Cowboys Meet with Defensive Talent at NFL Combine

INDIANAPOLIS, IN— The Dallas Cowboys have begun their formal meetings with potential players at the NFL Combine.

The NFL Combine has started with the invited players showing up at Lucas Oil Field for the upcoming meetings and events. The Cowboys have started interviewing players and, if fans have been paying attention, it sort of shows their hand when it comes to the NFL Draft.

The Cowboys reportedly spoke with 16 players, and 15 of them were on the defensive side of the ball.

• Alfred Collins- DT- Texas
• Payton Page- DT- Clemson
• Walter Nolen- DT- Ole Miss
• Kenneth Grant- DT- Michigan
• Cam Horsley- DT- Boston College
• Mykel Williams- EDGE- Georgia
• Jordan Burch- EDGE- Oregon
• Princely Umanmielen- EDGE- Ole Miss
• Barrett Carter- LB- Clemson
• Danny Stutsman- LB- Oklahoma
• Shemar James- LB- Florida
• Jeffery Bassa- LB- Oregon
• Carson Schwesinger- LB- UCLA
• Jahdae Barron- CB- Texas
• Trey Amos- CB- Ole Miss
• Zy Alexander- CB- LSU
• Mason Taylor- TE- LSU

Seven of these 16 players fall in the top 50 on PFF’s Big Board, with Collins and Umanmielen falling out of the top 32 and the other five, Williams, Barron, Nolen, Amos, and Grant, falling in the top 32.

From this list, it looks like the Cowboys will try and add front seven players, which is absolutely a need on the team. If there is anything behind the recent rumors, the Cowboys have spoken to the Tennessee Titans about the No. 1 overall pick where Penn State’s Abdul Carter would be in play. While on the subject of Carter, it was reported Thursday that he has a stress reaction in his right foot and could need surgery.

Back to the list, the highest-rated player on PFF’s board is Barron, who ranks eighth overall, well in play for the Cowboys at pick 12. The next highest rated players are Grant at 14 and Nolen at 15, which would add size and depth to the interior defensive line. At 22, Williams falls onto the board and the Cowboys need edge help. Demarcus Lawrence is a free agent and is coming off an injury as is Sam Williams. Outside of Micah Parsons, the Cowboys cannot get to the quarterback on a regular basis.

For the defensive tackles, Osa Odighizuwa is also a potential free agent. But the Cowboys like their guys, so it doesn’t make sense to let him walk away to another team.

Perhaps the most interesting player is Barron, the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award winner.

Expect some offensive players to fall onto this list in the near future as defensive players perform before the offense.

The Cowboys have a serious need at wide receiver, and a couple guys could help in the first round. Running with just CeeDee Lamb is not a successful mindset, and Dallas needs to find a complement.

Also, Stephen Jones has stated that the Cowboys do have a goal to draft a quarterback in the upcoming draft as well to back up Dak Prescott. Both current backups, Cooper Rush and Trey Lance, are free agents, and Prescott is 31 years old coming off another injury. Don’t expect the Cowboys to draft a quarterback super early, but looking at guys like Syracuse’s Kyle McCord, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard, Ohio State’s Will Howard, or even Texas’ Quinn Ewers could be on the Cowboys’ radar.

After the upcoming free agency period, the Cowboys’ plans will become more clear.