Gregory has faced multiple suspensions for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and was suspended indefinitely in February 2019. The NFL conditionally reinstated Gregory on Sept. 4, 2020.

DeMarcus Lawrence, a veteran who has played every game for the Cowboys since the 2017 season, is projected to start on the left side of the defensive line.

With Gregory’s contract expiring after the 2020-21 season, the Cowboys may be looking at Golston to replace Gregory if Golston does well in his rookie campaign.

In the 2020-21 season, the Cowboys ran a base defense similar to the one the Hawkeyes utilized throughout Golston’s collegiate career — the 4-3.

This offseason, Dallas hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn as its defensive coordinator for the 2021-22 season. According to the Seattle Times, Quinn ran a base 4-3 defense when he was the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks from 2013-14.

Last month, Golston held a press conference with reporters and said he’s comfortable playing on either side of the defensive line.

Golston also mentioned that he would play defensive tackle in nickel and dime packages if needed.

“That’s how I got on the field my first time in Iowa,” Golston told dallascowboys.com. “I’ve always been trying to get on the field no matter what or where. So, if I’m on the inside, I’m just trying to make a play. At the end of the day, it’s football.”

Golston will get his first chance to play on an NFL gridiron on Aug. 5. as the Cowboys kick off their preseason campaign against the Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

The Cowboys will open the NFL regular season on Sept. 9, against reigning Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.