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.
UPDATE: The Cowboys have started interviewing some offensive players at the NFL Combine.
With the NFL Combine nearing its end, the Cowboys have brought in some offensive skill players for interviews along with a couple more defensive players.
- Matthew Golden- WR- Texas
- Isaiah Bond- WR- Texas
- Tetairoa McMillan- WR- Arizona
- Emeka Egbuka- WR- Ohio State
- Kaden Prather- WR- Maryland
- Kaleb Johnson- RB- Iowa
- Omarion Hampton- RB- North Carolina
- Jordan James- RB- Oregon
- Dylan Sampson- RB- Tennessee
Dallas has also spoken with two more defensive backs, specifically cornerbacks, in Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison and Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston.
Its good that the Cowboys realize they are in need of a wide receiver. McMillan is projected to go in the top 15 picks and is one of the better receivers in the draft. Ohio State has become a factory for NFL wide receivers and Egbuka has been highly thought since last season.
The Texas wide receivers are both speedsters, something the Cowboys have lacked outside KaVontae Turpin.
Also, the running back position had needed and upgrade for quite some time. With the additions of Klayton Adams and Conor Riley, Dallas’ running game is expected to show some improvements. Hampton and Johnson could come in and have a good season for the Cowboys.
Absent from this list are guys like quarterback Quinn Ewers and running back Ashton Jeanty. Those two players are eligible for the Dallas Days interviews. Reports indicate that Ewers is working out with former Cowboys’ head coach Mike McCarthy. Word around the water cooler is the Cowboys are looking to add a backup quarterback. Dak Prescott is 31 years old and is coming off a season ending injury so drafting a potential replacement who can learn for a few years makes a ton of sense.
The NFL Combine is still going on and the Cowboys should start to interview with some offensive linemen. Zack Martin has retired and Dallas will need to add some quality players to protect Prescott.
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