FRISCO, TEXAS — With just over a week until the NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys are going through the evaluation process before acquiring their carefully constructed undrafted free agent pool and making seven picks in the currently scheduled draft. It's in the final stage.
inside pick fit In the series, we'll look at each position group and which players would be a good fit for the Cowboys with each of the seven picks within that position group.
Round 1, Pick 24: Cooper DeJean (Iowa): It's unlikely the Cowboys will take a cornerback in the first round, but if the offensive lineman leaves early and a big name is still available at the position, Cooper DeJean could be a perfect fit for Dallas' defense. will do. His versatility moving from corner to nickel to safety will give Mike Zimmer options, and his return ability could give John Fassel an additional weapon in the kick return game. His instincts and reaction speed are among the best in the draft, even though he's a good fit at defensive end safety.
Round 2, Pick 56: TJ Tampa (Iowa State): TJ Tampa, the player the Cowboys officially faced at the NFL Combine, dominated the Big 12 over the past two seasons at Iowa State and made waves as one of the top draft picks along the way. He's aggressive enough to disrupt, but cautious enough to not flag in man coverage, and patient and decisive in zone coverage. These abilities led him to record seven pass breakups and two interceptions last season, making him an AP third-team All-American.
Round 3, Pick 87: Andre Phillips (Kentucky): Andrew Phillips, whose name is rising rapidly in the late stages of the draft, intrigues teams with his athleticism and smooth change of direction that can be interpreted as a perimeter or nickel corner. I wouldn't be surprised if Phillips jumps into the second round, but a prospect who was comfortable in Day 3 territory a few weeks ago could now comfortably expect to fall into Day 2. He may be physically challenged at the next level, but his tenacity will make up for it in time.
Round 5, Pick 174: Josh Newton (TCU): One of the more experienced and clean corners you'll find in the draft, Josh Newton does just about everything at an acceptable level, from coverage to identifying route concepts to enhancing run support. Newton has shown that he struggles against more physical receivers on the outside, especially when combined with his speed, but it's hard to do what he can do on the outside when he can match up physically.
Round 6, Pick 216: Dwight McGlothan (Arkansas): Dwight McGlothan, a tall, long corner who had eight interceptions in his college career, uses his high school quarterback instincts to instantly read and react to zone coverages, creating nightmarish schemes. He may not be as good at taking guys off the line in man-to-man as Mike Zimmer has done with corners in the past, but his physicality can translate into man-coverage concepts that can disrupt receivers of all sizes. . .
Round 7, Pick 233: Christian Laurent Wallace (USC): Rolan Wallace, a 5-foot-11, 201-pound Bulldog, jams off the line and forces receivers off track from the get-go. That's when the receiver can get past him and combine a win off the line with a double move where Loran-Wallace gets through to his left with his back turned. But in straight route concepts where he can force receivers towards the perimeter, his physicality wins out almost every time.
Round 7, Pick 244: Marcellus Dial (South Carolina). If you're looking for a third-day corner who can play against outside receivers with vertical threat ability, Marcellus Dial might be the guy for you. Dial keeps the same footwork step-by-step throughout the route, allowing him to run with his receivers and make plays on the ball as required. His turnaround will require work at the next level to deal with a more complex route tree, but his ability to close down the perimeter is worth a shot.
UDFA: Taheeb Still (Maryland): Taheeb Still will be a very fun project for Mike Zimmer with his skills as a press man and ability to mirror routes from the outside and inside. Probably a nickel at the next level, Steele will need to improve his run support and quick reaction ability, but his intelligence in mid-major route concepts and above will be a welcome sight in the undrafted pool. .
