The NFL draft will take place later this month. In this series, dallas cowboys He's at every position as the team prepares to make a selection in Detroit. Number 7 is defensive tackle.
This unit requires a player. Neville Gallimore and Jonathan Hankins are gone, a former first-round pick is coming off a disappointing season, and another player is entering a contract year. So what do you do? Free agency is one way he improves a team and makes an immediate impact, but there's always the draft to make the team younger. The Cowboys are having trouble finding quality defensive tackles in the draft. Since 2020, the team has drafted five DTs, but only two remain.
players on the roster
Osa Odigizuwa: He has only missed one game in three NFL seasons. He's a durable player who has improved over the past two seasons and continues to improve. He enters his contract year looking for revenue.
Maji Smith: Smith got off to a slow start in training camp last summer and saw limited minutes in the regular season (four snaps in a playoff game) as a rookie. Although he underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason, the 2023 first-round pick is expected to start camp as scheduled this summer.
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Strengths
Odighizuwa learned a lot from the veteran Hankins, and it showed on game day. He set career highs in total tackles (46), lost tackles (9) and quarterback hits (13) in his 2023. Now he has to follow it. He should fit into defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer's scheme, but he will need help.
Weakness
It's hard to place Madge Smith here, but his rookie year could be summed up as a “redshirt” season. So, in year two, Smith should improve. His progress was slowed by offseason surgery, which may be why he didn't feel strong enough against blockers in 2023. This team has very little depth, so it's a year where we expect as many free agent signings as the team has made in previous years.
3 draft targets
Braden Fisk, Florida: It would be surprising if the Cowboys select a defensive tackle in the first round and Fisk fits in the second and third rounds. He performed well at the scouting combine, supporting his stock.
McKinley Jackson, Texas A&M: The 6-1 1/2, 326-pounder can play center or between center and guard. This could be a good pick for him on day two to add depth.
Byron Murphy II, Texas: He was projected as a top-15 pick, and the Cowboys invited him to join The Star. Will it fall to 24th place? If he comes close to it, will the Cowboys make a move to acquire him?
Cowboys Draft Needs Series
— quarterback
— running back
— tight end
— Offensive line
— wide receiver
— defensive end
— Details coming soon…
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